When boarding a plane, one of the pleasures is the in-flight drink service. Finnair, based in Finland, has a signature drink known as “Blueberry Juice.” While it was previously available only in-flight or in lounges, this original beverage is now sold in Finland. To verify this rumor, the author traveled to the Nordic countries.
What is Blueberry Juice?
The author often travels to the Nordic countries. With a climate similar to Hokkaido, enjoying high-quality meals with various seafood and meats, as well as catching glimpses of a rich lifestyle are highlights of travel in the Nordic region. During these trips, the airline “Finnair” is frequently used.
European airlines, apart from LCCs, usually offer only drink services on intra-European flights, similar to domestic flights in Japan, and Finnair is no exception. However, Finnair distinctively serves its original blueberry juice, even on short-haul routes. The service started in 2014, marking its 11th year this year.
This blueberry juice is quite addictive once tasted. Since blueberry juice is not very common in Japan, it’s hard to describe its taste, but it has a refreshing apple juice-like flavor with a touch of grape juice-like tartness, overall resulting in a fruity and easy-to-drink taste.
In the Nordic countries, blueberries are a common fruit, and blueberry juice made by various manufacturers is available in supermarkets, etc. However, Finnair’s blueberry juice was exclusive to Finnair. Until now, it wasn’t available in stores and could only be enjoyed in-flight.
However, when travel was restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to how ANA and JAL started selling in-flight meals in Japan, Finnair began selling its in-flight meals and this blueberry juice in Finland.
Initially, the juice was sold only in the “K Stores” supermarket chain in Helsinki. However, it is now available in cities outside Helsinki as well. When the author checked the sales situation in a Helsinki supermarket, they confirmed the juice was sold alongside other brands’ blueberry juices, marked with the Finnair logo.
However, Finnair seems committed to Finland, with no plans to sell the juice outside the country. Naturally, it is not available in Japan either. It truly is a souvenir you can only purchase in Finland.
This blueberry juice is unique and nearly a must-have for those flying with Finnair. Once tried, it leaves an unforgettable impression. Why not consider it a new specialty from Finland, perfect as a souvenir?
Notice
This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
