The first time I met the research team of the project Organizing Reko, was when I was invited to join the Reko fieldtrip to Latvia. I started as a researcher on the project in January, and since then my role has evolved from data collector to PhD candidate. The nine-month work within the project has been very much about visualizing my route to PhD studies, which would mean being a lead author on at least one Reko-related publication.
The data collected in Reko Vaasa and Laihia laid a foundation for the fieldtrip in Latvia as well as for the idea of a consumption phenomenon which the data could help us to understand more broadly. On the first day, our research team visited Reko in Valmiera. The products followed clearly the flavors of the country’s food culture, with jams and other preserves such as pickles standing out. In addition, many of them sold bread, berries, fruits of the season and vegetables such as garlic. The smell of the smoked meat spread throughout the parking lot reminding me of old-school markets. One could also sense the communal atmosphere among both consumers and producers.
The observation had a spontaneous twist when we intended to interview at least 10 members of Reko and we had to engage our respondents onsite. In the end, I spoke to one consumer and one producer about their experiences with Reko. The consumer’s perspective echoed the same themes as in the interviews conducted in Finland. They wanted to buy good tasting food from Reko and support the viability of the local producers by directing the profits to them. For the producer, Reko offered community and substantial reach to their target audience. Foremostly, Reko was allowing them to do their business. On the way back to the hotel, we were excited when sharing our observations with each other and how we felt that the Latvian Reko was different from the Finnish and Swedish models.
The purpose of our trip was also to set future goals for our project. As Latvia was the final stage of our data collection, we would soon enter the analysis and writing phase. On the other hand, we got to know each other better over restaurant dinners. Food has not lost its importance when it comes to bringing people together. I think it was mainly the sharing of local food that created an important, grounding effect to our gathering that Zoom or phone connections couldn’t offer. For me the greatest restaurant experience was the restaurant Akustika in Valmiera. Not only was the interior of the restaurant exceptional, but the food was full of the local flavors which the restaurant was also known for.
In Riga, we visited the local market hall. Its range of food products was the same as in Reko in Valmiera, but unlike in the Nordic countries, the market seemed to serve all consumers as a regular grocery store, regardless of their standard of living. Within walking distance from the market hall there was another market event, where local handicrafts were on offer alongside local food. The most interesting thing about observing such places is identifying a common ethos that brings together producers of completely different products in one place. Considering this, in our forthcoming publication, we will reflect more deeply on how Reko as an empirical context helps us to understand varied consumption phenomenon from the perspective of local food.
Greetings from Evi