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I know what you’re thinking. Celery Suppen. Suppen? Well it turns out Suppen means soup in German and Celery Suppen is a blend of dry vegetables – including celery – used to make soup stock. And have you ever judged a book by its cover or a wine bottle by its label? Because that’s what I’m doing now. This packaging design and branding – the work of Tetusin Design Office – makes me want to load up on Celery Suppen. (Unfortunately, it just went on sale earlier this year and is only available at a few select retailers in Japan)

Invented by a group of Fukuoka-based farmers in Japan, the package is made from vegetables with cosmetic imperfections (the Japanese are very particular, as they are with many things, about the look of their vegetables) that didn’t make it to the grocery store. So instead of discarding them, the farmers worked to perfect the perfect blend of dried vegetable shavings that could be slow-cooked and simmered to create soup, stew curry or any number of dishes.

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