Scan Magazine, Issue 151, February 2023

SCAN

10 TOP SPOTS

TO DRINK NATURAL WINE IN COPENHAGEN

FOODIE TRAVEL : A TASTE OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY

BEST OF THE MONTH GUIDE: WHERE TO STAY, EAT AND EXPLORE

5 NORDIC SKINCARE BRANDS TO KNOW IN 2023

During a conversation with the artists Juss Heinsalu and Kärt Ojavee for a feature about the Estonian Academy of Arts in this month’s issue, we found ourselves orbiting the idea of ‘speculative fabulation’.

The term describes the practice of using imaginative storytelling as a tool to shape radical new ideas, work and realities – a kind of formalised suspension of disbelief. The approach is used to expand thinking in everything from architecture, visual art and craft, to literature, social theory and psychology.

But to me, speculative fabulation seemed to point to something even broader. It captures the metamorphic mood of February after the big Monday that was January. If the first month of the year is characterised by a sense of nebulousness (will I learn to do a handstand? Will I

go to Greece?), February is when our ideas start to crystallise. This is when imagination and reality meet and we sketch out a roadmap for the year ahead. Case in point: these first two months are by far the busiest times for travel agencies, with more people booking flights now than at any other time during the year.

With that in mind, speculative fabulation reminds us to stay ambitious and imaginative. 2023 can be the year you journey to the far reaches of Finland, explore the iceberg-riddled bays of Greenland, or discover the rugged High Coast of Sweden. Why not? Nordic travel might seem intrepid or challenging, but at Scan Magazine we’re speculative fabulators and, if you are too, then the adventures you see in these pages can be yours in 2023.

Lena Hunter, Editor

In this issue

COVER FEATURE

26 10 Top Spots to Drink Natural Wine in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is one of the greatest cities in Europe to drink natural wine in. Thanks to new-Nordic dining, the popular consciousness in Denmark is already au-fait with ideas of sustainability, locality and seasonality when it comes to what’s on the plate. So, it’s no surprise that Danes have a particular taste for wine with the same philosophy. With that in mind, hop on a bike and explore Copenhagen’s top spots to drink natural.

DESIGN

6 Get the scoop: 2023’s big names in Scandi style, beauty and design

With a rain-slashed Copenhagen Fashion Week coming to close, this month’s Fashion Diary looks ahead to brighter days with a colour-pop parade of Scandi styles, while our February design column presents the five Nordic skincare brands that are dazzling beauty editors in 2023. Plus, get to know the new Swedish at-home nail treatment loved by celebs, and three Norwegian clothing labels that are fighting fast fashion with timeless and sustainable design.

LIFESTYLE

22

On alcohol-free beer, grain-free bread and stress-free living

Our decorated beer expert Malin Norman provides a cheat-sheet for selecting the best boozefree beers, while our sustainability columnist Alejandra Cerda Ojensa muses on how to practice slow living in the city. Plus, we chat to the founder of a brand of Finnish grain-free bread that’s surprising consumers by being both delicious, and so gentle for the body that it’s been adopted for clinical trials. 18

SPECIAL THEMES

32 A Taste of Sweden

In 2023, Stockholm will hold the title of European Capital of Gastronomy. Travellers can expect the city to be brimming with culinary delights, but there are more tasty innovations happening elsewhere in the country. In this special theme, we’ve profiled a slew of restaurants, breweries, artisanal producers, liquor distilleries, and beloved national brands to bring you a rundown of Sweden’s contemporary food scene.

62 A Taste of Norway

Join us on a sojourn to Norway, where we’re feasting our way through west-coast whiskies, famously superior seafood, local honey, and pinecone marmalade made by a thirteenthgeneration family farm.

67 Mini theme: Top Experiences in Finland 2023

Liven up your Finnish holiday itinerary with a villa escape to the northern reaches, surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage landscapes, or get active with hiking, rock-climbing, kayaking and fishing in the stunning Pyhä-Luosto National Park. Plus, get a culture fix at Finland’s most acclaimed classical music event, The Mikkeli Music Festival, which will run from 28 July to 5 August.

CULTURE

100 Estonia’s thriving arts scene, Nordic cultural events and new Scandi music

Discover Estonia’s lively arts scene through conversations with thought-leaders from the Estonian Academy of Arts and the Estonian National Opera, and mark your calendars with our round-up of Nordic cultural events to attend in February. Plus, soundtrack your month with the hottest new music releases in Scandinavia, as selected by our music columnist Karl Batterbee.

Fashion Diary

As February approaches, we’re slowly waking from winter’s slumber and letting our minds wander towards spring, sunnier days and joyous colours. Let the brighter days ahead be reflected in how you dress.

By Åsa H. Aaberge | Press photos

Jacket by RAINS

Bomber jackets (think 1950s-style with a cropped silhouette and puffy sleeves) are forecasted to be one of the major trends of the coming seasons. For Scandinavian weather, opt for Danish RAINS’ unisex Fuse Bomber Jacket. It is warmly insulated and has a windproof and waterproof outer. Plus, pastels are amongst the best colour options this season. You can brighten up any day with this plush jacket.

Fuse Bomber Jacket, €240 www.rains.com

Sweater

by Filippa K

Speaking of colour trends, cobalt blue isn’t going anywhere, and neither are other hues of blue. This Filippa K wool roll-neck sweater has a rich rivera blue hue, and we love it.

Roller Neck Sweater in Rivera Blue, €260 www.filippa-k.com

Beanie by A days March

Keep your head warm with a cosy lambswool beanie from Swedish brand A Days March. It comes in several colours, from bright to earthy, so you can match your hat to your mood.

Lambswool Beanie, €50 www.adaysmarch.com

Bootcut jeans by Nudie Jeans

The new Hazy Hank style from Swedish Nudie Jeans has a slight bootcut and sharp creases, making it a standout, yet classic, look in your wardrobe. The jeans come in green and blue denim.

Hazy Hank Jeans, €200 www.nudiejeans.com

Hair accessories are the perfect way to add colour to your everyday style. We love a good scrunchie, and Danish label Stine Goya offers an array of options. This blue and pastel design works nicely as an accessory on the wrist when it’s not keeping your hair in a bun.

Scrunchie, €16 www.stinegoya.com

Jeans and jacket by StyleIn

It is not for nothing that the most Googled fashion topics of 2022, according to the global search engine’s own ‘Year in Search’ report, included ‘oversized shirt’ and ‘jeans’. These styles made an appearance on Bottega Veneta’s and other big-name designers’ SS23 runways, proving these versatile wardrobe staples are always on-trend. The ‘Kim’ jeans from Swedish StyleIn are the perfect example: seasonless, versatile and with an all-around fit.

Kim denim, €183 Tortona jacket, €411 www.stylein.com

Bedazzle your ears with a pop of colour, with these Swirly Popz earrings from Finnish Annele. The candy-inspired hoops are handmade in Finland from gold-plated silver and dangling glass beads. They come in various colours, too!

Swirly Popz earrings, €160 www.annele.world

In a capsule wardrobe, striped tops are essential. Think shirts, sweaters and knits. It is still chilly out, and we love this classic Saga sweater from the sustainable Danish brand Aiayu, made from warming wool and featuring très-chic horizontal stripes. It offers a timeless silhouette with a crew neck and ribbed hems.

Saga sweater, €305 www.aiayu.com

Scrunchie by Stine Goya

Earrings by Annele

Sweater by Aiayu

We Love This: Top Nordic skincare brands of 2023

Are you looking to spruce up your skincare routine in 2023? Get to know these five Nordic cosmetic brands that have got beauty editors swooning.

By Lena Hunter | Press photos

Best innovators: Moi Forest

Finnish Moi Forest is a first-mover in incorporating the new Forest Microbes innovation in their skincare collection. Their range of moisturisers contains extracts of the natural microbial ecosystem from the pure soils of the Finnish forest, which combats the negative effects of urban sterilisation on the skin. These intelligent, living formulas are only just beginning to appear on the market, but they’re exploding in popularity, thanks to evidence that exposure to natural microbes naturally fortifies the skin’s immune system. Moi Forest’s range is made from natural and sustainably sourced ingredients, providing sophisticated and ethical everyday luxury at the cutting edge of skincare science, for an affordable price.

www.moiforest.com

Best for men: Sweden Eco

Sweden Eco’s range of conscious skincare is based on aloe vera and green tea, with a light, fresh scent of sandalwood and cloves. Their men’s range is especially well-received: the Beard & Face Oil contains nutrient-rich and active oils from watermelon seeds, chia and argan, with only a few drops of the concentrated elixir needed to enrich all skin types. Meanwhile, their moisturiser contains paracress, which has a powerful smoothing effect on wrinkles, and the super-hydrating compound hyaluronic acid for firming skin. The label has impressed beauty editors worldwide, storming international skincare awards with its no-nonsense, science-backed approach to luxury men’s products.

www.swedeneco.com

Best luxury all-rounder: Pure & Care

The Danish label PUCA (short for Pure & Care) cleaned up at the 2022 Global Makeup Awards. As well as taking gold in Best Luxury Skincare Brand overall, they scooped accolades for their toner, eyelash serum, eye mask and eye roll-on, as well as silver in Best Design and Packaging. PUCA’s natural and fragrance-free formulas are developed in Denmark in collaboration with specialised cosmetic and skincare consultants and are widely recognised to combine best-in-test results with a high-end feel. www.pureandcare.dk

Best moisturiser: Taramar

A luxury skincare collection made from bioactive seaweed compounds and medicinal Icelandic plants? Sign us up! The Icelandic label Taramar has been on the scene for some 13 years, with a mission to “craft green formulas so pure and safe that they are technically edible, while being so effective that their benefits to your skin can be seen with the naked eye”. In the past six years, the brand has scooped awards for innovation all over Scandinavia. Most recently, the corrective Hydration Treatment, as well as the anti-fine-line Arctic Flower Treatment, have made a special splash amongst the beauty press. www.taramarseeds.com

Best organic brand: GalBaia

One of the most lusted-after organic labels on the shelves right now is GalBaia, which dubs itself a ‘Natural Dermathecary’. The Estonian brand takes inspiration from the work of the ancient Greek physician, writer and philosopher Claudius Galen, who was the first to make an ointment from water and oil, and from the Australian Aboriginal deity Baiame, creator of rivers, forests and mountains. GalBaia’s products contain 100 per cent natural active Australian botanical ingredients, which stimulate the skin’s natural regeneration. The brand has turned heads in the beauty world for its facial moisturisers, and was awarded gold in the category Best Organic Beauty Brand at the 2022 Global Makeup Awards. www.galbaia.com

Nailing it

Love’n Layer provides the perfect manicure in an instant and their ground-breaking Layers are the perfect solution for people looking for sustainable, fashionable and long-lasting nails. The company has grown exponentially, and awards, collaborations as well as a long, impressive list of customers are clear indicators that this business is doing it right.

By Nina Bressler | Photos: Love’n Layer

Love’n Layer is the company providing home manicures and pedicures, whose secret formula, developed and tested for years, became the perfect antidote to an otherwise stagnant nail polish industry.

When Founder Ida Thern was advised to stay at home during her second pregnancy in the lockdown of 2020, she was determined to find a solution. “I couldn’t go to the salon and needed an alternative at home. I realised how little was

happening in the nail polish industry. While we go vegan and organic and create sustainable solutions in every other market, the nail-polish world has remained full of toxic, carcinogenic chemicals that are harmful to humans and nature. I started experimenting and developing my own recipe, and after much research, I found the perfect solution. Love’n Layers launched in October 2021 and sold products worth 7,000 Euros within the first 20 minutes,” Thern says.

