Champagne in a vending machine?

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This week’s trend newsletter from trendwatching.com, a global trend service that covers 180 countries thanks to their 2,500 trend spotters,  included a description of a trend they call Heritage Heresy.  According to their research consumers no longer are captivated by the history of a brand.  Rather they want to see a brand break new ground.  http://trendwatching.com/trends/pdf/2014-03%20HERITAGE%20HERESY.pdf

Examples of that?   The one that caught my attention was LVMH’s Mote & Chandon now selling their champagne in vending machines in the United Kingdom. Champagne being dispensed out of a machine like Coca Cola or Evian water?  Really?

But that isn’t the only illustration of a brand doing something unexpected.   Moet Hennessey now produces a sparkling wine under their Chandon label in India (and here we thought it would only be special to California).  Marriott offers “workspace on Demand” offering work space in their lobbies even if you’re not staying there as a guest  and Versace creates designs with a British-Sri Lankan recording artist. 

New approaches from brands with lots of history.   Most interesting to me is the cross border connections, global collaborations.  A new trend, a new approach to global business for a new global consumer.  Where will you see the next example of Heritage Heresy?

Food, Trade and Geography

We know from years of reading about trade agreements that agriculture  often creates contentious, deal ending issues for proposed free trade agreements.  That topic is likely to hit the front pages again in 2014 as the US and the EU return to work on the TTIP – Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. A new trade a agreement between these two trading partners.

In this case agriculture doesn’t just mean who can important more or less beef or pork.  It’s broader than that.  Think GIs.  Not soldiers but Geographical Indicators.

Names of food linked to a specific places.

Truly I’d never heard of GIs in that sense until I read Sbine Muscat’s article in the Globalist.  “Wine, Cheese and Trade:  What’s in a Name?

(http://www.theglobalist.com/wine-cheese-transatlantic-trade-geographical-indications). Can there be champagne made in California not France?  Yes or no depending on trade agreements?  It's true and complicated.  The same question:  does the name of the place matter? exists for wine, cheese, sausage, rice, and more.  Think Florida oranges, Idaho potatoes, Napa Valley wine.

But what is a GI?  According to one definition it is:“ a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g. a town, region, or country). The use of a GI may act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin.

Philip Blenkinsop writing for the Sunday Times in London pointed out that the GIs matter in upcoming neogtiatons.  http://www.bdlive.co.za/world/2013/12/17/hurdles-for-eu-us-trade-talks

So now we have even more to consider when it comes to selecting our food.  Not only is it local?  organic?  gluten free?   Now we ask is it really from where it says?  What's the GI and can I trust it?