New Products at Rifuzl - November 2021 through July 2022

We’re already quite behind on our article about what’s new on our shelves. ? Not because there’s nothing to write about, but because we’ve been so busy all the time that we simply haven’t had a chance. During the summer vacation season, though, a little gap finally opened up in the schedule, so I quickly slipped this little post in. Maybe this will help you discover what new items we’ve added to our shelves over the past 9 months—and that you totally missed out on! ?

Spreads, organic juices, mini burgers, and “fair trade” chocolate

The list of new arrivals in the food category is really long. Even though it always seems to me that there’s reeeally no more room left in our little warehouse. But apparently, it’s mysteriously expanding. ?

Our selection of various spreads—whether for bread, pasta, salads, or something else—has been expanded with Barbio’s naturally fermented spreads from Slovenia. This is a collection of fermented spreads made from wild plants, high-quality oils, nuts, and seeds. Wild Popeye combines the nutritional power of spinach, dandelion, and hazelnuts; Yellow Flower is rich in fiber from dandelion, sunflower, and flaxseeds; “Wild Bouquet” offers a veritable treasure trove of nutrients from wild garlic, dandelion, sunflower, and flaxseeds; and “Winter Bomb,” which is packed with sorrel, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin seed oil. Joining them on the shelf are two spreads from neighboring Austria— an organic spread made with red lentils and Mediterranean herbs, and an organic spread made with red lentils and chili.

If you like to make your own spreads (savory or sweet), you’ll probably find some of the following ingredients useful—which are also newly available from us in glass jars or in bulk:

• organic tahini,
• organic agave syrup,
• organic silken tofu,
• organic marjoram (from the Sonnentor spice collection),
• organic sweet paprika powder (from the Sonnentor spice collection),
• chili powder.

You’ve really taken a liking to Erjavče’s dried pear slices, and since so many of you have reported that they make a great compote, we’ve added their whole dried pears to our selection. But let me tell you—they’re delicious just as they are, without cooking. ?

For all the fans of dried mango—which, unfortunately , we always run out of way too quickly — we had to offer a little consolation with dried pineapple and dried bananas; as always, Afrotera doesn’t disappoint with the quality of its African dried fruit. ?

Since our journey has just taken us to Africa, I can’t pass up a very special new product. ? It’s Fairafric’s “fair trade” organic 80% chocolate bar, available at Rinfuzo. What makes this chocolate special is that it’s produced entirely in Ghana—meaning the entire process, from the cacao tree to the finished chocolate bar, takes place in Africa. ? This means more revenue from chocolate sales stays in the country of origin, which provides local workers with a better quality of life and more high-quality jobs. Did you know that only 1% of the world’s chocolate is actually made in Africa? ?

Among other things, the selection of sweets has also expanded in our display case by the register, where, in addition to Eva’s Vegan Chia Pudding Cakes, you’ll now find another incredibly delicious snack in a jar—soaked oat flakes, which you’re surely familiar with by their popular English name: “overnight oats.” You can choose between passion fruit oats with protein and chocolate oats with banana. Throughout the summer, we’re also offering Fržek’s iced coffee —a mild coffee with soy milk that’s sure to refresh you and give you just the right boost of energy so you can fill up all the glasses here. ?

For the best homemade iced coffees—and indeed, any coffee or breakfast by the sea—there’s Mimy’s Oat, which I won’t dwell on too much since you’re surely already familiar with it. I’ll just add that it’s truly indispensable when traveling because it’s easy to prepare, light to carry, and above all—it doesn’t create any extra waste, since you simply fill it into your own cup. ?

We’ve made some changes to our juice selection, and instead of Metka’s “Domače dobrote” juices, you’ll now find organic juices from the Trstenjak orchard. You’ve especially been won over by “this mild” version of organic apple juice with ginger and lemon, and for times of colds and low energy, the stronger version of this juice with an extra dose of ginger (which will be back on the shelves in the fall, since we’ve sold out our entire stock?). Also worth noting are the organic 100% grape juice and the organic carrot-apple juice. If you prefer milder fruit flavors or enjoy iced teas, the ideal choice is Sonnentor’s organic orange fruit tea, which you can get loose-leaf at our store.

Let’s see what else is new in the big fridge. On the dairy side of the fridge , Kukenberger’s organic sour milk is now available , and in the returnable container, you’ll find a rotating selection of semi-hard cheeses—you can choose between classic semi-hard cheese, “Onion” (with onions, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, and horseradish), “Herb” ( with basil, chives, mint, and thyme), and “Pepper” ( with whole peppercorns). The cheeses are available in smaller pieces, about 200 g each, and don’t forget to pick up a container or beeswax wrap for them. On the vegan side of the fridge, a new vegan mayonnaise with garlic and lemon— Bioway Veginza— is taking center stage. Joining it are Kimchi Vinegar and Kimchi Fermented Sauce, whose ingredients vary depending on the vegetable season.

Among the incredibly interesting and umami-rich flavors of Kis and Kvas products, we’ve also added young soy sauce and smoked pumpkin sauce to the shelf. The latter is used just like soy sauce, except it doesn’t contain soy (in case you’re not a fan). And for me, this past summer, one simple idea for a summer salad opened up a whole new world of flavors—slice a fresh cucumber into rounds, drizzle it with soy sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Wow! Better than any potato chips! ?

Another must-have for summer salads is balsamic vinegar, which we’ve prepared for you in collaboration with the QQLYN vinegar house and which awaits you in a rustic wooden barrel. You can pour as much of this organic balsamic vinegar —free of unnecessary artificial additives—as you’d like into your own bottle.