Non-toxic and long-lasting

Love’n Layers is all about a smart alternative to standard nail polish, powered by a complex formula and technological solutions. Nails can be done in minutes to a salon standard, and if needed, peeled off without damaging the nails underneath. A

hard Layer is applied to the nail and fixed underneath a UV LED light, a process that takes no more than three minutes, but which yields results which last an average of three weeks or longer, depending on what the hands are subjected to.

A vast collection of designs is available and continuously refreshed to adapt to seasons and trends. “We’re shaking up the business by providing nail polish that consists of non-toxic components, colour pigments that don’t cause harm, and by always choosing quality and sustainable materials to create long-lasting products,” says Thern.

Innovation paving the way for success

The interest was there from the very beginning and grew even stronger when the biggest TV channels in Sweden chose Love’n Layer for their productions. The nails of Idol-contestants, Nobel Prize presenters and Melodifestivalen winners were all adorned by Layers in various colours and designs.

“Thanks to the simple application, durability and easy removal if needed, it’s been a hit in environments where quick changes are necessary and where immaculate nails, part of a striking outfit, are in focus in front of millions of people on the TV screen,” says Thern.

Despite its youth, the company has already won two awards: Innovation of

the Year 2021 from Stockholm Beauty Week; and Nail Product of the Year from Aftonbladet’s beauty editor. A big milestone was when Swedish beauty giant Lyko approached the company to become partners, and Lyko now owns 40 per cent while Thern remains the main owner. “Lyko is a fantastic company to be a part of, with an established name in Sweden and various other European countries. They got in touch just four months after our launch and the partnership became

public in June 2022. Despite our relatively brief period together it’s turned out to be a perfect match and I can’t wait to see where our joint path will take us in the future,” says Thern.

Full speed ahead

So, what lies ahead for a company that has experienced such monumental growth in a short space of time? “We want to continue to grow with Lyko, and we want to become a 100 million dollar company. We’ve already got a big following around Scandinavia and in various European countries, but we want to establish a bigger market on this continent and then take on the US,” says Thern.

The endeavour to create a better option for their customers is constantly evolving, with new approaches to better products always under scrutiny, and new nail designs not just following, but setting trends. “We’re a solution for people who don’t want or have time to go to the nail salon, with results that are turning out just as good or even better than the salon standard. Thanks to the technology that we use and our unparalleled formula, we’re able to provide a product that has revolutionised the entire industry,” Thern concludes. By the sounds of it, she has really hit the nail on the head!

www.lovenlayer.com

Instagram: @lovenlayer

YouTube: Love’n Layer

Founder Ida Thern.

Wooden watches for everyone

Rooted in Danish design, VEJRHØJ’s Nordic minimalist watches combine natural hardwood with stainless steel. The wrist-pieces are both elegant and affordable, and a new automatic range is about to join the collection.

By Nicolai Lisberg | Photos: Poul Kofod

Watches are in again. Not that they were ever truly out of fashion, but we’ve become accustomed to relying on our smartphones for timekeeping, rather than investing in a watch. “The watch has become a counter-trend in the modern digital era, in which you have to be online all the time. Many of our customers tell us that they have started wearing a watch again after years of not wearing one. They say that they feel more present in relationships and conversations because they don’t get distracted by taking out

The watch company was founded ten years ago to bring something new to the wooden-watch market – a market that used to be very big, especially in skater circles. Merging hardwood with stainless steel, VEJRHØJ created a more elegant and long-lasting model and, by selling them online directly to the customer, rather than using a distributor, they maintained an affordable price-point.

“When you combine wood with steel you have so many design possibilities. Wood has a warmth and naturalness that is not only comfortable to wear, but also to look at. There is just something charming about wood, and since no piece of wood is identical, every watch is unique,” says Aarup.

their phone,” says Janus Aarup, CEO and founder of VEJRHØJ.

Who wouldn’t want a wooden watch?

Although the minimalist look and the use of wood are characteristic of Nordic design, VEJRHØJ have become extremely popular in North America and Asia, while Japan has become the biggest market for the Danish company.

“Danish and Japanese customers are actually a lot alike. Both have a preference for simplicity and good craftsmanship, and both are drawn to wood as a material. In Asia they have their cherry blossom season, which is almost

sacred, and we have designed a model made with cherry wood which is extremely popular in Japan,” says Aarup

All watches from VEJRHØJ have a wooden element, some more than others, and although they use a small amount in production in comparison to furniture manufactures for instance, the company is very aware of the scarcity of wood in the world.

“It’s very important for me to be able to give something back to nature. That’s why we donate to the non-profit organ-

isation One Tree Planted to support reforestation. Every tree makes a positive impact on nature, wildlife and people, and we have to protect this world for our future generations,” says Aarup.

www.vejrhoj.com

Instagram: @vejrhoj

Facebook: vejrhojdanmark

Twitter: vejrhojdk

New automatic watch collection to be launched

In March, VEJRHØJ will launch a completely automatic watch collection. The series is battery-free, powered by the kinetic energy generated by the movement of the arm alone.

Just like the classic collections, they have a distinctive Nordic design, made from quality materials.

“Many of our customers asked for an automatic collection, and we’ve been working on it for some time now. Usually, automatic watches are very expensive because you have to put everything together manually, but I’m pleased that we have been able to design this collection at an affordable price for everyone,” says Janus Aarup. The new automatic collection will be launched on March 12.

Janus Aarup.

Merete Dèhn: Timeless, sustainable, and more than just clothes

Founded on decades of experience, passion and love, Merete Dèhn’s garments are more than just clothes. The Norwegian family-run brand creates comfortable and timeless slow fashion for everyone from the girl next door to royalty.

By Celina Tran

The eponymous woman, designer and artist behind Merete Dèhn has been a creative soul for as long as she can remember. She has always longed for different ways to express her endless imagination: “I began knitting as a teenager and would make and wear the most colourful, fun patterns and designs, all created from my imagination,” says Merete Nyegaard Dèhn. “I suppose I just never stopped.”

Through her designs, Merete wants to provide the fashion industry with a greener and more sustainable option. “It’s important to acknowledge that the fashion

industry, especially fast fashion, takes a heavy toll on the planet. We want to be the complete opposite. From using high-quality products to quality-checking every clothing piece, every step along the way to limit waste, Merete Dèhn constantly strives to be the best slow-fashion brand.”

Designs to last decades

As an advocate for sustainable fashion, Merete is heavily critical of the culture of constantly purchasing and throwing away clothes. One of the steps the team at Merete Dèhn has taken to combat this is to make timeless designs. Using clean

shapes and lines, and a colour palette that works regardless of season or location, the label creates cross-generational fashion that never looks dated.

“We want our customers to be able to wear our clothes today and in ten years’ time, regardless of changing trends,” says Merete. “The timeless design is an important factor, but it would be nothing without our hardworking staff’s talent, as well as the long-lasting wool we use.”

She explains that they use wool because it’s more eco-friendly, high-quality, and comfortable. Merete’s background as a nurse made her realise how important comfort is to so many people, such as those with rheumatic diseases. Prioritising the quality and feel of their garments, Merete Dèhn source their yarn from Italy,

Madeleine in Malin Sweater.

Photo: Lion Island

and all their garments are made of lightweight and soft Merino or Alpaca wool.

“I’m obsessed with wool!” she laughs. “It is good in so many ways; it’s self-cleaning so it helps reduce water usage, it’s warm, but it also breathes easily, meaning it acclimatises to wherever you find yourself.”

Wool is inclusive. Whether you’re a busy professional looking for something comfortable and classy for work, or an avid traveller who needs something that will work in both the Arctic north and on warmer coasts, Merete Dèhn has something for you.

“After I founded Merete Déhn, while I was still a single mother striving to make a living out of something I loved, I was so lucky to have the Crown Princess of Norway wear one of our Ponchos. Since then, I’ve been able to showcase my work to so many more people, while also promoting sustainable fashion.”

She explains that despite being a clothing brand, Merete Dèhn is first and foremost a loving family, a passion project, and “so much more than just clothes”. “As a mother, my children have inspired me to be and do better. I wanted there to be a focus on the family aspect, which is why I’ve tried to include them in the process.”

More than just clothes

The brand originally started as a simple volunteer project in Peru which aimed to support a local economy by supplying the community with machinery, teaching them the art of knitting, and

by investing in the town. After Peru, the brand grew from a small volunteer project to the highly sought-after fashion brand it’s known as today.

“As a mother who knows how hard women often have to work to provide, I wanted to create a highly regulated, safe workplace that provides other women with good, equal opportunities,” says Merete.

“Today, most of the production happens in Lithuania in a factory ran by women for women. The factory is an empowering all-female establishment providing good wages and a good work environment, which was one of the most important things to me when starting a business.”

Merete continues to use the Merete Dèhn brand to give back to society, including through the funding of mental health organisations. Many times, they have dedicated a percentage of their sales to support mental health projects and organisations, and Merete also works with others in her spare time.

“In addition to my ongoing mental health projects, I want to use Merete Dèhn to encourage women of all ages who often have to work a little harder to find their confidence, start businesses, and simply do what makes them happy,” she says.

www.dehndesign.com

Instagram: @dehndesign

Facebook: Dehn Design

Designer portrait.

Photo: Hilde Brevig

Family photo.

Photo: Hilde Brevig

Three models scarves at Hvaler. Photo: Lion Island

Good for the planet, body and soul

For over 40 years now, Ruskovilla has been a pioneer in the Finnish clothing industry. Always one step ahead of the game, the family-owned business has created an innovative new range of garments which brings the Finnish forest to your skin... literally.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Ruskovilla

Ruskovilla’s latest innovation, the Metsä product range, contains the new Re-Connecting Nature® forest microbe extract. When this extract, containing safe, diverse and beneficial natural microbes, is introduced to the skin, it has been proven to support the body’s immune defence, even in very sterile city environments.

The Metsä (meaning ‘forest’ in Finnish) product range of underwear and accessories is a unique innovation, born out of a research project by Finnish universities on the positive effects of introducing natural forest microbes to our bodies. “The beneficial microbes added into our clothes are absorbed by the body. We know that early exposure to rich biodiversity is associated with lower levels of allergies, asthma and type one diabetes,” the company’s managing director Ossi Näkki explains.

The skin is the body’s largest organ, and chemical particles can enter our bodies

through our skin’s two-way pores, so for Ruskovilla, the materials that come into contact with the skin have always been of the utmost importance. The Metsä collection is made of organic silk wool, which can be used all year round and is very soft to the touch, making it ideal for babies and children.

Always one step ahead Ruskovilla’s products are made for the whole family using certified organic and responsibly-sourced materials. Circular economy values have been in the company’s DNA from the start, and the company has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to clothing innovations.

The company is known for underwear and accessories made from organic natural fibres – merino wool, silk wool and silk, as well as merino wool fleece, which has become one of Ruskovilla’s most popular products. “Wool fleece is a wonderful material. It is 100 per cent

organic merino wool, and it’s very soft. Wool fleece is a natural, microplasticfree alternative to traditional synthetic fibre fleece,” Näkki states.

Despite their small-scale production, the company has amassed a loyal following at home and abroad. “We pride ourselves on being ethically-sound clothing producers and living in harmony with nature. The quality of our products speaks for itself, and it’s undoubtedly the reason why our success story continues, more than 40 years on,” he concludes.

www.ruskovilla.fi

Instagram: @ruskovilla.fi

Facebook: Ruskovilla

Make your dream dress a reality

When Christine Karense Kristiansen started her online wedding-dress boutique, she discovered a lively demand for her made-to-order designs. Many clients were keen to see the dresses in real life and try them on, so Kristiansen expanded offline, opening a salon in Berger, around 30 kilometres south of Drammen, Norway.

