New Products at Rifuzl - April, May, and June 2023

There’s been quite a lot going on behind the scenes at Rifuzl these past few months! In addition to some changes in the team (we’ll tell you more soon ;)), we’ve also added a lot of new items to our shelves, and I’m looking forward to introducing them to you in the following paragraphs. ?

If you missed the previous post about new arrivals, you can find it here; otherwise, join me as we take a look at the latest products and tips for using them.

Personal Care

We at Rifuzl were thrilled when Jasmina from Dantesmile introduced a new product made from their homemade loofahs. It’s a simple, minimalist soap dish or solid shampoo holder that ensures the soap or shampoo dries effectively after use, making it last longer. At the same time, you can wet the loofah soap dish under running water and use it as a body wash sponge. ??

You’ve been missing biodegradable dental floss refills that would fit into the glass containers of previous Georganics dental floss—and here they are! This dental floss refill is made from cornstarch and vegetable wax, and after use, you can simply dispose of the floss in the brown compost bin.

You’ve probably heard that sunscreens are a major source of environmental pollution and cause many serious problems in aquatic ecosystems, while also being very harmful to our bodies and skin. However! ☝ Not all sunscreens are the same, and there are highly effective alternatives that are gentle on our skin and, above all, much less harmful to the environment. These are sunscreens that contain mineral UV filters (rather than harmful chemicals).

At Rifuzl, you’ll find natural and organic Comme Avant sunscreens that very effectively protect you from UV rays with a physical barrier formed by a mineral filter, and they’re packaged in a cardboard tube that’s fully compostable. If the first line of Comme Avant sunscreens didn’t win you over because of their predominant shea butter scent, I’m happy to tell you that we’ve just received a new, improved formula on our shelves! ? Instead of shea butter, this version contains murumuru butter, which makes the cream even easier to spread and leaves no greasy or sticky residue. The creams also feature a natural fragrance that will leave you with a subtle scent. The SPF 30 version has a scent of coconut milk and vanilla, whilethe SPF 50 version features a monoi fragrance, which is made by steeping Tahitian gardenias in coconut oil. Let me just say that this is the most practical sunscreen for travel or any outing because it takes up very little space, is lightweight, and is easy to apply! And once I’ve put it on, I can go into the water with a much clearer conscience! ?‍♀️

Food Storage

A while back, I received a concerned email with a survey about how Slovenians store food and how many of us (don’t) realize that harmful substances can leach from plastic packaging into food (especially with hot food). Yep, all those different metal food storage containers aren’t just a “fad”— but they’re actually made from materials that are best suited for food storage, so you can rest assured you won’t be ingesting any strange molecules along with your food . ?

At Rifuzl, we offer a variety of metal food storage containers from the German brand Eco Brotbox, made from high-quality stainless steel. You can choose from a variety of sizes and types of containers— classic, waterproof, or insulated :

• Classic for snacks (200 ml and 500 ml): Containers designed for snacks, raw food bars, nuts, dried or fresh fruit, as well as sandwiches, burek, desserts, …
• Waterproof containers for lunch or dinner and freezing food (500 ml and 1,300 ml with a divider): Thanks to their waterproof design, you can store practically anything in them, from salads, fruit, yogurt, and soup to pasta and other cooked foods.
• Thermos containers for hot or cold meals and beverages ( 300 ml and 500 ml thermos bowls and a 500 ml thermos bottle): They keep food and drinks hot or cold for up to 8 hours. The containers are handy for storing baby food on the go, as well as soups, cooked meals, cold salads, and fresh fruit. The thermos bottle is a classic choice for your favorite hot or cold beverages.

Stomach Care

Drinks

Our selection of juices is getting more and more colorful! ? In recent months, the following have joined our shelves:

• Trstenjak’s apple juice with aronia, for a solid dose of antioxidants.
• Metkin apricot nectar, sweetened with concentrated grape juice.
• Metka’s strawberry nectar, sweetened with concentrated grape juice.

If you’re wondering what “nectar” is, you can think of it, in simple terms, as thick juice. Yes, that thick juice we used to indulge in as kids, mixed with sweet cream. ?

