Food Crime in Mallorca, Fruit Marketing and a fun Game - this Newsletter got it all! 🍿

^{VITAMIN C ® is a newsletter exploring topics in food innovation, climate and everything in between. If you missed the last newsletters, check them out here.}

Read time today: 2 minutes 30 seconds

Hi friend 👋,

I hope you are having a fantastic week! 

I’m writing this newsletter while sitting on a train back from a fruit and vegetable congress. 

Believe me, until last week I didn't even know events like that existed.

But I must say it was surprisingly interesting. I learned about using CRISPR technology to increase climate resistance in vegetables and about brand building for fruits. 

Ready to learn more? Let's get started!

1. [Nerdy food stuff] 🍐 From Decline To Design: The Fruit Branding Playbook

Pears are getting ghosted in Europe, with people preferring more trendy fruits like blueberries, mangos, and even avocados (yep, avocados are fruits!).

But here’s the cool part - pear producers didn’t just sit around. They checked out what love brands like Oatly and True Fruits were doing and copied a few ideas.

The result? A premium pear brand called Xenia. It’s got slick branding, some quirky slogans, and even a German Instagram account. 

And while the pear market overall is in decline, Xenia is growing. 

Proof that with the right marketing, you can make anything cool—even pears!

2. [Climate Must Watch] 📺💡We’re at 1.2°C and Heading for 2°C—Here's Why Johan Rockström Is Still Optimistic

Johan Rockström is one of the world’s most renowned climate scientists. He's the kind of guy who doesn't sugarcoat reality.

In this latest Ted talk he lays out the science: we’re at 1.2°C of warming, and if we don’t act fast, we’ll blow past 2°C, triggering global disasters like ice sheet collapse and rainforest destruction.

But Johan Rockström remains hopeful: the science is there, we know what needs to be done - cut carbon emissions fast and restore nature.

The clock’s ticking, but there’s still a chance to avoid disaster if we move now. It’s all about speed and scale.

18 minutes worth your time!

3. [True Crime Food] 🕵️‍♀️🌴 Beer, Ballermann, and... Expired Meat

So, here is a crazy food crime that just happened on the beautiful Spanish island Mallorca aka little Germany in the summer months:

Inspectors just uncovered a bunch of expired meat being sold across three major businesses, including a hotel.

The companies relabeled old products to make them look fresh - classic sketchy move. One spot had over 14 pallets of manipulated goods.

And another business was even using a broken freezer for months and tried to cover it up with a refrigerated truck. Now they’re facing fines up to 20,000 euros.

Moral of the story: Thank God we have food safety.

Want to dive deeper into this story? Read more here.

4. [Food for Thought ] 🚴‍♂️ Biking Made Easy: A Simple Tech Hack for a Greener Commute 

I saw this post on LinkedIn and love the idea: 

What if Google Maps showed how much time, CO₂ emissions, and calories you'd save by biking instead of driving? 

Good ideas don’t have to be complicated.

Imagine seeing that your bike ride will save you 2 minutes, burn 108 calories, and cut down 0.67 kg of CO₂ emissions. Game changer, right? This is one way big tech can contribute to a more sustainable future. 

Anyone working at Google here? 😊

 5. [Fun] 🎮🍋 Climate Food Game

Do you know the carbon footprint of your favorite foods? The Climate Food Challenge game puts your knowledge to the test.

The goal is simple: sort different foods based on their CO₂ emissions and see how well you do.

I gave it a shot and scored 15 — let's just say there's some room for improvement!

Try the game yourself here and see if you can beat my score :)

Happy Friday,
Lia

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