By Hanna Margrethe Enger | Photos: Lady Di Bride

“The dream was to run something of my own and offer something out of the ordinary,” Kristiansen says. “Not the standard wedding dresses, but those that explore a little outside of what’s traditional. I try to find slightly different dresses to what is commonly found in Norway.”

The dresses are made to order and can be altered to each customer’s wishes. If a dress is perfect apart from having straps instead of sleeves, then sleeves can be added. At Carense, it’s all about making the dream dress a reality.

After being ordered, it takes about three months for a new dress to arrive. All the dresses are made in Ukraine, in

factories in the safe zones. So, when you buy a dress from Carense, not only do you get your dream dress, but you support workers in Ukraine.

If you want a dress from Carense, you need to book an appointment. Clients usually browse the website for something they like, before they book a time to try dresses. There are usually around 40 to 50 dresses in the salon. If a specific design is not in stock, it will be ordered in, so the selection of dresses available is continuously refreshed.

www.carensebrudekjoler.no

Instagram: @carense_brudekjoler

Facebook: Carensebrudekjoler

Fru Tjernsli: a salon with a difference

After struggling to find a preloved dress for her own wedding, Jenny D. Tjernsli had the idea to open a new salon with a wide range of occasion dresses in all sizes and styles, where every woman can find or create her perfect fit.

Since opening Fru Tjernsli in 2015, Jenny and her knowledgeable team have helped countless women find the dress of their dreams for their special event. This unique bridal and beauty salon is based in the village of Råholt in Eidsvoll, just 30 minutes from Oslo.

Featuring a huge collection of new and preloved wedding dresses, ballgowns and accessories, Fru Tjernsli aims to provide everything a woman might need for an upcoming event – including beauty treatments using sustainable products.

Working with talented tailors and seamstresses, the salon gives women a chance to create their perfect dress by redesigning preloved dresses – which is both more sustainable and more economical. “It’s a shame that so many beautiful dresses are gathering dust in closets,

never to be worn and enjoyed again,” Jenny says. “When you think of how much work goes into these kinds of dresses, it’s sad to think that they’ll only be worn for a few hours.”

The Fru Tjernsli team have a true passion for helping others look and feel their best. “We are so privileged to play a part in our customers’ journeys toward their special day – especially brides who are

preparing

www.frutjernsli.no

Instagram: @frutjernsli

Facebook: Fru Tjernsli

By Maria Vole

Photo: Melory Wedding Dresses

for their wedding,” Jenny says. “We feel like we’re part of the fairytale!”

Photo: Lyckliga

Photo: Norwedfilm

A drop of everyday luxury

The award-winning Drop Spas are designed for year-round use and can be kept ready to use, no matter the weather. Wellness and relaxation are important for Drop, which is why they believe everyone should treat themselves to indulgent moments daily.

By Ndéla Faye

Vuolle Spa with a cottage and a lake.

Photo: Samuel Taipale

Drop Spas are built using state-of-the-art technology and top-quality materials. The spas have been designed and produced in Finland, which is also why they have been made to withstand extreme weather conditions. Even in freezing cold temperatures, Drop Spas will bring warmth and a touch of luxury into any home.

Drop was originally founded by renowned Finnish designer, Nikolai Ruola. For him, water has always been an element that’s close to his heart. “I found the design of traditional hot tubs uninspiring, and wondered if I could create a modern take –something sleek and streamlined,” Ruola explains. His vision was for spas that would offer customers better ergonomics, be user-friendly and eye-catchingly designed.

And so, Drop was born. The company’s sleek and stylish outdoor spas are durable, easy to maintain and, what’s more, they are always ready for bathing. “When a need to relax strikes, all you have to do is remove the cover and dip in. Our outdoor spa is a place for relaxation and enjoyment in the middle of everyday life. This is a perfect investment for your own well-being,” says Noora Uusitalo, brand and marketing manager at Drop.

Wellbeing is very important to Drop. They want to encourage everyone to take time for themselves, to relax and to practise healthy habits on a daily basis. “A drop of luxury should be a part of everyday life, not just something reserved for holidays or other special occasions,” she continues.

Bringing quality Finnish design to the world

Drop is minimalistic and award-winning Nordic design at its best. The materials used in Drop are sourced locally as much as possible, and have been chosen with durability in mind. The design of the spas has been carefully thought out, from inside the drop-shaped basin to its sleek, refined look and ergonomics.

“Most traditional hot tubs have walls at a 90-degree angle, which means they are not very comfortable to sit in for any great

length of time. In Drop spas, a person sits in a comfortable and ergonomic position, in a seat with a slight upward slope,” Uusitalo explains.

Drop spas are currently available in 18 countries around the world, and the company has made a name for itself in a relatively short space of time. Part of Drop’s success – and what makes them unique –is that their spas can be embedded anywhere, and they can be panelled with any material. “Our spas are designed to be tailored according to any clients’ needs and wishes,” Uusitalo says.

The Drop Compact Series – which includes Vuolle Compact, the latest addition to the Drop Spa range – offers customers the same luxury, but in a smaller size. It’s the perfect way to introduce luxury and relaxation to smaller spaces.

Drop has won several design awards in Finland and abroad, including one of the world’s most prestigious design awards, the A’ Design Award, which Drop won in 2019. “We want to bring beauty and luxury to everyday life with our high-quality, simple and elegant designs, which have been inspired by nature. Attention has been paid to even the smallest details, and our spas can enhance any outside space and

add a touch of pampering into people’s lives,” Uusitalo concludes.

www.drop.fi

Instagram: @dropdesignspa

Facebook: Drop Design Spa

Photo: Drop Spa

Photo: Drop Spa

Photo: Honkainkeskella

F reshly made skincare

Good skincare is freshly made

In autumn 2020, Swedish brand Skinome launched a world-unique concept called freshly made skincare. The concept is based on over ten years of ground-breaking research on the skin and skincare and has been developed under the guidance of Skinome’s founder, skin researcher and author of the bestselling book ”The Scandinavian Skincare Bible”, Dr. Johanna Gillbro.

3 reasons to choose freshly made skincare

1.No preservatives or additives

Preservatives and other additives are ingredients you find in skincare for the sake of the productnot for the good of the skin. In Skinome’s freshly made skincare, you only find ingredients that are there for the skin. Just as fresh food is good for your overall health, freshly made skincare is good for your skin health.

2.Suppor t your microbiome

Skinome’s freshly made skincare supports your skin microbiome, which recent research show plays an important role for healthy skin. Thanks to ingredients such as pre-, pro- and postbiotics, Skinome’s formulas strengthen the microbiome.

3.Work with your skin’s own system

Skinome uses skin-identical ingredients which are substances found naturally in the skin and therefore support the skin’s own (super competent) system. These ingredients provide benefits such as a strengthened skin barrier, a more even skin tone, reduced fine lines and of course – lots of moisturization!

skincare is produced in small batches in Sweden with a shorter shelflife to avoid using preservatives and unnecessary additives

160 billion live bacteria in a small bottle for your skin health

Skinome’s

Dr. Johanna Gillbro is a Swedish skin researcher and founder of Skinome

Just like fresh food, Skinome’s products should be stored in the fridge

Ketoinen: fuelling goodness

These days, many people are looking to change their diet, health and overall wellness. The Ketogenic diet, keto for short, has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is widely believed to be benficial for weight loss, increased metabolism, brain function, energy and diabetes-management and prevention. But if you thought keto meant baked goods were off the table, think again: this Finnish company has created a variety of delicious, grain-free bakery products to support a ketogenic diet.

By Philip Denvir | Photos: Ketoinen

Kuopio-based Ketoinen was founded to fill a gap in the market for healthy, grainfree products that also taste good. “Our products are one-of-a-kind, we are rethinking foodstuffs and there’s nothing like our products in the Nordic countries and the EU,” says Ketoinen’s chief marketing officer Niina Vänttinen. “Ketoinen’s bakery products are suitable for a plantbased diet: they can increase dietary fiber without grain and protein without meat. Our products are stomach-friendly and can help with many dietary challenges – problems caused by poor digestion, for example. They are also beneficial for people with blood sugar, gluten and yeast issues,” she explains.

The ketogenic diet

Ketoinen aims to support well-being from many different angles, and its products are already being used to support the treatment of diseases, and they participate in clinical trials. “Our products are unique in Europe, as they have a very short list of ingredients and do not contain any grain at all. Ketoinen products are a source of fibre and protein, and they are perfect for those following gluten-free, low-carbohydrate, yeast-free, soy-free, ketogenic and foodmap diets,” says Vänttinen.

Keto is a term for a low-carb diet. The idea is to get more calories from protein

and fat and less from carbohydrates. On a ketogenic diet, it’s advised that people cut back most on carbs that are easy to digest, such as processed sugars, fizzy drinks and grains. “Ketoinen products are ideal additions for active people to enrich the diet. And crucially, they taste good! There is a gap in the market for genuinely delicious health-foods. Our company motto is ‘fuelling goodness’, and our mission is to do good in the world by making life tastier and more enjoyable,” Vänttinen continues.

Born from need

Ketoinen was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic by restauranteurs Niina-Marika Lahnavik-Hoffren and Anni Hoffren. Social restrictions meant the pair needed to pivot to delivering food to stay in business, and the lightbulb moment came in 2021, when they landed on the idea to make tasty keto-based bakery goods that could be easily distributed. Lahnavik-Hoffren had already been baking grain-free bread as part of a ketogenic diet while recovering from a serious illness, and found it delicious. In no time, grocers, universities and hospitals were interested in it. In fact, the protein-rich grain-free bread was in such high demand that it was immediately included in the nationwide selection of stores.

“Production was focused on the Ketoinen grain-free bread. There was nothing like that in stores at the time, and the versatility of the bread was unique,” says Vänttinen. Ketoinen products are sold frozen in grocery stores throughout Finland and will soon be available in the rest of the Nordic countries.

“You can find us in the gluten-free frozen food section in grocery stores all over the country. We fuel well-being – both in home kitchens and through the Finnish hotel, restaurant and catering industry. All our products are baked in Kuopio, in Ketoinen’s own grain-free production facility. We believe in naturalness, cleanliness and domesticity, for which we have earned the Key Flag label,” says Vänttinen.

“When people think about the Nordic countries, they tend to think of natural living, so we use as few ingredients as possible and work sustainably. On a global scale, we’re seeing a 20-30 per cent rise in demand for special diets, but it’s a sector that’s lacking in quality products. We hope to change that in the keto bakery realm. So, look out for Ketoinen at your local grocery store in the future.”

www.ketoinen.fi

Instagram: @ketoinen.oy

Facebook: ketoinen.oy

Go low, but go strong in flavour

Last month, millions of people embarked on Dry January, abstaining from alcohol for the first 31 days of the year for a fresh start – and perhaps with the intention of drinking more moderately going forward. Whether this was a mission of yours or not, there might be occasions when you want to enjoy a beer, just without the booze. The good news is, you don’t need to compromise on flavour. Here are some tips on tasty beer styles that work well with low or no alcohol.

It might sound like a contradiction, as these beers are usually between six and seven per cent in strength, but the amped-up style called India Pale Ale can be an interesting option when the alcohol has been stripped out. Heaps of hops bring bitterness but also refreshing notes of citrus fruit and pine, and often tropical fruit such as pineapple, passionfruit and mango. Be brave, try an IPA without alcohol and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Slow and the city

By Alejandra Cerda Ojensa

You might have come across the term slow living – meaning a lifestyle that takes a more measured approach. It encourages, but isn’t restricted to, eating locally-produced foods and consuming less, and it’s often depicted with pictures of a rustic countryside life. But the countryside might be far away for many of us, both figuratively and literally. So, how do we live slow in a city? I found the answer by translating ‘slow’ into ‘mindful for the planet and for myself’.

