In recent years the growing enthusiasm for picnicking has done more than simply increase the number of picnickers. Check out the equipment they are using: It is far superior to the gear employed just a few years ago. Apart from a profusion of matching sets, there is also a growing sense of style and personalization. Some devotees take great pleasure in creating their own personalized equipment—say by attaching a produce box or a wine crate to a shopping cart and tastefully applying some paint.
Those lacking the time or talents to go the DIY route may choose to purchase some high-quality imported gear instead. Correctly assessing this business opportunity, Rex Wang, owner of Doing Good International Trading, specializes in importing trendy outdoor equipment. He’s fighting for a piece of the picnic market.
Selling like hot cakes
How hot is picnicking? Wang says that he was only selling about ten picnic baskets per month a year and half ago, whereas for the last six months, he’s been selling about 100 per month.
Sales for picnic products are up 50% this year. The market has shown astonishing growth.
Wang, a great lover of life outdoors, believes that the most obvious reason for the sales growth is the increase in the number of picnickers. Take Taipei National University of the Arts, where Wang frequently enjoys his al fresco meals. There’s a lot of space there, and you used to be able to just pick a spot, any spot, and sit down. But “now you’ve got to get there early or you might not find a space.” Wang notes that when friends and he used to make elaborate preparations to create a nice atmosphere, passersby would look at them funny. But now many of them have become enthusiasts themselves and are pulling out all the stops, so that even Wang’s elaborate spreads don’t measure up.
Picnic maven Lulu Ye points to food safety issues as one reason for the growth of picnicking over the last year and more. “After the food safety problems surfaced, everyone started learning to prepare their own food, and the popularity of picnics grew along with that,” Lulu says. At picnics, not only can families enjoy the food they’ve prepared themselves, they can also add to the fun by sharing ideas about dishes with other aficionados.
Wang believes that an exquisite picnic is one of the “small pleasures” of life in Taiwan. The various themes adopted for picnics bring more atmosphere to eating. “Everyone’s looking for that feel,” Wang says.
The changing picnic basket
Picnics can be simple and spontaneous, or they can involve meticulous preparations, but in either case picnic baskets are virtually an essential.
“European-style picnic baskets often feature an all-in-one design,” Wang says. “They’re good looking and easy to use.” Europeans often put everything for a picnic into a single basket, so there’s only one thing to carry. Their baskets are thus specially designed to serve multiple functions and be convenient to use. These kind of picnic baskets have fasteners under the lid. Users can take cups and cutlery and fasten them in place. Some picnic baskets even have specially designed interior bags that hold bread knives and small chopping boards. They’re very convenient.
Picnic baskets can be made of different materials, including plastic, cloth, aluminum-coated insulating material, rattan and wood. Different kinds of picnic baskets have different advantages. For instance, cloth baskets are light, while insulated ones keep food and drinks cool. Users can pick one based on their own needs. Some people go retro, making baskets out of bamboo and attaching red ribbons. Others get crafty by modifying and painting an asparagus crate.
Currently, most of the high-class picnic baskets marketed in Taiwan are imported. But for at least one item of picnic gear, the locally manufactured versions are more popular than those made abroad.
When Taiwanese go picnicking, you almost never see them with a picnic blanket from Europe or America. Taiwan itself dominates that market. When you see people picnicking in Europe, most of them are just sitting directly on the ground. After all, picnicking is about getting closer to the earth. Why add another barrier?
But while a few people in Taiwan sit right on the grass, most lay down a picnic blanket. The reason is that Taiwan has a wet climate, and it rains a lot. You may not be able to tell just by looking at the turf, but it’s quite likely wet or muddy down there. Consequently, it’s best to be on the safe side and use a water-repellent picnic blanket, which may even prevent the tragedy of accidentally sitting on what someone’s canine pet has left behind.
In the early days, picnic blankets were very simple—typically a bamboo mat or a simple piece of fabric. They got the job done. But because drinks can spill and food can splatter, water-resistant plastic picnic blankets have become the norm. To prevent them from blowing away, these blankets often have aluminum coatings on the bottom. Over the last decade this coating has become a common feature.
Yet back before picnicking’s popularity soared, picnic blankets used to be categorized as “camping gear.” With the focus on function and price, little thought was given to design. The rise of a picnicking culture has brought more emphasis to aesthetics. Now a picnic blanket has to be attractive as well as functional. Consequently, these blankets now come in all manner of patterns and designs. Quite a few people own several, mixing and matching according to the site and theme of the picnic.
“Picnic blankets are continually improving. They’ve long been water resistant, but the latest models are oil resistant as well. What’s more, they feature back straps or handles so that they can be carried like a briefcase,” says Wang. “They’re good looking and convenient.” If you encounter rain, these blankets can also serve as a rain tarp. They’re useful for both picnicking and camping. They may cost a little more, but they sell well.
There’s a huge variety of picnic gear, but Wang believes that sometimes having too much equipment can interfere with the original aspirations behind picnicking. Just pick some gear that suits your needs, and don’t worry about how it compares to other people’s—otherwise the whole experience will stop being fun.
With people in Taiwan continuing to place more emphasis on the quality of life, picnicking, which involves getting outdoors and communing with nature, is sure to be more than just a passing fad.
Awnings can provide shelter from the rain and cooling shade from the summer sun. Low-to-theground picnic tables and chairs add comfort. This is all part of the natural lifestyle that Rex Wang advocates.
Awnings can provide shelter from the rain and cooling shade from the summer sun. Low-to-theground picnic tables and chairs add comfort. This is all part of the natural lifestyle that Rex Wang advocates.
Awnings can provide shelter from the rain and cooling shade from the summer sun. Low-to-the-ground picnic tables and chairs add comfort. This is all part of the natural lifestyle that Rex Wang advocates.
Multifunctional picnic baskets are essential gear (photo courtesy of Lulu Ye). For the most sumptuous of picnics even thermoses and gas lamps need style.
Multifunctional picnic baskets are essential gear (photo courtesy of Lulu Ye). For the most sumptuous of picnics even thermoses and gas lamps need style.
Multifunctional picnic baskets are essential gear (photo courtesy of Lulu Ye). For the most sumptuous of picnics even thermoses and gas lamps need style.
Multifunctional picnic baskets are essential gear (photo courtesy of Lulu Ye). For the most sumptuous of picnics even thermoses and gas lamps need style.
With the current craze, picnicking events are being held in all four seasons of the year. The photo shows a picnic at Hsinchu County’s Emei Catholic Church. (photo by Jimmy Lin)