Food

Let’s start with the hedonistic indulgence that’s been filling the whole Rifuzl with its aroma for the past few Fridays. These are baked goods from the oven of Andraž at Androžarna. And I’ll admit, those of us who work on Friday mornings end up having a double breakfast, because it’s impossible to resist the freshly baked, fragrant focaccia or pretzels. ? Here’s how Andraž describes his work:

All the grains for these select products are grown and milled in Slovenia (Mlin Kolenko). I’m on a first-name basis with my suppliers. I know who they are, how they work, how they think, how much effort they put in, and what processes they use to create the essential ingredients for me. Only this way can I stand behind the quality of my products. All products are fermented exclusively through controlled lactic acid and acetic acid fermentation (yeast cultures) that I carefully cultivate myself. No industrial yeast, added additives, colorings, or flavorings. Just high-quality ingredients, time, love, passion, dedication, and patience.

The next batch of Androžarna delicacies is available on Fridays, and to make sure you don’t miss out, you can reserve them via the order form:

• focaccia with various toppings
• preste with salt, sesame seeds, or cheese
• sweet rolls with cinnamon or chocolate
• babka invarious flavors ( order form only!)

And there’s another new bakery item that can spice up your snack time. It’s an organic khorasan roll with roasted vegetables and vegan cheese, made in Deveta Vas. In addition, Art Bread croissants filled with vanilla and chocolate cream have been joining it on the menu in recent months.

Continuing with the snack theme—our Nives likes to treat herself to a cup of ice cream for a snack during the summer. ? And from TaStrlet’s extensive ice cream collection, you can now try two new flavors: strawberry and Rok’s peanut butter with caramel.

Throughout the summer months, a summery tsampa flavor with coconut and white chocolate awaits you in the “breakfast porridge” section. When you prepare this for breakfast, it feels like you’re somewhere in the tropics under the shade of a palm tree. ?

Now let’s move on to the higher-protein new arrivals, so I don’t just bombard you with tempting carbs. ;)

On the shelf with the canned goods, you’ll now also find organic canned white beans. And in the fridge, there’s Fržek’s protein-rich hummus —or chickpea spread—which is special because it’s made with as many local ingredients as possible and doesn’t contain tahini. I polished off my first jar in no time, along with some sliced carrots, cucumbers, and greens. If that isn’t the simplest and healthiest summer snack! ?‍♀️

You can now spice up your meals with another plant-based protein source: dried soy strips, which resemble meat strips in texture. To prepare them, pour boiling water over them, let them sit for 10 minutes, drain, and squeeze out the excess water gently. Then marinate them in your favorite marinade—try oil, soy sauce, and various spices. You can use garlic, red bell pepper, and black pepper, or go for more Indian-inspired flavors by adding curry, turmeric, or cumin. After marinating, sauté the strips along with the marinade in a pan—either on their own or with your choice of vegetables. ?‍?

In the nuts category, I’d like to introduce you to two gems. The first is organic macadamia from Kenya, supplied to us by the German company Tarabao, with whom we share many common values. They’re committed to supporting organic and fair-trade farming, while offering products in bulk sizes and minimizing packaging as much as possible. The second is organic roasted Indian nuts with curry, which you’ll find packaged in a handy little jar—just grab it quickly from our shelf, and you’ve got a healthy and tasty snack in your hand. Plus, you won’t generate any waste, since the jar is reusable. ?

We’re removing the following from our selection

Since we’re constantly updating our selection, we sometimes have to say goodbye to certain products. So you won’t find the following on our shelves anymore:
- Chizo spreads
- Rok’s white almond butter
- Georganics products (we still have a small amount in stock, so stop by soon if these were your go-to oral care products)

Conclusion

To wrap things up, here’s a team summer experience greeting. While the rest of the Rifuzl girls were “educating” themselves (read: indulging in sweets and cooling off with ice cream?) at TaStrlet’s, I was with a team of volunteers cooling off the dogs at Spain’s largest animal shelter. We treated some of them to “little pools” of cold water, but this little guy deserved special treatment. First, a mud bath, then a cold-water shower. I think we made his day a little brighter. ?