I opt for activities and habits that make my soul happy, and that have a low negative impact on the environment. I love reading, and I have rediscovered my love of libraries. A place where everyone is welcome to borrow books for free is radical in a society where everything has a price. Being an

Another beer style that hits the spot is wheat beer, with a lovely balance of wheat, hops and yeast character, often accompanied by banana and clove flavours, or orange peel and coriander. Wheat beers also have a creamy texture and a hefty head, which make up for the lack of body that comes in full-strength beers.

Alcohol-free stout and porter also work surprisingly well, with rich flavours of dark bread, roasted coffee and decadent chocolate. With or without alcohol, these beers are comforting and can actually give the sensation of a cold-brewed coffee. Did you know that some breweries collaborate with coffee roasters, who supply roasted beans to incorporate in the brewing?

These styles are just a few examples of flavourful options for low and no alcohol beer. Remember, never compromise on flavour, and enjoy your beer regardless of its strength!

By Malin Norman

expat in Copenhagen, I’m thankful to be able to borrow quality books in my native language of Swedish. Rather than take libraries for granted, can we all just pause for a moment and appreciate how amazing these historical institutions are, where millions of people have learnt how to read, found a safe space, and escaped into imaginary worlds?

Another fantastic activity for mindful living is practicing yoga. I’m amazed that, in our fast-paced world, we shape spaces where adults can move their bodies together, then snuggle up with blankets, lie down and breathe collectively. You don’t always need calm surroundings for a slow lifestyle, you just need to find those pockets of air where your brain can be still for a moment.

Malin Norman is a Certified Cicerone®, a certified beer sommelier, an international beer judge and a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers.

Sustainability columnist Alejandra

Cerda Ojensa is a Swedish sustainability blogger based in Copenhagen. She loves sustainable fashion, plant-based food, natural wines and music.

Instagram: alejandracerda.co

Gaarden og Gaden.

Photo: Emil Aagaard

10 top spots to drink natural wine in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is one of the greatest cities in Europe to drink natural wine in. Thanks to new-Nordic dining, the popular consciousness in Denmark is already au-fait with ideas of sustainability, locality and seasonality when it comes to what’s on the plate. So, it’s no surprise that Danes have a particular taste for wine with the same philosophy. With that in mind, hop on a bike and explore Copenhagen’s top spots to drink natural.

By Lena Hunter

Gården og Gaden

Nørrebrogade, the main street of Nørrebro, is head-spinningly vibrant. Packed with shops and cafés, and flanked by a picturesque 1700s graveyard home to the headstones of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen and the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, the neighbourhood was voted the ‘World’s Coolest’ by Time Out 2021. In the midst of it all is the allday wine hangout, Gården og Gaden.

The bar is adorned with art, dried flowers, a muddle of cocktail gear and a metre-tall vessel of Negroni, but the piece-de-resistance is a glass cabinet in the centre of the room brimming with bottles. The cellar is large, the glass-list varied, and the simple menu of oysters, seasonal dishes and freakishly good bread has turned the little bar into a local obsession. The lively street-life, a calendar of off-beat jazz events and warm whatever-you-like attitude to hospitality make Gården og Gaden a must-visit.

www.gaaga.dk

Instagram: @gaardenoggaden

Pompette

Pompette is in the heart of the affectionately nicknamed ‘shawarma-belt’ – the slice of Nørrebro packed with small, curbside kebab-shops that give Berlin’s postclub takeout scene a run for its money.

Stripped-back Pompette has a somewhat Spartan vibe, with exposed brick walls, low lighting and a refined list of uncomplicated Mediterranean-style snacks. Tucked next to a bakery and coffeeshop, and a stone’s throw from a brewery, cinema and pizzeria, it’s an ideal spot for chopping and changing between venues. The glass-list is priced at a flat rate for ‘whatever’s open’ and, for a tiny bar, their cellar is full of treats from younger European producers at great prices. With an unpretentious bustle of outdoor seating

and friendly staff, Pompette is all about simple charm.

shop.pompette.dk

Instagram: @pompettecph

Sabotøren

On a side-street in Nørrebro, a non-descript window proclaims ‘GRAPES AGAINST THE MACHINE’ in scribbled white marker. Two long benches and a blackboard are the only other hints that Sabotøren, one of Copenhagen’s more off-piste wine spots, lives here. The name, from French, was adopted by Danish resistance fighters during the Second World War and, appropriately, the décor inside Sabotøren is anarchy-themed.

With a workman’s bench for a bar, a record player and handwritten signs, it has an intimate, round-the-kitchen-table atmosphere. Their wines, primarily from the South of France, arrive in Copenhagen via two of Europe’s only traditional sail-powered cargo ships, Nordlys and Tres Hombres. What you see is what you get here, with bottles stacked floor to ceiling and a simple, grazing-style kitchen. Though off the beaten track, Sabotøren’s seductive speakeasy ambience and reasonable prices make it well worth a visit.

Instagram: @sabotoeren

Gaarden og Gaden.

Photo: Anne Mie Dreves

Sabotoeren.

Photo: Anders Heindorff

Pompette.

Photo: Olivia Rohde

Terroiristen

Terroiristen is best described as a wine importer’s living room. On the list are primarily cleaner-style wines from small regions in Eastern Europe: the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia, and from lesser-known appellations and grape varieties in Italy. Their wines are terroir-driven – that is to say, shaped by variations in climate and method rather than the desire to reproduce the same flavours year on year.

The bar is in the middle of Jægersborggade, a narrow, cobbled street brimming with clothes stores, artisanal boutiques and cafes, that stretches between two of Copenhagen’s urban green oases. In the Summer, markets are frequent and the area is well-known as a gourmet destination. Terroiristen’s portfolio is exact-

ing and unusual, so grab the opportunity to attend one of their tasting events if it arises.

www.terroiristen.dk Instagram: @terroiristen

Rosforth & Rosforth and Den Vandrette

Made up of ancient canals and islands, colourful houseboats, galleries, cafés and Michelin stars, Christianshavn is Copenhagen’s historic culture district. Alongside Freetown Christiania – the hippie-commune, and Refshaleøen – a shipyard turned foodie-hotspot, it’s also the home of wine-importer, Rosforth & Rosforth, and their sister bar, Den Vandrette. Discreetly sheltered under a bridge, Rosforth is one of the OG and biggest natural importers in the city,

Terroiristen.

Photo: Marius Budu

Rosforth & Rosforth.

Photo: Marie Bentzon

whose range of buzzword Loire producers, like Chateau Passavant and Marc Angeli, has expanded to a frankly incredible portfolio of bottles from all over the world.

Rosforth is worth a visit on a sunny afternoon: prices are low and the picnic-bench seating by the busy canal has a ramshackle charm that’s best enjoyed in good weather. Alternatively, across the water, Den Vandrette offers cosy dining tables, a terrace and excellent Georgian-inspired small plates to complement their portfolio of wines from the same region.

www.rosforth.dk

www.denvandrette.dk

Instagram: @rosforthrosforth @denvandrette

Ved Stranden and Lille Blå Vinbar

Perched on the banks of an inner-city canal, Ved Stranden 10 is something of a Copenhagen wine institution. Its parlour-like interior is polished and stately, strewn with tasteful art and furniture. Bottle-wise, their scope goes beyond natural wines, focusing more on great craftsmanship and regions with cultural and historical significance, like Bourgogne and the more prestigious Italian appellations.

With a spacious outdoor terrace and friendly, knowledgeable staff, this is a no-brainer if you’re in the area. Their other venue Lille Blå Vinbar, in an ex-paint store in Østerbro, is cut from the same cloth. Petite, elegantly furnished and painted deep, rich blue, it has a formidable range of Austrian wines from their neighbouring import and bottle shop Østerrich Vin.

www.vedstranden10.dk

www.osterreich.dk

Instagram: @vedstranden10

@lilleblaavinbar

Nr30

Nr30 is a tiny bar with a hefty bottle list. Its home street Nansensgade is peppered with foodie haunts and is another of Copenhagen’s regular fleamarket spots. Inside, Nr30s interior is humble but comforting, with scrubbed wooden tables, white tiles on the walls, and a rabble of shelves bearing the empty bottles of nights past.

Their wine list is full of secret gems that draw off-duty sommeliers and chefs from around the city to crowd the little bistro to enjoy a few hours of gossip, vino and the quietly brilliant sharing menu. The constant flow of smiling friends and locals will attest that an afternoon intermission here is just as charming as a slow dinner.

www.nr30.dk

Instagram: @nr30nansensgade

Friheden

When Friheden opened, in a curious spot with no address by Nørrebro Skatepark, it made natural wine street. Their varied, all-day menu includes diner-classics of hot soup, cheese melts and cheap beer, alongside dishes of locally-sourced greens, fresh fish and decadent snacks. Outside, beneath the pine trees, a sprawling rabble of café tables crowds a graffiti-splashed half-pipe. Inside, it’s garage-like, with vivid walls, booth seating and neat rows of tables-for-two.

While Friheden keeps the speakers warm with good tunes, you can dive into their broad and contemporary bottle selection. The glass-list is a crowd-pleaser and priced at a steal. This bar has become a badly kept local secret and a no-brainer for natural-wine enthusiasts looking to get under the skin of Copenhagen’s casual going-out scene.

www.frihedenkbh.dk

Instagram: @frihedenkbh

Nr30. Photo: Heye Grunberg

Pompette.

Photo: Giuseppe Liverino

Try Swedish

Sweden’s ranking as a world-leader in innovation and sustainability, and its reputation as a top country to do business with, are some of the defining aspects of its international renown. As a food nation, Sweden has established and maintained a reputation for safe production practices, sustainable packaging and product solutions, and exceedingly tasty food products.

Business Sweden, the Swedish Trade and Invest Council, has the government assignment to increase Swedish export. For food and beverage companies, the initiative is called the Try Swedish Export Programme. The programme consists of export preparation activities and promotional activities in selected markets.

The Try Swedish mission

The Try Swedish Export Programme aims to increase Swedish food exports and plays a significant role in the Swedish government’s National Food Strategy –a cross-party agreement to dedicate resources to support the Swedish food industry.

Maria Kärnerud

Photo: Try Swedish

Photo: Swedish Bee Company

The work supports the vision that by 2030, Sweden will have an innovative, profitable and highly competitive global food industry. In 2021, Business Sweden carried out a global analysis of 12 food and beverage export segments to pinpoint the potential for growth. This analysis identified 14 markets with high potential for Swedish products.

The programme manager of Try Swedish in Sweden Maria Kärnerud says: “This program supports the Swedish

food industry´s internationalisation. Try Swedish can assist in market selection, help explore new sales opportunities and to find the right business partner. The export programme offers insights and hands-on support in global sales. We want to inspire to go beyond the Swedish borders, offering shorter time to market through our global team and activities.”

www.tryswedish.com

Instagram: @tryswedish

Key activities of the Try Swedish Export Programme

Market insights from prioritised markets

Promotional activities including Swedish pavilions at international trade fairs, engaging in retail cooperation both online and offline and matchmaking sessions

Individual sales support from the global team

Allocated resources in Sweden to support small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) within the food industry to further develop their individual export strategies. Available resources for subsidised consultancy support and activities in chosen markets for SMEs

Export Rules and Regulations through guides and personal support

Designated food experts at Business Sweden in focus markets; Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Southeast Asia and the US.

Other priority markets for the Try Swedish export programme are: The UK, Benelux, Germany, The Nordics, Spain, Hong Kong and China

Photo: Try Swedish

Photo: Agitator Whisky

Stockholm: the European Capital of Gastonomy

In 2023, Stockholm will have the honour of being the European Capital of Gastronomy. An award which, among other things, gives the capital and Sweden great opportunities to put Swedish gastronomy on the world map. The host of the gastronomic year will be none other than the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf.

