This New Kepong Pop-Up Market Aims To Be Meatless & Eco-Friendly, Spearheaded By Youth
The Midori Market is fully plant-based and aims to be eco-friendly.
Subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest stories and updates.
A new plant-based and eco-friendly market featuring 33 grassroots businesses has popped up in Kepong.
Midori Market is organised by a group of environmentally-conscious undergraduate students from the Tzu Chi KL & Selangor Collegiate Youth Association, a non-profit association that brings together tertiary students to care for humanity and the environment.
The 2-day pop-up market focuses on promoting a plant-based diet within the youth and general public while attempting to be zero-waste. It is also inspired by Japanese-minimalist aesthetic, making use of colourful paper decorations without being extravagant.
(Credit: Anne Dorall/TRP)
What You Get
Midori Market is spread out over the Tzu Chi Jing Si Hall, with the main market for food and homemade items at sprawling outdoor gardens, while invited speakers will host their talks indoors within the large halls.
Among the line-up of guest speakers include Khor Sue Yee, co-founder of Zero Waste Malaysia; raw vegan chef, Yin; MMA fighter, Colleen Augustin; and vegan KOLS, Yee Huan and James. They will share their views and insights on a low-carbon lifestyle as well as their transitions to veganism.
The market features a varied mix of vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based food, from lei cha to vegan burgers to stinky tofu to vegetarian nasi kerabu.
According to Midori Market coordinator Chris Choo, some vendors are using this opportunity to test out plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan recipes to be used back in their established eateries that are not currently meatless.
Support for the market is overwhelming, as many food stalls had run out of food and needed to restock by noon.
There are also vendors selling homemade items such as jam, baked goods, and handicrafts.
(Credit: Anne Dorall/TRP)
Most of the vendors employ eco-friendly principles as well, using biodegrable packaging for visitors who did not bring their own food containers.
(Credit: Anne Dorall/TRP)
A Generally Fun Time
The outdoor area of the Tzu Chi Jing Si Hall it surprisingly spacious, though the market itself is rather sparse as far as pop-up markets go. This means plenty of walking space for visitors without needing to push and shove.
There are pockets of trimmed lawn that has been turned into picnic areas, where visitors are encouraged to sit and dine together.
(Credit: Anne Dorall/TRP)
The collective effort to rejuvenate a plant-based lifestyle and promoting sustainable habits via an enjoyable weekend market is commendable. Visitors are highly encouraged to bring their own reusable bags, cutlery, food containers, and bottles. However, even if you did not bring your own, the market offers options to rent food containers or pick up a free reusable paper bag.
(Credit: Anne Dorall/TRP)
In general, Midori Market is fun to drop by if you’re in the area and want to see how plant-based diet and sustainable principles are practised. Midori Market hopes that you will bring these habits home too.
There is ample parking here in the Tzu Chi basement carpark, but if you want to reduce your carbon footprint even further, the Kepong Baru MRT station is within walking distance.
Midori Market
29-30 October
9am – 5pm
Location
KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall
359, Jln Kepong, 52000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
