From weaving intricate flower crowns to lighting bonfires, singing songs and savouring traditional cuisine, these traditions are deeply rooted in the hearts and festive customs of Latvians. Locals also prefer to support domestic producers during the holiday, as the feast would be incomplete without the traditional Midsummer Jāņi cheese with caraway seeds and Latvian-made beer.
The annual survey conducted by the store chain top! on Midsummer Day celebration customs affirms that Midsummer Day (Jāņi) continues to be the most widely celebrated folk holiday. Based on the findings of a top! survey conducted a few years ago, a significant majority of respondents, 86%, acknowledged celebrating it. This year, the number has seen an increase, reaching 91.4%. Respondents have indicated that they have various plans for celebrating during the upcoming public holidays. The majority of them (45.7%) intend to spend time with their family, while 24.1% prefer to enjoy the outdoors. Additionally, 14.5% plan to celebrate with friends, and 5.3% are looking forward to attending a festival or a Midsummer Day open-air party. In line with long-standing traditions, survey participants expressed their intentions to indulge in cheese (87.9%), enjoy beer (57.8%), gather Midsummer herbs and create wreaths (69.6%), adorn the festive location (66.4%), sing Līgo songs (50.8%), and partake in activities such as searching for a fern flower, dressing up in folk costumes, and leaping over a bonfire.
Although Midsummer cheese is a staple of the celebration, only few (17.3%) dare to make it themselves. Most respondents prefer to buy ready-made cheese (72%). Midsummer cheese with caraway seeds remains the most popular cheese among the population (74.2%), followed by various snack cheeses with seeds, nuts, and mixed spices (13.3%) and smoked cheeses (5.6%).
Ilze Priedīte, Member of the Management Board and Marketing Director of the store chain top! talks about the new trend, “Jāņi cheese, sliced for your convenience, is gaining popularity as a modern alternative to traditional round cheese. In addition, there has been a decrease in the number of local producers offering traditional Jāņi cheese this year. However, rest assured that our stores still provide the highly sought-after Jāņi cheeses with caraway seeds. We invite you to impress your loved ones this year by crafting your own homemade cheese using a tried-and-true recipe available on the website www.toppartika.lv/recipes, along with other delightful holiday dishes.”
Beer is also an integral part of holiday celebrations. Beer represents the hard work and dedication of the farmer who tends to the fields, plants crops, and reaps the harvest. Furthermore, it serves as a measure of agricultural efficiency. The residents surveyed express their preference for beer primarily based on its taste (36.4%) or the recommendations of their friends (35.6%). A majority of respondents prefer to purchase beer from local producers (77.8%). Year after year, there has been a growing trend among residents who opt out of consuming beer altogether (22.3%) or opt for non-alcoholic alternatives (23.7%). Many individuals are now choosing to replace beer with other beverages such as kvass or similar options.
Light beer remains the most popular type of beer (50.4%). Twice as few respondents (23.4%) choose dark or flavoured beer (24.6%). Gradually, residents are also becoming familiar with porter (5.8%) and wheat beer (2.6%). On Midsummer Day, the majority of customers of the top! store chain opt for beer in glass bottles (85.5%), with beer in cans being the second most popular choice (22.6%). According to the survey results, there has been a noticeable rise in the popularity of draft beer, with a 14.3% increase.
Nonetheless, the store chain top! emphasises the negative effects of alcohol consumption. The sale, purchase, or transfer of alcoholic beverages to minors is prohibited.
Although Midsummer holidays (Līgo and Jāņi) are primarily celebrated as seasonal holidays, the survey participants of the store chain top! remember to acknowledge those who celebrate their name days by giving them personalised gifts (25.9%), holiday wreaths (21.1%), or a hamper for the festive table (17.3%). While a few respondents (11%) may not prioritise name days and a small percentage (7.9%) might even overlook those named Līga and Jānis in the midst of the holidays, the store chain top! encourages you to remember your loved ones and delight them with heartfelt congratulations and warm embraces.
We wish everyone a joyful and festive holiday season, filled with positive emotions and a bountiful feast!
The online survey of the top! store chain was conducted from 15 to 19 June. It involved 1,003 respondents from Riga (8.1%) and the Greater Riga Region (5.6%), Vidzeme (40.7%), Kurzeme (18.3%), Zemgale (18.2%), and Latgale (9.1%).
The retail store chain top! is the largest store chain owned by Latvian business and the third largest retail chain in Latvia. There are currently 205 food stores in Latvia operating under the trademark top!. In total, more than 3,500 jobs are provided, supporting local producers and suppliers across Latvia.
Information prepared by:
Ilze Priedite
Member of the Board and Marketing Director of the top! store chain
E-mail: pr@toppartika.lv