From dream beaches to tea plantations
Exhibitors from southern Asia showcase the diversity of the region. Selected teas are just as much a part of the offer as the best of the coconut. It can be used as a snack, jewellery and serum.
‘Tea has to float,’ Andreas Raju Banik is convinced. That's why he doesn't believe in small tea bags. Instead, he infuses his Assam or Darjeeling directly with water and then passes it through a sieve. Banik works for the tea importer K. C. Chatterjee (Hall 10.2, Stand 140) from Kolkata. The wholesaler has been exhibiting at Grüne Woche for more than 30 years. Many regular visitors have a cup poured for them and top up their stocks. He also knows most of his producers personally, including many co-operatives. The boss sometimes travels to the plantations for the harvest to ensure the best quality. Andreas Raju Banik has noticed that customers' tastes have changed over the years. ‘Before the coronavirus pandemic, we mainly sold the classic varieties, but now blends are more in demand,’ he says. For sweetening, he suggests palm candy, either plain or with spices such as cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Simply put a piece in your mouth and let the tea flow over it - delicious!
Versatile coconut
Kanokporn Holtsch has turned her nickname Pook into a brand. Under the name Pook Products, the founder from Thailand (Hall 18, Stand 102) sells coconut chips in flavours such as chocolate or mango. What is important to her is that the crunchy snacks are vegan and gluten-free. They are suitable as a topping for salads, ice cream or yoghurt. Also in the range: sticky rice crackers with the flavour of mango and sriracha. The entrepreneur has already won over the jury of the TV show ‘Höhle der Löwen’ with her healthy snacks. The fact that coconut also cares for the skin can be seen right next door at the Cocobeautythailand stand. Because coconut palms grow in her garden, the founder from the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan has focussed on their positive properties for skin and hair. Following the principles of traditional Thai medicine, she developed a moisturising body lotion and a serum based on coconut oil. ‘All without chemical additives,’ she assures us.
Jewellery made from shells
Designer Anesta Nuwanrekha Barnett from Sri Lanka works with the shell of the coconut. She has created artistic earrings and rings from the material, which is reminiscent of wood. ‘In my home country, there are many different types of coconut with dark and light-coloured shells,’ she explains. Depending on how much she processes them, the material sometimes appears shiny, sometimes rough and natural. ‘By using the coconuts for jewellery or everyday objects such as bowls, we can protect the trees and preserve biodiversity,’ emphasises the founder. Anyone who adorns themselves with coconut shells is therefore making an active contribution to sustainability.