By Bjorn Hellman

“In other words, it’s quite a big thing. Hopefully, thousands of tourists will come to Sweden to discover and enjoy our amazing food and drink, much of which will be produced by members of the Swedish Food Federation. Our 800 member companies produce the lion’s share of all Swedish food and drink, and many of them are suppliers to the fantastic restaurants that will be the face of the gastronomic year.

So, if you love delicious, high-quality, innovative food and drink, Sweden is a fantastic destination to explore this year. Thousands of the world’s best restaurants and food producers are standing by, ready to delight and amaze your taste buds.”

Björn Hellman, CEO of the Swedish Food Federation

www.livsmedelsforetagen.se

Björn Hellman.

Photo: Cecilia Magnusson

Photo: Caroline Tengen

Curiosity and playfulness drives top chef

Renowned chef Mathias Dahlgren is constantly seeking inspiration, learning and developing new concepts. Dahlgren’s latest collaboration with Culimat ensures high quality tools to elevate the culinary experience further, in restaurants and at home.

Before shows like Master Chef on TV and Chef’s Table on Netflix were even a thing, Mathias Dahlgren became a celebrity in the world of food. With some 35 years in the industry, he has managed a number of successful restaurants and been awarded several stars in Guide Michelin. Dahlgren is the only Swede to win the Bocuse d’Or, the equivalent of the World Championship for chefs, and has been named Chef of Chefs (Kockarnas kock) in Sweden no less than eight times.

Of course, a top chef needs high quality tools and since a few years Dahlgren is collaborating with Culimat on a series of frying pans and cookware. The high-quality products can handle the tough use and everyday challenges in busy restaurant kitchens, but are just as suitable for the conscious and curious home cook. “The Culimat range is user friendly and affordable, and makes cooking more fun – I use it in all my restaurants as well as at home,” says Dahlgren.

Rye, water, yeast... and plenty of heart

There’s a guaranteed selection of staple goods you’ll find in any Swede’s cupboard. Crispbread, or knäckebröd as the locals say, is one of them. And Leksands Knäckebröd, with its original secret recipe passed down through many generations, and its ever-evolving range of flavours, is one of Sweden’s most beloved brands.

By Nina Bressler | Photos: Leksands Knäckebröd

Leksands Knäckebröd is all about family and Swedish traditions. They take pride in their craft: the recipe was created by Jakobs Karin in 1817 and was passed from generation to generation, eventually landing in the hands of Anna Karlsdotter, who started the first bakery in 1929.

Despite its extraordinary development into one of the biggest crispbread brands in Sweden today, it has remained a family business and Jakobs Karin’s descendants play prominent roles in everything from production to leadership.

“The grandeur of Leksands Knäckebröd lies in simplicity. Our original crispbread is made with Swedish wholewheat rye, water from our own spring, yeast and salt. Rye is a fantastic grain that helps you stay full for longer, provides several health benefits, can prevent diabetes, and has been an integral part of the Swedish

kitchen throughout history. We’re simply continuing that tradition, delivering a recipe as popular now as it was centuries ago, along with new editions to complement our big range,” says export coordinator Caroline Bergée.

Its Swedish roots influence every aspect of the business, from branding to the ingredients. Leksands Knäckebröd’s commitment to using local produce has resulted in a deep-seated care for nature on a local and global level. “In 2023, we’re celebrating ten years of being a fossil-free company – one of the first ones in Sweden. We’re pioneers, and we’re paving the way for other companies to follow, constantly looking for new ways to improve, and proving that a green mode of business is genuinely possible,” says Bergée.

The production, office and shop are all located in Leksand, Dalarna, a popular des-

tination for tourists. The shop has quickly become a traveller hot-spot, where visitors can indulge in crispbread along with local craft and art. Their most popular product right now? “The Seed and Sea Salt triangle has skyrocketed to the top. It’s our modern take on the original recipe,” Bergée says. Some traditions are clearly worth holding on to.

www.leksands.com

Instagram: @leksands_knacke

High time for High Coast flavours

After hearing the story of High Coast Whisky, you could say they clearly think outside of the box. The fact is, High Coast Whisky is produced in an old factory named Box, which made boxes for export in the 19th century. Who would have guessed that ‘out of the box’ would take on a literal meaning for the High Coast distillery, over a century later?

By John Sempill | Photos: High Coast Whisky

High Coast Whisky lies on the 63rd parallel, by the river Ångermanälven. This impacts the whisky’s characteristics: “Our warehouses aren’t tempered, which means there is a 60-degree temperature difference from summer to winter,” says Henrik Persson, CEO at High Coast Whisky. “This is good for maturing the spirit, as it expands in the heat, and shrinks in the cold, without affecting the barrel.” Furthermore, the river supplies ice-cold water for cooling, helping to preserve the elegant character imparted by the pot stills.

High Coast Whisky is named after the magical surroundings at Höga Kusten –the Swedish for High Coast. Visitors at the distillery arrive as observers, and leave as ‘lifelong fans’, according to Persson. “With the name High Coast Whisky, we want to convey the mountains and valleys, the winding rivers and wide-open planes that characterise Höga Kusten,” he explains.

When it comes to taste, High Coast Whisky uses the term ‘drinkability’. According to Persson, a whisky with good drinkability is suited to the connoisseur as well as the novice. “This is our intention. Drinkability describes our flavour ambitions – to be drinkable and enjoyable for many. We use the local conditions at Höga Kusten to create exquisite and exciting single malt whisky for connoisseurs of life all over the globe,” he says.

For those of you looking for an exceptional Swedish single malt, High Coast Whisky offers a range of mythical-sounding flavours in its famed Origins range: Älv, Berg, Hav and Timmer. The names are inspired by the surroundings at Höga Kusten, and each spirit has different characteristics: smoked, unsmoked and spicy. “If you’re after something out of the ordinary, or more exclusive, we offer socalled Specialties,” Persson adds. “These

have unique stories, alternative production-processes and other twists.”

Persson is particularly proud of their Berg whisky, which made the finals in the Single Malt World Cup after a series of blind tastings. “In the finals, Berg won in the class of sherry cask-aged whisky,” he says. “It proves that High Coast Whisky has grown from being a promising distillery, to delivering world-class whisky products.”

www.highcoastwhisky.se

Instagram: @highcoastwhisky

Facebook: highcoastdistillery

High Coast Whisky Festival is back this summer, with whisky tastings, music and food.

The picturesque views surrounding the High Coast distillery.

Your favourite crisps –more than just a snack

For most people, crisps are a snack that you bring to barbeques in the park, or eat in front of a film on a Friday evening. But for Larssons, a family-run farm and crisp brand located in Skåne in southern Sweden, crisps are so much more. “We want to create crisps that you can take from the snack bowl to the dinner table,” says the farm owner Bertil Larsson.

By Hanna Andersson | Photos: Fredrik Rege

A passion for potatoes and quality is what makes this niche business so successful, and it starts from the moment the spuds are put in the ground, through the harvest, and continues into the final production. The farm cultivates hundreds of potatoes, and only the very best will become crisps.

Larssons crisps can be found in delicatessen boutiques, online and in shops that focus on high-quality local produce.

The production of Larssons crisps differs from that of other companies as the flavouring is made entirely from whole ingredients, rather than seasoned powder. Additionally, they cook them on a lower heat, avoiding trans fats, and leave the starch in the product, which results in a satisfying crunch and an authentic potato-flavour that you will come back for time and time again.

“This is why it takes longer for us to develop new flavours – we use pure ingredients. Our asparagus crisps are made from ground asparagus, without any additional powders or fabricated flavours, and no toxic substances,” explains Larsson. The farm has been a family business for centuries, and they’ve brought this into the crisp business, too. “The boy featured on the crisp packets is my dad, and the picture was taken in 1938. Many of our international customers, especially in Germany, think he looks like Emil in Lönneberga,” Larsson says with a smile.

Tastebuddies

Larssons crisps are currently available in eight different flavours: Peppers and Chi-

li, Green Asparagus, Liquorice, Dill, Chive and Sour Cream, Apple Cider Vinegar, Root Vegetables, Potato of the Season, and Wild Potatoes. These can be enjoyed on their own, or you can match them with their perfect ‘tastebuddy’.

“We have provided a few suggestions that work particularly well with each crisp. For example, our Liquorice crisps work very well with sparkling wine, such as Champagne or Cava, whilst the Pepper and Chili combination can be enhanced with grilled meats, apple cider and pickled vegetables,” explains Ann-Marie Nilsson, who also works on the farm.

She continues: “Our goal is to offer quality crisps that work as snacks as well as a complement to your beloved recipes. A nearby restaurant has created a starter where they combine crisps with löjrom –Swedish whitefish roe, and smetana. And a vineyard restaurant here in Skåne uses our crisps as a topping on their steak tartare.”

The crisps’ individual characters and overall quality is the perfect way to make an evening a little more exciting. All you have to do is find your favourite combination. “Oh, you should also try coating

your fish in some crushed crisps before frying it!” Nilsson adds enthusiastically.

Creating new flavours

2023 will be a busy year for Larssons, with three new flavours in the pipeline. “We have been working on new flavours for a while now. We don’t want to give too much away, but we can reveal that they will see Skåne meet the north of Sweden. Additionally, we have a new crisp that tastes like Swedish summer. We have decided to stick with classic Swedish flavours and cherish the produce we have here in our country,” says Larsson. Nilsson adds: “We have been approached by a few musicians and other figures to create personal collections of crisps. It’s very exciting, but takes some time, as we want it to be perfect.”

A treat for both humans and animals

Larssons farm is home to many animals, including pigs, miniature cows and horses. And they are all part of the farm’s life cycle. “Our animals help us dig up the soil where we grow our potatoes. They provide us with manure, and we thank them by feeding them with the crisps we can’t use in our products. And they love it! It’s a real delicacy for them. To be honest, we’ve spoilt them, and now they get grumpy when they don’t get their spuddy

treat,” Larsson and Nilsson say, laughing. Larssons quality crisps are loved by animals and successful musicians alike, and if that’s not the greatest proof of quality, we don’t know what is.

www.larssonsiviken.se

Instagram: @larssons_chips_viken

Facebook: Larssons i Viken and Larssons Chips

Pigs on farm. Photo: Larssons i Viken

Ture Larsson. Photo: Larssons i Viken

A rebel in liquorice land

Have you ever tried real liquorice? Are you sure? Before you answer, go get yourself a creation (or two) from dedicated liquorice-maker Haupt Lakrits, and you might think again. This is unapologetically good liquorice that will turn even the fussiest sweet-tooth into a liquorice fanatic.

By Emma Rodin | Photos: Haupt

The Swedish-born brand Haupt Lakrits came about because the founder Christian Haupt had a “boring job”, and wanted to bring some fun into his life. He launched Haupt Lakrits, and it was an instant smash hit. Actually, that’s a lie...

“We set off with a small-scale production and the humble goal of making the world’s best liquorice,” says Rasmus Ragnarsson, captain of liquorice operations (yes, that is his real title). “We had zero knowledge, expensive recipes and exclusive packaging, and it really didn’t work. “In 2020, we even thought we would close down.”

But everything changed when they launched Svenskjävlar! (which translates as ‘Silly Swedes!’) – the world’s saltiest

liquorice. And since then, it looks like that smash hit came about after all.

Keeping it real

When making magic in their liquorice laboratory, the small team at Haupt Lakrits always strive to be different. Sure, the liquorice market is full of

choice, but many products don’t contain much liquorice at all. Often, synthetic aromas and anise, which is similar in flavour, are used instead.

