The current generation of children may be the first to grow up without playing with Barbie Dolls, and we're a little sad about that. Your great-grandmother, your grandmother and your mother probably played with the toys when they were small, and you may have done so as well, but these days kids just aren't as interested in 'hands-on' toys. Everything has gone digital, and everyone's imagination is just a little poorer because of it.
It's not that Barbie isn't available in stores anymore, of course. She's still there, but she's just not as sought after as she once was. Take the Midnight Tuxedo Barbie, for example. That's worth $1,000 on its own. Even that's a steal compared to the Blonde Barbie from 1959, which is an early example of the range and is worth closer to $25,000. The most valuable collection of Barbie dolls in the world belongs to Germany's Bettina Dorfman, who owns 17,000 of them with a combined value of $250,000!
For the past few years, we've been seeing more and more food halls dominate the retail industry. The craze has swept Los Angeles and New York by storm and is now making its way to Miami. In Magic City alone, ten of these food parks have opened just recently. The mania is even set to triple in size by the year 2020.
Now more than ever, more people have been adopting a vegan lifestyle. A survey in the United Kingdom reveals that 3.5 million residents have turned vegan, while 20 percent have at least tried the concept. People are now wanting to cut down on meat, and the food industry is giving in to the demand. Even wineries have started stocking up on vegan wines.
Due to increased awareness and desire to help the environment, companies have become more committed to eco-friendly food packaging. Previously, companies didnt care much about producing a ton of waste; but now, efforts to reuse, reduce, and recycle are much more apparent. For instance, PepsiCo has committed to creating completely recyclable packaging by the year 2025.
Who would have thought that young millennials would be into rum? These barrel-aged, small-batch rums are the latest trend in booze, and now even British companies such as Essexs English Spirit are joining in. The spirit is one of the most popular and versatile forms of alcohol, whether it be sweet or strong, dark or white, neat with ice or served with coke.
Nowadays, people have become more accepting of imperfection; when it comes to fresh produce that is. Imperfect Produce is just one of the grocery delivery companies that serve physically flawed fruits and vegetables. This effort is geared toward reducing waste, and the disfigured foods are often turned into hummus, crisps, and juices.
Various Asian restaurants have been popping up recently, and Sri Lankan cuisine is slowly making its way to the western palate. Sri Lankan dishes such as kottu roti, pol sambol, coconut relish, and hoppers, are being introduced to the market, and people are loving it. Unlike before, the Sri Lankan flavor is finally being recognized as an individual cuisine, separate from Indian food.