Pivniţa Bunicii Pivniţa Bunicii* is a sustainable initiative located in Saschiz, Mureş county, in south-eastern Transylvania. It is one of four UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Târnava Mare region, one of Europe’s most impressive natural and cultural landscapes, including some of the finest wildflower-rich grasslands. The landscape is the culmination of centuries of careful planting by local farming families. It is a magnificent mosaic of ancient oak, hornbeam, beech trees, wildflowerrich meadows and a rich variety of plants, birds, mammals and insects. The inspiration for Pivniţa Bunicii was the traditional farming still valued in Sachiz, in perfect ecological harmony with nature. The majority of the local population is completely self-sufficient by producing fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products with genuine flavour. This microenterprise started with a passion for reviving the traditional ways of growing quality goods for future generations. It all began in 2010 with a few high-quality jams that were beautifully packed and presented for sale to visitors. In 2021 Pivniţa Bunicii changed its vision, being established as a social enterprise with eleven permanent team members and additional temporary staff at its busiest times of the year.The goal is to support the rural community by creating a sustainable supply chain by purchasing villagers’ goods, wild-harvested flowers, or fruits and berries. With that in mind, Pivniţa Bunicii manufactures artisanal products such as tasty beverages,
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chutneys, relishes, jams, and different types of honey. This sustainable initiative understands that each one of us can have a positive impact on our environment. This is the reason why the products are packed and sold in jars and bottles, which are made out of glass and not plastic. They also upcycle their cordial bottles and use them as glasses for organised tastings. The jars are also being upcycled, used as little bowls for chutneys and jams for their Taste Experiences activities. In their efforts to reduce and even remove singleuse plastic, they found new and more sustainable alternatives. Pivniţa Bunicii replaced the bubble wrap with Hexcel wrapping paper, and currently, they seal their boxes with paper tape instead of plastic. For shipping the pallets, they use biodegradable shrink wrap and recyclable carrier bags made out of paper. By purchasing credits with Ecotrust Uganda, Pivniţa Bunicii supports farmers to live in the foothills of the Rwenzori mountains. Moreover, it is a carbon-neutral business offsetting energy, transport, and packaging by planting trees in Uganda. Regarding future goals, Pivniţa Bunicii aims to consolidate its brand in the EU market and to promote social responsibility towards the community. *(EN) Grandma’s Pantry