“Our liquorice contains at least nine per cent liquorice and we source it from Calabria in southern Italy, because that’s the best you can get when it comes to quality,” explains Ragnarsson. The aim of the game is to create products with tonnes of character that are unlike anything customers have ever tried. Each bite should take you on a taste-bud-tingling journey of memories, scents and emotions.

The team take their time with production. The liquorice mix is cooked for a long time and, like in cheese making, is then left to mature for up to two months. This develops the flavours and creates the desired al dente texture.

A winning line-up

Back to the Silly Swedes (the liquorice, not the people). The product was launched

with a ‘we’ll show them’ attitude, after Haupt Lakrits received feedback that their liquorice wasn’t salty enough.

“We like to describe Svenskjävlar! as a real monster in our line-up. It’s made of a liquorice-style cream wrapped in salty liquorice, with a brutal amount of salmiac salt. Some hate it and some love it. Some are obsessed with it, buying several kilos at a time. If you manage to find a saltier liquorice than this, we’d love to see it,” says Ragnarsson.

Aside from liquorice, Haupt Lakrits also sells chocolate variants. Particularly popular is Fucking Fabulous, launched as a tribute to the customers who supported the brand through the COVID-19 pandemic. Fucking Fabulous blends salty liquorice with white chocolate, and is flavoured with burnt sugar and birch-smoked sea salt from the Icelandic fjords. Think dulce de leche, and you’ll get the gist.

“As much as we love thinking outside the box, we’ve also made some, let’s say, less successful products over time. One was

a liquorice flavoured with potato, punch, lingonberry and dill,” recalls Ragnarsson. “But at least we had fun. I mean, how could we not? We work in confectionary.”

Travels for flavour

This year, Haupt Lakrits are trialling a new concept that will see them travel to coun-

tries where liquorice is lesser-known, to discover new and exciting flavours. One such trip took the team to Kyoto in Japan. The result? A salty liquorice with white chocolate, paired with cherry blossom and Japanese snow salt.

“The cherry blossoms were hand-picked and preserved, and turned into a cherry infusion. I’d say this is the best new product the market has seen in many, many years,” says Ragnarsson.

And for those still struggling to get aboard the liquorice train, Haupt Lakrits will launch a liquorice tasting kit for beginners –just in time for the International Liquorice Day on April 12. The kit will give a taste of everything from liquorice root and powder, to liquorice flavoured with the five basic tastes of sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami. This is a great springboard for liking liquorice, and maybe even loving it.

www.lakrits.se

Instagram: @hauptlakrits

Photo: Carl Lemon

Photo: Carl Lemon

Photo: Carl Lemon

Swedish gin has been revived in this historic city of trade

In Kalmar County, around three hours south of Stockholm, the city of Västervik is reclaiming its history as a centre of liquor production. Working closely with the local museum, Westervik Gin is the movement’s driving force.

By Xander Brett | Photos: Westervik Gin

Västervik – an archipelago settlement in northeast Småland – was known for years as ‘bränneriholmen’ (meaning ‘liquor-distillery island’). Over time, the title lost currency. But Westervik Gin is on a mission is to reclaim it. The gin company’s founder Christer Larsson says his revelation came on the island of Gotland, when he noticed all the bars in Visby were selling the same brand of gin.

Hoping to corner the underdeveloped market with his own brand of local gin, he gathered eight friends to present his vision and recruit support. Everyone was on board. Today, Westervik Gin is the name on the shelves, and ‘bränneriholmen’ once again adorns a locally produced gin.

Backbone flavours in the range include classic gin-notes of juniper and carda-

mom. “Our dry gin is the most popular,” says the company’s resident ‘taste master’, sommelier Calle Hydbom Ulvaeus. “But we’ve also had a really positive reaction to our pink gin.” Westervik Gin can be ordered for delivery and bought in Sweden’s Systembolaget network, where the high-quality gin stands shoulder to shoulder with the country’s most beloved aquavits.

“Alcohol is what Västervik was built on. The industry helped to build schools and invest in railways, and Västervik became the first town in the county to adopt electricity,” Larsson explains. That’s why Westervik Gin is committed to giving back, and the company has already donated to the local museum, helping them stage an exhibition about the city’s liquor history. “We have the same philosophy as our forefathers,” says Larsson.

Downtown Västervik is right on the coast of the Baltic Sea, where its cluster of islands and vast golf course are the sum of its developing tourist industry. Västervik remains a city of traders; its harbour provided easy access for merchants in the liquor trade, and the surrounding forests supplied oak for the warships of Gustaf Vasa, Sweden’s ‘founding father’. Today, all is peaceful, save for the cry of seagulls. Västervik is a myriad of boulevards and alleys lined – thanks to this army of nine –with well-stocked bars.

Instagram: @westervikgin

Facebook: Westervik Gin

The Westervik Gin team. Photo: Daniel Nordenskjöld & Västerviks Museum

Westervik Harbour.

GOOD GOOD

One of our most important goals is to generate decent local jobs, mainly for the women of the local population. Today, we have collaborations with Senegal, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Brazil, Tanzania, Mocambique and Nigeria.

Made out of only ONE ingredient and completely free from additives. Cashewmeetly is a versatile, plant-based meat made of 100% upcycled cashew apple. A waste fruit full of nutrition, but left to rot on the ground when the cashew nut has been harvested.

Made out of only ONE ingredient and completely free from additives. Cashewmeetly is a versatile, plant-based meat made of 100% upcycled cashew apple. A waste fruit full of nutrition, but left to rot on the ground when the cashew nut has been harvested.

One of our most important goals is to generate decent local jobs, mainly for the women of the local population. Today, we have collaborations with Senegal, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Brazil, Tanzania, Mocambique and Nigeria.

Let’s join the good circle!

Let’s join the good circle!

So join us on this sweet and sour taste journey, and in our strive to create a better world along the way. At Cashewmeetly, we believe in the power of doing good -- from farm to table!

So join us on this sweet and sour taste journey, and in our strive to create a better world along the way. At Cashewmeetly, we believe in the power of doing good -- from farm to table!

So join us on this sweet and sour taste journey, and in our strive to create a better world along the way. At Cashewmeetly, we believe in the power of doing good -- from

Exciting news in collaboration with Garant News!

ashewmeetly www.cashemeetly.se

NO WASTE ONLY GOOD TASTE. @cashewmeetly www.cashemeetly.se

Exciting news in collaboration with Garant

Exciting news in collaboration with Garant

NO WASTE ONLY GOOD TASTE.

Sustainable food production and social responsibility are at the heart of us at Cashewmeetly. Therefore, parts of our profit goes back to the local population of the country of production, everytime you buy our products.

Sustainable food production and social responsibility are at the heart of us at Cashewmeetly. Therefore, parts of our profit goes back to the local population of the country of production, everytime you buy our products.

One of our most important goals is to generate decent local jobs, mainly for the women of the local population. Today, we have collaborations with Senegal, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Brazil, Tanzania, Mocambique and Nigeria.

Sweden’s first premium bottled-water brand

A mill in central Sweden is using the iron-rich waters of surrounding streams to create premium bottled water for boardrooms and wellness-seekers alike. At Purewell, sweeteners are unheard of, and collagen proteins are an essential ingredient. Now, their environmental profile and rapid emergence is drawing attention from across the Atlantic.

By Xander Brett | Photos: Purewell

In 2021, at a mill in Röfors just south of Örebro, Sweden’s first premium water was bottled by Purewell, a small company built on a self-proclaimed ethos of ‘love, soul and time’. Using only filtration and gentle carbonation, Purewell is on a mission to send out water with a naturally perfect mineral content and a well-balanced salinity.

The perfect balance is achieved thanks to their plentiful surrounding resources and raw materials that negate the need for artificial sweeteners. “The aromas in our drinks are entirely natural and we have no additives in our drinks,” Purewell CEO My Wizen explains. “In most of our products, we also include natural caffeine, which can be found in ingredients such as green tea.” The attention to detail and use of local nature even extends to pollen, which can be harvested from only a small selection of plants and appears in several of their products.

Vitamin-packed health drinks

Spotting a further gap in the market, the young, successful company moved away from focusing solely on water and the Laxå mill now produces an array of products under three distinct brands: Pur Vitamin, Pur Vatten and Pure Shot. Wizen explains that Pur Vitamin includes the raw materials found in their Pur Vatten water, while Pure Shot is a health drink

delivering essential vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to stress and anxiety sufferers.

Meanwhile, Purewell delivers bottled water to businesses under their corporate brand PureMe. So far, PureMe bottles can primarily be found adorning boardrooms in Sweden, but Wizen says Purewell is booming in Norway, Denmark and France, and has also been requested in Asia, America and the Middle East. This March, the company will be travelling to the United States, joining the organisation Try Swedish at Anaheim in California, for the 2023 Natural Products Expo West.

Their business ethos says it all, but Wizen also thinks Purewell’s success comes from its glass bottles. “Until now, Swedish water companies have only used low-cost plastic bottles. When you’re dining out at a restaurant, however, or you want to lay the table at home, I think you’re after something nicer looking,” she says. The lesser environmental impact of glass is an additional bonus, and Purewell are proud to stay one step ahead. “With our competence and production knowledge we can develop new products fast. For us, it usually takes under two months to develop something entirely from scratch,” says Wizen. Quickly turning around fresh products has allowed the company to stay at the forefront of innovative, functional

drinks, distinct from traditional energy and vitamin offerings that rely on synthetic ingredients.

Clean products with a clean origin

Of Purewell’s products, Pure Shot demonstrates this standard best of all. Not only does Pure Shot support peace of mind with stress-relieving vitamins and minerals, it also contains a beneficial collagen shot. Instrumental in healthy skin, collagen is a key component of reticular fibres and the most abundant protein in humans, found in joints and intervertebral discs, where it serves as the spine’s ‘shock-absorbers’.

Pure Shot Energy takes these benefits, and one-ups them, serving a 60-millilitre delivery of 56 active substances, all of which benefit our health. The science speaks for itself, but knowing Purewell is produced in such a clean region only enhances its appeal. Laxå is surrounded by forest, and its iron-rich water earned it a reputation as a spa destination in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, the spa and its infrastructure have gone. But the region’s water is once more being put to good use as Sweden’s first premium bottled water. It’s a wonder it took until 2021 to come up with the idea.

www.purewell.se

Instagram: @purewellsweden

Sweden’s favourite stone-baked home pizzas

At the Tony’s Pizza factory in Nyköping, skilful bakers make delicious stone-baked pizzas the traditional way. Each one is made by hand, before being frozen for perfect freshness. That’s why this Swedish frozen-pizza brand is quickly becoming one of the nation’s favourites.

By Marie Westerman Roberts | Photos: Foodster

The story starts in 1976, when Danne Gerasovski opened the restaurant Pizzeria Fazana in Nyköping. His son Tony Gerasovski, owner of Tony’s Pizzas, grew up with the family restaurant, and eventually started baking the pizzas himself. In 2011, aged 26, he participated in the Swedish Pizza Baking Championship. He won first place and was named Sweden’s Best Pizza Baker – and this is where the Tony’s Pizza journey begins.

Gerasovski, who by now had gained entrepreneurial experience from outside the food industry too, was struck by an idea to make premium frozen pizzas. “The idea came about on a Sunday, actually!” Gerasovski laughs. His vision was for pizzas of the same quality as those in the family restaurant, that would be available in the local grocery store chains of the Swedish supermarket ICA. The

project began in 2013 and his dream became a reality in February 2014. Now, Tony’s Pizza can be found in local freezers and the response from customers has been enthusiastically positive.

