gastronomic Archives

For years summer is synonymous with gastronomic parties. In Galicia, hoteliers believe they are unfair competition

October 3, 2025 by usatoday24

If you travel to Galicia in summer it is likely that in addition to beaches, seafood and tourists In search of the best cove in which to plant your umbrella, find something else: Gastronomic parties. There are tens. To hundreds. From entrance spring to Autumn well advanced It is possible to meet throughout of the region quotes dedicated to percebe, Carneiro Ao spongrazors, Albariño or hamburgers, between a long long etc. They are so many and so many people move in Ribadeo (In the province of Lugo) local hoteliers and merchants They have said enough. The reason: where others see a mass celebration they have detected something else, one “unfair competition”. In a place in Galicia … Ribadeo is a small town of the Eastern Mariña (Lugo Province) of somewhat less than 10,000 inhabitants. However, in summer thousands of tourists attracted for their heritage, landscape, gastronomy, environment and especially their great jewel: The beach of the cathedralsone of the great natural monument of the Peninsular North. The INE calculates that only between June and August were housed in the hotels of the municipality 28,200 travelersthousands of potential clients for shops, coffee shops and restaurants in the town. Local trade … and something else. The fact is that in Ribadeo (as in many other villas in Spain) there are not only stores and bars. Throughout the year and especially in summer, fairs, markets, gastronomic parties are held … events organized in the most central streets and squares and that capture the interest of neighbors and visitors. The large dating calendar serves for the people to be more attractive, but the local merchant association (Acisa Ribadeo) He just lifes his voice to alert that not everything is positive. In his opinion also represents a “unfair competition” For businesses that work throughout the year, not only in summer. “Without Control” celebrations. The matter is serious enough for the organization to have been treated as a great point of the day in a Extraordinary Assembly held this week. Has even dedicated A reportunanimously ratified and in which he exposes why (in his opinion) the celebration “without control” of this kind of quotes undermines its profitability. “It includes the arguments for which Acis emphasize. “Acisa is not against the celebration of these markets and events, what we reject is that they be held without control, on the poorly appropriate dates and with excessive durations,” claims The Association Manager, Jesús Pérez. “In recent months, events with little planning have been held, without transparency with respect to the promoters or the purposes to which the benefits are dedicated, becoming scheduled every little time and in the middle of high season. This implies direct and unfair competition for local trade and hospitality and a deterioration of the ribadeo image.” Why’s that? Acisa complaint That kind of specific quotes “take advantage of the work that takes place throughout the year” to boost the people and capture visits. And they also do so by taking advantage of the high season and “the best locations” of the town in exchange for “minimum or null taxes for the benefits they get.” “The rates that pay for occupying public roads are in many cases symbolic, ridiculous or non -existent,” Crows. In summary, merchants and hoteliers feel that the fairs stand up during the high season while they are responsible for serving, paying rent and taxes and generating employment in the town throughout the year. “In addition they do not always comply with the basic regulations, such as the issuance of purchase tickets, nor are they subject to health, labor or fiscal controls. They do not generate employment in the municipality and use municipal services such as works, hooks of light or cleanliness, which we pay all ribadenses,” Pérez argueswho also clarifies that these celebrations “do not contribute anything new” to customers. “The products and services they offer can be found in local businesses with higher quality.” The debate, served. That in general (not only in ribadeo) the markets, festivals and gastronomic parties They attract people It is difficult to discuss. The key to Acisa is when and how they are celebrated. And especially the impact they have on small businesses entrenched in the town. Hence they speak of a “direct unfair competition” for entrepreneurs who do assume fixed expenses, taxes and “normative obligations” that, denounce, “are not always assumed by the organizers” of that kind of appointments. “They seek to place themselves in the moments of greater tourist influx in ribadeo, taking advantage of the previous effort and investment made by the sector to attract visitors to the town,” insists The collective. Moreover, in its report it warns that “in many cases” specific events “lack clear planning” and transparency, which can compromise “the tourist image” of Ribadeo. “Prioritize improvised and very poor quality activities compared to the value of trade and local hospitality.” What do they suggest then? In Your report Acisa demands “order, regulate and compatible” these events with the “legitimate interests” of the merchants and hoteliers of the town. They even speak directly of limiting authorizations to “protect the local economic fabric”, restricting permits for those appointments that enter direct competition with local businesses or extend for too many days or repeatedly in the same year. Aware that fairs, festivals and markets help to boost the town, even suggests rethink the calendar of the celebrations. What in practice translates into organizing them “preferably” outside the high season or dates in which the flow of customers, such as Holy Week, summer or Christmas months, “when local trade and hospitality already make an extraordinary effort to meet the demand.” “We don’t need them”. “Ribadeo does not need this type of event in high season. We consider that they can be held promptly in low season following the premises collected by the report prepared by Acisa,” its president concludesCarmen Cruzado. The group leaves out the bag, yes, the events of a solidarity and non -profit nature and those with a limited duration, a … Read more

Four nations dispute a fruit that smells like rotten eggs. China has made her her gastronomic phenomenon