For special culinary delights and creative cooking throughout the summer, organic brioche burger buns from Deveta Vas are available on our order form on Thursdays and Fridays. Our Neža used them to put together this spectacular burger! We believe the possibilities are endless, the ideas are countless—so why keep them all to yourself? Come on, send us your version—how did you incorporate this little burger bun into your meal? ?

Apparently, burgers also go well with some tangy and spicy sides, such as kimchi, or these new Spajsi bajsi pickles:

• pickled bell peppers,
• pickled spicy gherkins,
• pickled garlic cloves.

Uh, did I mention that the list is really long this time? ? Last but not least, I’d like to introduce a new addition to my pantry—these are organic buckwheat crisps from the Ajda Organic Farm, where they definitely know that buckwheat is a super nutritious food! The buckwheat crisps are made by roasting in hot air, which gives the buckwheat grains a very special crunch and aroma. Sprinkle them over your morning smoothie bowl, yogurt, or porridge, or add them to a creamy soup or salad. Or you can just munch on them as is. ? If you happen to be looking for gluten-free foods, this could be a great addition for you!

Natural Cosmetics and Other Essentials

Our section on natural cosmetics and various handy zero-waste personal care essentials is every bit as impressive as our food category.

What’s new in the world of zero-waste shaving, where we aim to avoid plastic waste? The first new item is the Companion Mühle metal razor, which has a slightly longer handle than the well-known R89 razor and a hanging loop at the end of the handle so the razor can be conveniently air-dried. The Companion was designed to appeal to a wider audience—both men and women—and its slightly longer handle also makes it convenient for shaving the legs. We’ve also added Mühle’s metal shaving brush to our selection; it’s very lightweight and can be disassembled into two parts, so it doesn’t take up much space when you take it with you on the go. The only thing missing is an effective and gentle shaving soap, which was provided by Particija from Hiška Zelišč—specifically, an organic soap with juniper that creates a great lather and makes a classic razor shave even more enjoyable. ?

The Milo za drago team is spoiling us with two new scents of foaming butter— vanilla with mandarin and chocolate. And don’t be surprised if someone sticks their nose right up to you, because after using the chocolate shaving butter, you’ll smell as if you’ve smeared yourself with melted chocolate. ? Definitely a heavenly treat for all chocoholics!

When it comes to dental care, there are three—or rather, four (see below)—new products:

• strawberry-flavored toothpaste tablets (Alternative +), designed for the youngest members of the family,
• a medium-firm wooden toothbrush (ecoLiving), made entirely in Germany,
• vegan, biodegradable dental floss made from cornstarch and plant-based wax, packaged in cardboard.

Since you’ve often been looking for convenient containers to store bar soap or shampoo, Hydrophil metal containers are now available—you can now also use them to store the brand-new Thinkturin bar shampoo with activated charcoal —for oily hair—as well as Odorij’s recycled soap. Recycled soap? What is that? ? This soap is made from scraps of all the different soaps produced at Odorij, and to ensure those scraps don’t “go to waste,” they’ve turned them into a charming mosaic soap—making each bar unique. It’s the very essence of minimalism, and we really love this soap! ?

During this season of stuffy and red noses, we’ve also added hand-sewn Dantesmile cotton washable handkerchiefs to our selection—check them out in our online store.

And here’s another new addition we’ve been eagerly awaiting this summer! ? We’ve partnered with the French company Comme Avant, which won us over with its minimalist values, transparency, and high-quality products. And now you can find some of their natural cosmetics on our shelves, all packaged exclusively in cardboard:

• natural and organic sunscreen with SPF 25 or SPF 50, featuring a simple formula, mineral filters, and a smooth, spreadable texture,
• a natural mosquito repellent containing just 3 ingredients, yet highly effective and easy to apply by simply rubbing it on,
• a natural and organic lip balm with shea butter, packaged in a handy cardboard tube,
• natural powdered toothpaste, with miswak powder, for gentle and effective teeth cleaning.

I suggest you click right here, where you can read all the details about the new products and choose the one you need most this summer. ?

Natural Cleaning Products and Accessories

Some of the new Comme Avant products are found in the cleaning category. Specifically, there’s a bar of hard soap for hand-washing dishes, which is also very practical for washing dishes while camping, sailing, and so on... in short, anywhere in nature, since it’s made from natural ingredients that can be rinsed right into the water. There’s also a hand-sewn dish sponge made from loofah and cotton. One side is coarser, made from loofah, while the other is made from scraps of organic cotton left over from sewing cotton kitchen cloths.

We’re taking it off the market

Even though it seems like our space is mysteriously expanding, sometimes we have to take things off the market. ? So you won’t find the following on our shelves or in the fridge anymore:

• rye flakes,
• dairy products from the Kekec organic cheese factory,
• Soyka vegan products,
• juices from Domače dobrote Metka.

To wrap things up… a little encouragement and a team greeting ?

So, we’ve gathered quite a nice little pile of new products. If you’ve already tried any of them, cooked something delicious with them, had a good experience using them, or plan to test them out in the future… go ahead and share your experience with us and everyone who follows us! ? Leave a product review in our online store, write a comment below, or simply send us a little love note at trgovina.siska@rifuzl.si. So we can spread the word to as many people as possible and show them why it’s really great to use zero-waste products. ?

And a shout-out from all of us at Rifuzlark, who took some time this summer to enjoy a truly pleasant get-together and some creative cooking at Eva’s Vegan Cake Shop. ?