The great reception saw demand for Tony’s Pizza skyrocket. In 2015, after six months of doing it all himself, Gerasovski began a larger-scale production at the old Konservkompaniets premises in Nyköping. His sister Tanja joined the company, and they got a central listing at ICA supermarket for several of their products.

Then, Coop became a customer, and other supermarkets and convenience stores quickly followed. “It all just exploded,” says Gerasovski. 32 employees are now working for Tony’s Pizza and the company is still growing.

Gerasovski explains the success: “We have products that we’re really proud of. We use locally sourced ingredients as much as possible. Everything is made from scratch with solid craftsmanship... and we pack the pizzas in real pizza boxes!” Last year they baked a total of two million pizzas, and they are expecting to hit three million in 2023. The successful pizza factory is now expanding even further and exporting their products to Norway and Denmark, bringing Tony’s Pizza to pizza-lovers even further afield.

www.foodster.se

Instagram: @tonyspizzafabrik

Facebook: foodsternykoping

Tony Gerasovski.

The ground-breaking whisky challenging tradition

Imagine a distillery with a focus on developing new flavours rather than sticking to traditional methods, with a preference for progress rather than looking back. Agitator Whisky has an ambitious vision; with new technology, sound knowledge and a desire to experiment, this Swedish distillery wants to take whisky-making into the future.

By Malin Norman | Photos: Agitator Whisky

Agitator Whisky is unconventional, experimental and pioneering in the world of whisky. Since its launch in 2021, its innovative products, ranging from smoky and powerful to fruity and light, have been praised by consumers and won prestigious international awards.

“Whisky production is a conservative industry,” says Oskar Bruno, distillery manager. “But what if you could make whisky taste even better, by finding new ways and having a bold approach? We are convinced that the best whisky has not been made yet.”

True to its rebellious name, Agitator focuses on flavour rather than tradition. The whisky undergoes a longer fermentation than usual and is distilled under vacuum, a technique used by few other distilleries, and finally aged in casks made from different types of wood. The production cycle

is energy-smart and preserves flavours better. All in all, what you get is a cleaner and smoother end product.

Re-thinking whisky-making

“In Scotland, it’s not permitted to mature whisky in anything but oak casks,” explains Oskar. But outside of Scotland, we have the option of experimenting with other kinds of wood. We like chestnut in particular, which provides a deeper colour, more tannins and more astringency, but these casks also give complex notes of dried fruit and leather, as well as a natural honey and vanilla sweetness.”

In the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC), the world’s largest and most influential spirits awards, Agitator won no less than three medals in 2022: silver for its bestseller Argument Kastanj Single Malt Whisky, aged in

chestnut casks; silver for Single Malt Whisky Rök; and bronze for its first ever product, Single Malt Whisky.

In March, the distillery releases a rye whisky aged in casks used for maple syrup; a flavour-bomb with spiciness from the rye and notes of burnt almond from the maple syrup, according to the distillery manager. And in June comes a new smoky whisky aged in casks from Islay in Scotland, previously used for maturing Pedro Ximenez sherry wine, expected to give a nice balance of smokiness and sweetness.

www.agitatorwhisky.se

Instagram: @agitator.whisky

Facebook: Agitator.Whisky

Oskar Bruno, distillery manager.

Allocating profits to good causes, to make the world a better place

Kavli’s beloved products don’t just taste good, they actually do good. Every year, for more than 60 years, the company has been allocating its surplus profits to charitable causes. So, when you choose a Kavli product, you give back to the community.

By Malin Norman | Photos: Kavli Sweden

Kavli was originally founded in 1893, when Olav Kavli opened a tiny cheese store in Bergen, Norway. In 1924, Olav opened his first factory and developed the world’s first spreadable cheese. In 1962, the Kavli Trust became the sole owner and still manages the group today. With operations in Norway, Sweden, Finland and the UK, the Kavli Group has an annual turnover of around 4.2 billion Swedish Krona.

The group’s only mission and raison d’être is to support good causes in a sustainable way. Every year, any profit not devoted to the company’s operations and continued

development goes directly to the Kavli Trust, which carefully selects and distributes the profits to good causes in two main areas: child and adolescent mental health, and responsible consumption and production. Jonny Mattsson, CEO of Kavli Sweden, says: “Thanks to Kavli’s mission, we can support organisations such as Mind and Stadsmissionen Matcentralen. A certain proportion of the funds is also allocated for recipients nominated by Kavli’s employees; for instance, Cancerrehabfonden. In 2022, profits from the group enabled Kavli Trust to allocate 85 million Krona to charitable causes.”

Kavli’s unique business model, a professional, high-performing culture sharing its profit, is a modern approach that attracts, in particular, conscious young people to the company. “The company is driven by a humanitarian spirit and, ultimately, our surplus is used for the benefit of others,” continues Mattsson. “Rather than just maximising output, we have a long-term perspective of creating value and reinvesting in our people and local communities.”

A modern business model with beloved products

What makes it all possible is Kavli’s portfolio of strong brands and highquality products, such as spreadable cheese, mayonnaise, dressings, sauces and yogurts. “Our mission is to make the world a bit better,” says the CEO. “The

products contain the best ingredients and taste really good. Regardless of which Kavli product you purchase, the surplus goes to charitable causes.”

The classic spreadable cheese with prawns, based on Olav Kavli’s innovation from the early 1900s, is still the bestseller, and is a staple on breakfast tables and in packed lunches. Other tasty flavours include smoked ham, chorizo and blue cheese, and the latest spreadable cheese, made from creamy Brie, is a luscious treat.

Kavli’s spreadable cheese contains the highest percentage of cheese of all others on the market. “We melt hard cheese like Edamer and Gouda, add high-quality ingredients such as smoked ham, prawns, or crayfish that we cook in-house, and then pasteurise the spreadable cheese for a longer shelf-life,” explains Mattsson. “This also reduces waste, as people can squeeze out every last bit from the tubes knowing that the content is still fresh.”

Another popular brand in the portfolio is Johnny’s, Sweden’s best-loved mustard, which was originally founded by a charismatic salesman from Söderhamn. Kavli has acquired a number of other beloved local brands, such as Eriks Sauces, turning profits into good causes while maintaining their appeal. Under Kavli Foodservice, the company also develops unique recipes in collaboration

with clients such as Max and IKEA, to ensure tasty sauces and dressings in their restaurants.

Commitment to sustainability

Kavli has high ambitions for sustainability and is listed amongst Companies Taking Action, which means that it is working with Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) to reduce emissions in line with climate science. The basis of Kavli’s sustainability efforts to become climate neutral by 2030 is its unique business model and four focus areas: safe and healthy products, production and transport, sourcing and packaging, and people and community.

“It’s a given that we only offer products that are safe for consumers, but our

promise also extends to responsible manufacturing with approved ingredients and carefully selected suppliers,” says Mattsson. Kavli’s mayonnaise tubes, for example, were converted to 100 per cent recycled aluminium in 2022, with the spreadable cheese packaging to follow in early 2023.

“Kavli will continue to invest in developing strong, much-loved brands and irresistible food offerings, so we can grow across markets,” he concludes. “Everything is for the good of people and community. It’s what we do.”

www.kavli.se

Instagram: @kavli_mjukost

Facebook: Kavli Sverige

Kavli was founded in 1893 by Olav Kavli.

SWEDISH BLACK CAVIAR THE ULTIMATE IN SUSTAINABLE LUXURY

Arctic Roe of Scandinavia is the pioneering producer of the world’s most unique delicacy, Black Caviar, produced without a single fish having to die. Sturgeons have become extinct and making Black Caviar without killing the fish aids in the recovery and survival of the world’s sturgeon population. A microchip is affixed to each sturgeon so its growth curve and harvests can be monitored over a decade or longer. Every second year, the females are milked for caviar, and on each caviar tin or jar sold, the name of the individual female sturgeon and the date of production are printed on a label.

The female sturgeons occupy an abandoned paper mill in southern Sweden on the banks of the massive river Lagan that empties into the North Sea. The aqua system at Arctic Roe recycles more than 99% of the daily water consumption, and on-site wells provide water for the property.

Swedish Black Caviar can be found in several Guide Michelin restaurants, fish delicacies and retail stores. It can also be ordered directly from the company.

www.arcticroe.com | info@arcticroe.com

Sophisticated sweets for the connoisseur

A bit more grown up, a little less sweet, with a texture to satisfy the connoisseur –this perfectly sums up Sweeds Cocktail Sweets. As Sweden is the country with the highest sweet consumption per person in the world, it can only mean two things: Swedes know a lot about sweets, and they can’t get enough of them.

By John Sempill | Photos: Caroline Tengen

Still, there is room for improvement, if you ask Åsa and Henrik Ifversen, founders of Sweeds Cocktail Sweets. “Our vision is to turn wine gums into a gourmet sweet. We want more luxury and more sophistication. Historically, wine gums haven’t been in the same league as chocolate,” says Henrik. But this might be about to change.

“You could say this an upgrade to the Swedish sweet,” continues Åsa. “We’re bringing sweets into fine dining, presenting wine gums in a different light. A lot of restaurants have chocolate on their menus, but they don’t yet have sweets.”

Since their launch last year, they’ve already established collaborations with several restaurants and hotels on their quest for a sweet renaissance. “We have our small ‘flow packs’, which contain three sweets. These packets are fun and sophisticated, and take the sweets to anoth-

er level comparable with a luxurious piece of chocolate,” explains Åsa.

“This isn’t just another wine gum,” Henrik continues. “This is a gourmet wine gum. Sweeds have a unique texture that we think wine gums should have. And it’s vegan.”

Flavour is everything, so what can we expect from Sweeds Cocktail Sweets? Well, they offer a cocktail of spirit and liqueur flavoured all-sorts. “Everything is locally produced, with real wine and alcohol from local vineyards and distilleries,” says the couple. The alcohol evaporates in the production process, leaving pure flavour that’s suitable for all.

The elegant glass packaging further aligns Sweeds Cocktail Sweets with highend bottled beverages. “It also encourages recycling, and the packaging can

be used as drinking glasses or candle holders. We’ve also had requests for refill packages, which is a push for sustainability,” explains Åsa.

They are on the move, too. “Today, we have around 200 retailers in Sweden,” says Henrik. “We’ve just signed a contract with a distributor in Norway and we are in discussions with distributors in Finland and Denmark. And we are speaking with Switzerland, as well.” One might say that is pretty Sweed!

www.sweedscocktailsweets.se Instagram: @sweedscocktailsweets Facebook: sweedscocktailsweets

Åsa and Henrik Ivfersen, founders of Sweeds Cocktail Sweets.

Sweeds Cocktail Sweets are bringing sweets into fine dining.

Gin, sparkling rosé, sparkling wine and whiskey. Which flavour are you?

Real ingredients, real flavour

Is it possible to find soft drinks without added preservatives, aromas or artificial ingredients? It certainly is! Swedish brand TÖRST has redefined the category by producing real soda from real ingredients – such as fruit, herbs and spices – for real flavour.

By Malin Norman | Photos: Törst Beverages

The idea of brewing soft drinks in a simpler way and from natural ingredients originally came from the engineer-turned-beer-brewer Ludvig Brydolf, who teamed up with visionary businessman Allan Mabon, seasoned bar and restaurant professional Karl Stein, and a collective of beverage professionals in order to realise the dream.

“Something was lacking in the market,” says Rasmus Lindgren, marketing manager. “Even though the food and beverage industry has changed a lot in the past five to ten years by, for instance, moving towards more local and organic production, we saw that people were still drinking the same kind of industrial soda as in the 1930s. There was room

for better alcohol-free options in restaurants, cafés and bakeries – so TÖRST was born in 2020.”