January 29, 2025 by usatoday24

Few things are more representative of the tastes of a nation than The ingredients of a pizza. Therefore, when in November we count that a fruit from Southeast Asia (prohibited in some public spaces due to its penetrating smell) I was driving Chinese consumers crazy To the point of adding it to the pizza, Durián acquired another category in the nation’s gastronomy. The demand for the fruit is such that even Four countries fight to send it. Everyone wants fruit. The Durianknown for its penetrating aroma and its peculiar flavor, has ceased to be simply a fruit in China to become A gastronomic and commercial phenomenon. Despite the slowdown in the spending of the Chinese middle class, the demand for this forbidden fruit in some places has grown without brake, promoting record imports, the development of new culinary trends and a fierce competition Among the countries of Southeast Asia to supply the growing Chinese market. The transformation of Durian. As we said, Durián has transcended his exotic fruit status to become a trend in the restoration sector in China, where The concept of “Everything can lead Durian” has resulted in a proliferation of thematic restaurants. Innovation around this product has led to the creation of unusual dishes like Durián’s hamburgers, Hot Pots of chicken with Durián or even barbecues from Durián, who have gained great popularity on social networks. To get an idea, the Douyin, the Chinese version of TiktokHashtags like “Durian Barbecue” and “Durian Buffet” They have accumulated more than 1.24 billion visualizationsreflecting the enthusiasm of Chinese consumers for new gastronomic experiences focused on the controversial fruit. Moreover, a restaurant in Shenzhen recently went viral offering A buffet of more than 200 Durián de Malaysia plates By 199 yuan ($ 27.39) per person, which demonstrates the rise of these culinary concepts. Exponential growth in China. In the last five years, The demand of the nation for Durián has shotreflecting in an increase of more than double in its imports. In 2023, China imported 1.43 billion kilograms of Duriánwith a value of 6.7 billion dollars, a figure that In 2024 it rose to 1.56 billion kilograms and 7 billion dollars. This growth has been promoted by the opening of the market to new suppliers and the enthusiasm of local consumers, who as we said, have incorporated Durián into a wide variety of gastronomic products. Hence one of the clearest symbols of this fever is Durián’s pizza success with cheese in China’s Pizza Hutturned into your best -selling product. Even Yum China’s CEO, Joey Wat, joked in a global forum in New York that Those who do not enjoy this delicacy should simply “leave” the restaurant. The end of the Thai monopoly: fights four. Historically, Thailand dominated the export of fresh Durián to China, representing up to 95% of the market in 2022. However, with the opening of the Chinese market to Vietnam in 2022 already the Philippines in 2023, Dynamics changed dramatically. In 2024, Thailand only represented 52% of Chinese imports, while Vietnam captured 47.2%. In this regard, Philippines and Malaysia, although with minor participations, have also begun to export fresh Durium to China, taking advantage of regulatory flexibility. Causes? The fall in the Thai market share is due to two key factors: the excessive use of agricultural land, which has decreased production, and extreme heat waves, which have affected the quality of the fruit. In contrast, Vietnam has benefited from its geographical proximity with China, which facilitates land transport and reduces logistics costs. Geopolitics of Durián. In the end, Durian is not only a source of income for Southeast Asia farmers, but also a economic diplomacy tool. In fact, China has used the importation of Durián As part of its commercial agreements with neighboring countries. An example of this was the approval, in June 2023, of the importation of the fresh fruit of Malaysia, within the framework of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. By the end of that year, Malaysia had exported 351 tons of fresh Durián to Chinaconsolidating its presence in a market that previously only accepted its processed or frozen products. Meanwhile, Indonesia, another great producer of Durián, Keep looking for authorization to export fresh fruit directly to China. Currently, you can only sell fruit paste, a lower value product, or send the fruit to Thailand for inspection before exporting it, which reduces its gain margins. Durián “Chino”. And if you wonder why the Chinese nation does not start producing its own fruit if it likes it so much, they have already tried. Given the growth of demand and the high cost of imports, China has tried to grow Durian in its own landspecifically on the tropical island of Hainan. The problem? The results have been discouraging. Recent studies have revealed that Durians grown in Hainan lack some of the essential nutrients present in the native fruits of Southeast Asia, which has generated doubts about its commercial viability. It is the law of nature, the delicate combination of temperature, humidity and soil quality necessary for the cultivation of this fruit seems to be difficult to replicate outside its natural habitat. It is the market, friend. Be that as it may, the unusual Chinese appetite for Durián has transformed the southeast Asian fruit industryconsolidating it as an export product of great value where A hard battle is fought for supplying the giant. A phenomenon that has reconfigured commercial dynamics, weakening the domain of Thailand and opening opportunities for Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. If you want also, the Durián diplomacy It has proven to be a strategic tool in the commercial relations of the Chinese nation with its neighbors, while attempts to produce it locally face significant challenges. Image | Kalai, مانفی In Xataka | The pizza that triumphs in China does not carry Pepperoni or pineapple: it carries a fruit that smells like rotten eggs and wastewater In Xataka | In addition to Gold and Rare Earth China has an ace … Read more

