Producing Wine in the Nordics
Climate change is warming the Nordics making it increasingly possible to produce wine commercially. The Nordics have a budding wine maker scene and it’s now possible to do a road trip around a few wine regions. Betina Newberry owns Denmark’s largest vineyard, Dyrehøj Vingaard. This episode is full of insights on what it takes to produce wine in the Nordics and how the industry is developing as Betina shares her entrepreneurial journey. See full show notes here.
An Iceland Road Trip for Food Lovers
When Chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason decided to take a road trip around Iceland in search of new inspiration for his Restaurant Dill, he never guessed he would stumble upon the country’s dying food traditions. This eye-opening experience inspired Gunnar to design the menu of Dill around Iceland’s food heritage, putting a spotlight on the producers who are keeping these traditions alive. His cookbook North: The New Northern Cuisine of Iceland has inspired many foodies to follow in his footsteps taking a road trip around the country that culminates in a night at Dill where they can experience all of the ingredients in one night.
Helping the World Fall in Love with Licorice
10 years ago on the Danish island of Bornholm, Johan Bülow got the idea to make the world fall in love with licorice. He started by opening the windows to his factory so the smell of licorice would waft through the air. Customers were enchanted by the smell forming a line before the shop even opened. They fell even more in love when they tasted Lakrids by Bülow‘s chocolate covered licorice. Today, they have become an iconic brand with sales in 35 countries and counting. Despite the success, they have kept their original shop on Bornholm, which continues to be a must-visit destination for tourists to try the quintessential Nordic flavor. In this episode, we trace the evolution of the company diving into valuable lessons around experience design, entrepreneurship, branding, and sales.
Food Startups Are Designing Remote Tourism Experiences
Whenever someone asks Björn Steinar Jónsson why his company’s salt costs so much, he invites them to come and visit Saltverk‘s production site in the West Fjords of Iceland. There, they are producing luxury sea salt just like the Danish King did back in the 18th Century when salt production was first established in Iceland. Saltverk re-instated the tradition in 2011. Their flaky sea salt is hand harvested, produced from freshwater and geothermal energy. It has been heralded by chefs as the best salt in the world. Join us we explore Saltverk’s startup journey.
Selling Wine for Impact
In this episode, we explore Bolivia’s five-century old wine-making tradition and how wine tourism is creating social mobility. Chufly exports and markets wine from less-known regions in developing countries. The company was Founded by Ramon Escobar, a former diplomat who wanted to design a business that would promote economic prosperity, preserve culture, and bolster sustainability. Find full show notes here.