Barcelona - the capital of organics in Spain

In recent years, the number of small and medium-size businesses dedicated to organic products has grown in Barcelona. Although still a minority, consumers are increasingly committed to certified organics. The corner Pintor Fortuny / Doctor Dou in Barcelona, for example, is considered a small organic oasis. The vegetarian restaurant Biocenter is located at Pintor Fortuny 25. A branch of the bakery of Barcelonareykjavik, producing 100 % according to organic guidelines, is located at Doctor Dou 12. The largest organic supermarket chain Veritas also runs a shop at Pintor Fortuny. Bodevici opened their first two ecological ice-cream parlours in Barcelona this year, and various conventional stores are also introducing organic products. 

Biocenter was one of the pioneers for organics in restaurants in Barcelona. Founded over 20 years ago, its intention was to promote vegetarian cuisine with organic ingredients. The restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday from 1 pm to 11:15 pm and on Sundays from 1 pm to 4:15 pm. For lunch it offers a salad buffet, gazpacho, hot soup, a dish of the day and dessert. Wine, beer and juices are also on sale, all certified organic. For supper, the “Carte BioNit” includes dishes like grillé of vegetables, pasta, white wine seitan, and sautéed tofu with ginger. You can enjoy salads, soups, and fruit in the evening as well when subdued lighting and music ensure that the guests have a feeling of wellbeing. Art exhibitions also take place at Biocenter. Currently, Sofia Sunsais and Roh Nammu are showing their art. (Pictures: Biocenter)

Organic Barcelona also runs three organic locations in the town. “Organic Tapas” is located at Xucla – Pintor Fortuny, offering lunch, supper and a buffet. L'Hortet, one of the first vegetarian restaurants in Catalonia, which partly uses organic ingredients, can be found at Pintor Fortuny 32.
 

Another business that opts for organic products is the bakery Barcelonareykjavik , which sells a range of 100 % organic bakery products.  The first store was opened in September 2006 in Raval at Doctor Dou, followed by a location in Gracia in 2008, and a third one in Born in 2010. According to David Nelson, the idea of launching an organic bakery came simply because the company could not find what they expected in their town but knew from travelling. They follow a simple rule: not to invent anything, but go back to the basics – baking fresh products with natural ingredients. (Picture: Spelt bread) 

Therefore, every day of the week, they bake cakes, cookies, pastries, and so-called “salats” like pizza and pies. Many of their products are vegan, and there are bread and cake that they call "low gluten". “Low gluten” because, although they don't use raw materials with gluten in them, they prepare them in the same kitchen as their other goods. The bakery attracts all types of customer. In an interview, David told Organic-Market.Info that just recently a baker from Oregon visited the company, saying: "Your customers look healthy", which describes best the typical customer of Barcelonareykjavik . (Picture: Gouda brioches)
 

Bodevici opened two ice cream parlours in Barcelona this spring. The first shop (Torrijos 21) opened in May 2011 and the second (Asturies 2) followed in June 2011. Jordi Rivera from Bodevici told Organic-Market.Info that he is an engineer and worked in renewable energies for five years. For the entire time, his vision was to create an organic ice cream shop that would respect people and nature, offering his customers honest and quality food. In both shops, ice cream, sorbet, milk shakes, chocolates, frozen yoghurt, granites, and a tiger nut drink called "horchata" are sold.

The staff are prepared to accept special requests by their customers, like vegan options, sugar-free ice cream, or to meet the need for a special diet as in the case of gluten intolerance. Besides their commitment to organic ingredients, Fair Trade and local products are chosen wherever possible. All their dishes for take-away are made of natural resources - the cups for ice cream, the bio-plastic glasses, the spoons... all of them are biodegradable and compostable. (Picture)
 

Woki runs four shops in Barcelona: Woki Organic Market is an organic restaurant and organic supermarket located at Plaça Catalunya. Woki Organic market in Gràcia is a Wok  pasta take-away as well as an organic supermarket. Woki Barceloneta (Passeig de la Barceloneta, 1) is also a Wok take-away and supermarket offering some organic products. Woki Born is run as a Wok take-away and home delivery.
 

The small organic shop Mapu (75 square meters) was launched eleven years ago, and the current owners have operated it since 2007. After taking over the shop, the range of products stocked was expanded by about 50 %. The company tries to offer a bit of everything- food like cereals, rice, jam, fresh tofu and gluten-free products, drinks including wines & beers, cleaning products, and cosmetics. Mapu is also a collection point for fruit and vegetable boxes from a farmers’collective. The idea is to save the supplier from distributing boxes to people’s homes. Clients order online from a range of seasonal, locally grown food and pick up their order from the store. This project has been run for over a year now and is very popular. (Picture: Store front)

Mapu also specialise in products for ‘green parenting’, like ergonomic baby carriers, slings and wraps, washable nappies and biodegradable nappies, along with organic baby food, organic clothes for babies and other natural baby products. Wherever possible, they source local products (an estimated 60 % come from Spain/Catalonia) or they come from the nearest European country. Upstairs, there is a room for therapies and workshops. Regular workshops on nutrition for kids and babies are held and a couple of therapists use the space for Thai and Reiki massages. The store’s philosophy is to be a small, family-run, friendly, cheap ‘corner shop’ where people can come and take time for a chat. About 40 % of their customers are foreigners living in Barcelona, like Italians, Americans, English, and French people.
 

Veritas, (picture) the largest organic supermarket chain in Spain runs seventeen stores in Barcelona alone (see our earlier report). Besides restaurants, bakeries and shops specialised in organics, customers interested in a sustainable lifestyle can also find ecological products in conventional stores. This is the case, for example, at El Celler de Can Dani. As explained by the owner, Daniel Vincent, about 5 % of wines in the store are now organic, mostly Catalan. The small store Renobell Jaime, which was launched as long ago as 1945, also includes organic vegetables, flour, rice and sugar. At La Cuina d'en Garriga, which opened in downtown Barcelona in 2008, you can also opt for organics. "Many people come to buy milk and yogurt," says the owner, Elena Garriga.

Large chains like Carrefour have also expanded their organic offer. The first organic products were available at Carrefour in 2002, and the range has been expanded to up to a thousand references at this point in time, including their private label products.