In Japan, a perfect storm is sinking one of its greatest gastronomic symbols: izakayas

January 23, 2025 by usatoday24

If you like the animeJapanese cinema or you have simply had the enormous fortune to visit Tokyo or any other city in Japan, it is quite likely that you have seen one or another izakaya. The name may not ring a bell. Your image for sure yes. Typical bars where you can drink beer or sake with office colleagues while devouring chicken skewers, plates of sashimi or bowls of edamameThere are few places more iconic in Japanese gastronomy. The problem is that tradition is not necessarily synonymous with success. The izakaya They may be emblematic, but they are going through hard momentswith its highest level of bankruptcies in the last decade (at least) and a large part of the stores that still exist, recognizing economic difficulties. Good story, bad data. If each city has its own urban landscape, made up of unmistakable symbols, in Japanese cities one of those iconic pieces are the izakaya. There are many. And with a long tradition. There are even different types: robotayaki, yakitor-ya, oden-ya…depending on their characteristics and specialization. Neither its long history nor its roots have freed hundreds of izakayas to close its doors for the last two years. In 2023 they declared 204 bankruptcies and, in the absence of definitive data for the exercise, between January and November 2024, 203 were registered, which indicates that in all likelihood it has been their toughest exercise since at least 2010. More closures than with COVID-19. The data collected by Teikoku Databank are certainly devastating. That between January and November of last year 203 izakayas If they declared bankruptcy, meaning that they accumulated debts exceeding ten million yen, about $64,000, it is a bad sign for several reasons. To begin with, it is the highest figure during that period since at least 2010, when 115 were counted bankruptcies from January to November. Furthermore, the balance as of November 30, 2024 was practically identical to that of the entire 2023 financial year, which means that in all likelihood the year closed with a higher balance. There would be a third reason why the statistics of Teikoku are worrying: the bankruptcies of 2023 and 2024 far exceed those recorded in 2020, probably the year most affected by the COVID pandemic. During that year, 189 succumbed to economic asphyxiation. izakayas. Does it affect everyone equally? No. Family businesses, which can be equated to microenterprises or small or medium-sized businesses, suffer the most. The diary The Manichi remember that of the 203 izayakas bankrupt between January and November of last year, around half (100) were establishments with a capital of less than one million yen, $6,400. Another 86 had a capital between one and ten million yen, which did not exceed $64,000. What does this data mean? That not all izayakas They seem to be suffering equally. The Mainichione of the most relevant newspapers in Japan, even talks about a “clear gap” between small establishments and those in the hands of chains. One of them, Watami Co.has even shown signs that it is doing better than other years: reservations for the December holidays, closely related to income, were between 10 and 20% higher in 2024 than in 2023. “Survival of the fittest”. reading What they get from Teikoku Databank is clear: “Medium, small and micro businesses have limited options when it comes to adopting countermeasures and the current situation is accelerating the survival of the fittest within the industry.” izayakasomething that was difficult to see during the pandemic.” However, there would be two worrying indicators for the sector. Its economic weight seems to have shrunk in a short time. At the end of last year it was estimated that the izakayas reached an estimated size of 10.6 billion dollarssignificantly above the 5,680 to which it was reduced in 2021, during the pandemic, but still far from the levels at which it was moving before COVID-19 entered the scene. During fiscal year 2017, it is estimated that this value was around $12.1 billion. The scenario is not flattering either. A considerable percentage of those responsible for izakayas (about 40%) have recognized that during fiscal year 2023 they went through economic difficulties, which leaves out the possibility that there are more businesses that are headed to ruin. And what is the reason? Reasons rather. that the izakayas seem to be going through a “lean season” can be explained for several reasons. Some of a general nature, related to the economic context, and others more linked to its culture and business model. Among the first, the demographic drift from Japan, inflationthe increase in the cost of imports due to yen weaknessthe impact of the Ukrainian war on the supply and cost of energy or labor costs. The izakayas They are not the only places in Japan that have suffered the consequences of that explosive cocktail. Restaurants specializing in ramen are not exactly going through their best times either, with more than 70 businesses in bankruptcy in 2024, 30% more than the previous year. In their case, there is also an equally important handicap: the reluctance of many hoteliers to charge more than a thousand yen for their bowls of noodle soup, a psychological barrier from which, they believe, they could lose their clientele. “A vestige of bygone eras”. At izakayas They are also affected by another factor, more intrinsic and linked to their business model. For years in its premises it was not unusual to find office colleagues drinking together when leaving work or on the way home, but that habit was cut during the pandemic and does not seem to have recovered. Or at least with the same vitality as before. Not to mention that Gen Z seems less interested for alcohol. “He izakaya It is a vestige of earlier times, when the postwar generation of baby boomers dominated”, explains to Guardian Robbie Swiennerton, food critic for Japan Times. “Nowadays there are fewer young people and they don’t drink as much, nor do they want to drink in the same … Read more

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