Dandelion spaghetti and non-melting ice cream – discover new products at the “Riga Food 2023” fair!

Dandelion spaghetti, non-melting ice cream, non-butter, grasshopper bars, vegan camembert, rhubarb powder... – these are only a few of the new, innovative products from Baltic producers that will be available for viewing, tasting and buying at the food fair “Riga Food 2023”, open from 7 to 9 September in Ķīpsala. Come and open yourself to new flavours!

Dandelion spaghetti
Our own local company “SKIM Gardumi”, always rich in creative ideas, will surprise us at the fair’s Innovations Stand with a new and phenomenal product for vegans – dandelion stem spaghetti. The unique product is seasonal and available in limited amounts due to the short life of the dandelion in nature, yet you will be able to taste and purchase a portion of the sun and energy in a jar – yummy dandelion stem rolls, delicate buds and marinated wild garlic blossoms – directly from the creator and implementer of the idea, Olga Blumbaha.

Non-melting ice cream
Ice cream that doesn’t melt? It is possible! A Lithuanian producer of the highest quality lyophilised products “Super Garden” will delight visitors of the fair by offering the tasting of crunchy non-melt ice cream. Flavours include mango, pistachio, kiwi, caramel, blueberry, coconut and even bubble-gum. The special ice cream will have an especially attractive price at the fair!

Savoury grasshopper snacks
A Lithuanian company “Tastik Cricket” will present its protein-rich snacks and treats made of grasshoppers, at the Baltic Innovations Stand. Grasshoppers are a nutritious and sustainable food source, rich in protein, fibre, minerals and vitamins, especially B12. The company produces savoury snacks, grasshopper flour and pasta, as well as grasshopper protein bars from grasshoppers locally grown in Lithuania. “There’s no doubt that food from grasshoppers is something alternative, innovative and unique, but we want to develop a new gourmet culture”, stresses Greta Budreikė, the head of “Tastik”.

Fibre champion – rhubarb powder
Rhubarb cookies, rhubarb jam, rhubarb smoothie... and so much more, can be made out of rhubarb. The sourness of rhubarb goes well with meats, too! But what to do when the rhubarb season is over? “Safīra L” will present a novelty product at the Innovations Stand – rhubarb powder, which contains 61.7% fibre. By the way, a human body must consume at least 25 g of fibre a day! “Rhubarb powder is an underrated raw material that contains a lot of valuable vitamins and minerals. It can be used both as a raw material for the production of new functional products, or as an addition to cocktails, smoothies or breakfast porridge. And it tastes great!” says Lienīte Litavniece, Head of “Safīra L”.

Amber ice cream with pinecones
Amber, so characteristic to Latvia, will be available for tasting in ice cream at this year’s fair! “Livonijas dzintars” will offer yoghurt roll ice cream with fresh fruit and amber for tasting. The ice cream recipe is based on yoghurt with amber powder produced in Latvia, and can be further customised with fresh fruit and berries to the customer’s taste, but for special gourmets – with pinecones. “Baltic amber is said to have magic powers – not only does it heal, but it also gives energy,” stresses the head of “Livonijas dzintars”, Daiga Šķiņķe.

Healthy vegetable meals for a busy day
Are you hungry? There is a new solution! What if a nutritious meal was already awaiting you in your fridge? A Latvian company “Legomo” has developed innovative vegetable meals consisting of at least six different vegetables. Plus, they can be stored in the fridge for up to six months, while tasting as if they were freshly cooked. The offer includes, among others, oyster mushroom, beetroot and tomato soups, pumpkin mash and berry tiramisu. These nutritious meals, which provide their eater with the necessary daily dose of vegetables, were developed in collaboration with scientists from the Institute of Horticulture. Moreover, some of the meals are easily transformable into waffles, hummus, muffins, salads, lasagnes and even ice cream!

Egg protein smoothie
Following healthy lifestyle and nutrition trends, “Alūksnes putnu ferma” will introduce visitors of the fair to a novelty in Latvia – the egg white protein smoothie brand “Fiteg2”. The product range consists of three flavoured smoothies – mango, orange and apple-vanilla. The “Fiteg2” recipe is based on high-quality egg whites. It is a valuable source of protein, amino acids and other microelements both for followers of an active lifestyle, including children and athletes with extensive physical loads, as well as new mums and people with special diets alike.

Vegan camembert and non-butter
Creamily tender, savoury delicious and completely dairy free – “LifeTree Cheese” vegan cheese, cream cheese and butter are handmade from cashew nuts. “We have developed alternatives to popular everyday cheese. All of them equally tasty and all with refined nuances of flavour,” says Oļesja Lačina, head of “LifeTree Cheese”. The Latvian company offers a range of products made of fermented cashew nuts: a camembert alternative “Kamamvērts”, an alternative feta cheese “Veta”, an alternative ricotta “Vicotta”, smoked cheese with chilli flakes “Asais dūms”, cream cheese-type cashew spreads, as well as “non-butter” with different flavours.

And this is not all! “Riga Food 2023” visitors will have a chance to taste green buckwheat goodies from “Griķu rezidence”, roasted chickpea snacks from “Roundooze”, dehydrated onion and sauerkraut snacks from “Zelta ieleja”, rhubarb chutney with ground cherries, lyophilised snacks from “Nastia garden”, garlic powders with cowslip, nettle, lady’s mantle, wood horsetail, and even cornflower from “Līvānu ķiploks”.