Grocery store tourism is taking off globally, and Finland is leading the way. One of Finland’s leading grocery chains, K-Supermarket, is the first one to list its stores on Tripadvisor. This is believed to be the first time in the world that a grocery store chain has listed multiple stores as tourist attractions on the platform. Travel industry experts see grocery store tourism as one the most interesting phenomena this year. An increasing number of travellers want to experience authentic everyday life at their destination, and a grocery store built around local favourites offers an excellent opportunity to do just that.
Finnish grocery stores are becoming attractions as K-Supermarket, one of Finland’s largest grocery chains, lists its stores on Tripadvisor. With this move, K-Supermarket is embracing a growing travel trend: grocery store tourism. This is believed to be the first time in the world that a grocery store chain has listed multiple stores as tourist attractions on Tripadvisor, the world’s leading travel platform.
An international study by Visit Finland shows that when it comes to food, travellers to Finland are particularly interested in local products. K-Supermarket stores offer an excellent opportunity to discover these, as each store is run by an independent retailer who tailors the selection to their customers’ preferences, with many stores sourcing products directly from local producers.
Every K-Supermarket builds its selection around its customers’ favourites and the products of local producers. For example, one retailer has rooftop beehives producing their own honey, while another offers an extensive range of craft beers or local breads. Many stores specialise in local berries, fish and meat, or cheeses from a nearby dairy. As a result, travellers can enjoy an authentic local experience right in a grocery store, says Milla Sorsakivi, Marketing Director for K-Supermarket.
In total, K Group’s grocery stores carry approximately 50,000–60,000 products from local and small-scale producers, and summer, alongside Christmas, is one of the peak seasons for the sale of local food products. Among local products, customers are particularly drawn to locally baked goods as well as vegetables.
K-Supermarket stores will be added to Tripadvisor in phases. In the first phase, large stores with a strong focus on local products in the Helsinki metropolitan area will be listed: K-Supermarket Kamppi and Mustapekka in Helsinki, as well as K-Supermarket Lippulaiva in Espoo. After that, stores from other parts of Finland will also be added to the world’s leading travel platform.
In the stores listed on Tripadvisor, local products are highlighted in displays and through in-store communication, helping travellers identify local items in the selection.
Grocery store tourism as a new attraction
Grocery store tourism is considered one of the year’s most interesting food tourism trends by many in the travel industry. Food tourism is also being prioritised at the national level, with Visit Finland developing it with funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Grocery stores could also become a new draw for Finnish tourism.
According to Visit Finland’s international food tourism study, Finnish food culture sparks curiosity among international travellers, but awareness of it remains limited. Germans and Japanese travellers are particularly interested in culinary experiences in Finland. The most important channels for gathering information when planning a trip are search engines and travel review sites.
International demand for Finnish tourism is still below pre-pandemic peak levels, even though international demand has already started to recover, which points to significant growth potential. Finland’s strongest food-related associations are Arctic flavours, wild game meat and fish, and food from pristine nature, says Terhi Hook, Food Tourism Expert at Visit Finland.