The team has a varied background, ranging from environmental engineering and manufacturing planning to brand building, product development and gastro-

nomic expertise. “What really unifies us is the view that there is a clear need for our products,” says Lindgren. “We want to offer a range of products to consumers who want to enjoy a treat made with real ingredients from time to time.”

Still a soda, just better

With an honest approach and no use of questionable chemicals, added aromas, preservatives or artificial colourants, TÖRST was launched in the first summer of the pandemic. The refreshing thirst-quencher called Real Raspberry instantly became a big hit, and since then, another six products have been added to the line-up.

The team brews the soda on Värmdö, an island in Stockholm’s archipelago. “Our process is straightforward and we never compromise on ingredients. It’s a completely natural product made of water from our own well and cane sugar mixed with fruits, herbs and spices,” explains Lindgren. “This is just how grandma used

to make soda at home, with simple and natural ingredients.”

Once brewed and lightly filtered, the sodas are carbonated, bottled, pasteurised and labelled. TÖRST strives to be at the very forefront of sustainability and to act as a role model within the industry – an ambition that’s evident in everything from the lightweight glass bottles to the paper labels and plastic-free packaging. “Basically, we’re trying to produce the soda in the best way possible, for our planet and its people. There’s value in a good soda that also does good – where ingredients

are mindfully sourced, processing is gentle and the result is delicious.”

All about natural flavours

“In the early stages of our journey, when creating the recipes, we started with a blank sheet of paper and asked ourselves, what could there possibly be in a lemon soda,” says co-founder Ludvig Brydolf. TÖRST’s lemon soda may be the perfect showcase for the ethos behind the products, made with just lemons, sugar and water. Nothing more. The attention lies not in the chemical composition of an industrialised recipe, but

rather in the details of sourcing the best possible produce to work with.

“We have built fantastic relationships with producers and importers of organic fruits, herbs and spices from all over the world,” explains Brydolf. “By sharing knowledge and working with their produce, we have learned so much! We now know which seasons are the best to buy different ingredients, and which variety of certain fruits suit our production and preference. This way, we can keep things simple, transparent and natural.” On production days, delicious fruity aromas fill the brewery. “Imagine boiling 2,000 litres of raspberry soda packed with ripe raspberries. The aromas are just insane – so deliciously fresh and real!” he enthuses.

Heading into its third year, the story of TÖRST has just begun. In the second quarter of 2023, the company expects to pass the milestone of a million bottles sold, with products being shipped to customers across Sweden and the Nordics. With a lack of chemicals, and an ingredient list that a five-year-old can understand, this brand is on the right path to deliver sustainable pleasure.

www.torstbeverages.com

Instagram: @torstbeverages

Facebook: torstbeverages

On a mission to change the norm

Oddbird is one of the worlds’ foremost producers of premium wines liberated from alcohol. But the company is also on a mission to change the norms and attitudes to alcohol, and to make non-alcoholic products the obvious choice for a healthy lifestyle.

By Malin Norman | Photos: Oddbird

Oddbird is on a mission to change the perception of non-alcoholic beverages – to transform and disrupt our drinking culture by crafting world-class beverages liberated from alcohol. “We produce quality beverages which are gently liberated from alcohol in order to preserve the full flavours of nature,” says Moa Gürbüzer, CEO. “But liberated from alcohol does not only mean its removal. It means liberation from the norm where alcohol forms an integral part of meeting and spending time together. Liberation means being able to choose with or without alcohol.”

The Swedish brand was founded in 2013 by Gürbüzer, a former family therapist

and social worker. For two decades, she worked mainly with alcohol-related family issues and saw, first hand, the detrimental effects of alcohol on our society. With Oddbird, Gürbüzer wants to change the alcohol norms and related behaviours. She wants the question, “do you want your wine with or without alcohol?” to be as common as, “do you want your coffee with or without milk?”.

Oddbird’s products have received praise internationally. Harvey Nichols in London says that the sparkling wine range is “without doubt the finest collection of alcohol-free wines we have ever tasted”. On ITV’s This Morning, Oddbird was named as

“the best non-alcoholic fizz on the market”, and SoHo House claims that “when it comes to non-alcoholic wine, Oddbird is the only choice”.

Highly-praised wines and the new 2097 Gin

The premium non-alcoholic wines are traditionally crafted wines from Italy and France, matured for up to 12 months and then gently liberated from alcohol with a unique method that preserves the wines’ natural flavours and aromas. “We work in close collaboration with vineyards and wine-makers, to develop wines of the highest quality and based on our values,” says Gürbüzer. “There are no added substances, artificial colours or aromas. The wines are delicious, and you can really experience the flavour of the grapes.”

Sweden’s first and only alcohol-free sparkling wine, Oddbird Spumante, comes from the Italian province of Treviso, lo-

cated in Veneto, commonly known as the Prosecco region. It is made with traditional methods and 100 per cent Glera grapes, exclusively from DOC and DOCG vineyards. Another popular product is Oddbird Blanc de Blancs Organic, a sparkling Chardonnay wine, crisp and intricate with fresh tones of Granny Smith apples, honey and lime.

Its most recent release, 2097 Gin is an Arctic botanical spirit, again liberated from alcohol. This gin is crafted with berries and botanicals from northern Sweden, carrying aromas of juniper, lingonberry, cloudberry, grapefruit and citrus, plus earthy notes and a hint of spice. “2097 represents Kebnekaise’s highest peak, 2097 metres above sea level,” says Gürbüzer. “But it’s also the year for the democratisation of drinking culture, when we believe that humans will finally be liberated and able to freely choose with or without alcohol.”

Natural wines, liberated from alcohol

Oddbird is the world’s first producer of natural wines liberated from alcohol, from exclusive vineyards in Alsace. “We work with small vineyards on a collection of wines that goes under the name Low Intervention,” says Gürbüzer. “Everything in the wine comes from nature, nothing has been added.” An example is Low Intervention Organic White No2, a natural wine from northern Alsace. With a blend

of the Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc and Riesling grapes, this is a floral and fruity wine with a lively complexity.

The interest in premium non-alcoholic wines has exploded globally, and nowadays, Oddbird has its own research centre with a team of enologists, who are experts on wines liberated from alcohol, but whom also possess a genuine feel for winemaking. The company also collaborates with global brands such as Porsche on the topic of drinking and driving. Another collaboration is with designer Meng

Du and Planet of the Grapes. The bag collection, Unwasted, is made of natural grape leather, which is created entirely from grape waste from vineyards.

“It’s a new way of thinking, for sure,” Gürbüzer reflects. “We have a lot of eyes on us and will continue to raise the bar by developing new premium products. And for every product sold, we’re actually doing something to change the norm.”

www.oddbird.com

Instagram: @oddbird

Moa Gürbüzer.

Plant-based sweet snacks for the high performer

RE:DO are nutritious snacks that are completely vegan and nut-free – for anyone in need of getting high-quality energy fast. Behind the brand, is the Swedish couple Pierre and Linda Johnsson. They live a high-paced lifestyle with lots of exercise in their schedule.

By Alejandra Cerda Ojensa | Photos: RE:DO

Pierre Johnsson is a former professional ice-hockey player, and it was during his active days that he needed a snack in between meals. Because of his high-performing lifestyle as a player in the Swedish hockey league, he needed something easy and fast that was packed with nutrients to fuel his body for the intense exercise. Both Pierre and Linda started to search every grocery store for options, but could only find milk-based protein shakes or nutty bars. A dairyfree drink or nut-free bar that included

not only a good source of protein but also carbs, was alas nowhere to be found. So Pierre kept making porridge, eggs and smoothies that made a mess in the kitchen while they continued the search. With two children at home, the need for a quick nutritious snack only grew bigger, and they realised they had to create the product themselves. A few years passed, but it wasn’t until they met Hans-Anders Karlsson, and a few other investors that believed in them, that things started to really happen.

“I’ve been in the business for over 30 years, and learned how to tell if an idea is indeed a good idea, and now we are being contacted by people all over the world, from Hong Kong to the US, which is amazing,” says Hans-Anders Karlsson, head of the board that also works with the company.

Their first product is similar to a protein drink and has the same amount of nutrients as the classic breakfast that Pierre used to have: oat porridge and two eggs. Today, they have expanded their line and have two different products on the market: the drink and the bar. The smooth drink comes in the flavours Chocolate Chock and Strawberry Supreme, and the bars are available in the flavours Chocolate Chock, Raspberry Rules and the

just-launched Salted Caramel, which is said to taste exactly like candy. All of their products are low in sugar, high in protein and don’t contain any palm oil.

“We wanted to create a product that we needed ourselves, but that anyone – no matter their lifestyle – could eat. We have put a lot of effort into creating a plant-based option that is exciting, and also something for non-vegans to enjoy. Everyone that has tried our products are amazed at how sweet and tasty they are. However, they contain no added sugar and are packed with nutrients,” says Pierre Johnsson.

Because of dairy sensitivity, they knew they wanted to create a plant-based option, but the vegan options contained nuts or traces from nuts. Instead, they turned to the world of peas and oats; plant-based options that have increased in popularity.

“All of our products from RE:DO don’t contain any allergens, meaning that people with nut allergies can eat them. They are healthy and good options for breakfast, or when you need a snack,” he continues.

Today Pierre Johnsson works as a hockey trainer for the Swedish ice hockey team Skellefteå, and runs the business together with his wife Linda Johnsson and Hans-Anders Karlsson.

“We are a very small family business and we try to keep the production as close to us as possible, to guarantee the quality,” Linda Johnsson explains. She continues: “Our bars are produced in Gothenburg in Sweden, and our drinks are produced in Germany. The factory in Germany was the closest to us that could create a drink that was equal to a bowl of oatmeal and two eggs, which was important to us.”

They market themselves as an accessible and healthy option for anyone that needs energy fast and is picky about what they put into their bodies. “As a former professional athlete, my husband is very conscious of only putting good-quality nutrients into his body, and we only want to give our children the best, so we are very strict about what our products contain. Both of our children have a chocolate drink for breakfast every morning, and love it,” Linda says.

But not only children enjoy RE:DO, of course. They are also proud sponsors of the hockey team Frölunda, and every hockey player in the second-biggest league, HockeyAllsvenskan, finds their products in the locker room, meaning they have passed the in depth-tests made by the hockey league’s nutritionists.

Today, the Johnsson family’s product is available in a big range of stores in Swe-

den, and they are increasing their presence in Germany, too. In a few months, they are looking forward to expanding and will soon also be available in stores in Austria.

“We want people all over Europe to enjoy a good-quality product that keeps their energy levels high all day. Nothing good comes from being hangry,” Linda laughs.

If you are interested in learning more about RE:DO and their products, you can always check them out online:

www.redofoods.se

Instagram: @redofoods

Pierre Johnsson.

From beehive to breakfast table

After falling in love with beekeeping, Mats Olofsson set up Swedish Bee Company to celebrate and share the beauty of pure, premium and, most importantly, unprocessed honey. Or, as he likes to call it, ‘slow honey’.

By Emma Rodin | Photos: Swedish Bee Company

Aptly named The Honey of Sweden, this sweet produce comes not only from Olofsson’s bees, but from other bees owned by carefully selected beekeepers. “These partnerships make it possible for us to offer various types of honey that represent different parts of Sweden,” explains Olofsson.

The taste of a place

Much like wine, honey will carry nuanced flavours based on its place of origin. That is why each certified organic batch of honey from the Swedish Bee Company is unique in colour, taste and consistency.

It all depends on the nectar the bees collect, as well as the ground where the flowers grow. The bees are placed in sparsely populated areas of Sweden with a mixed landscape of woodlands, meadows and small farms. This ensures clean air, wa-

ter and soil, which all have positive effects on the honey.

“We always let our bees keep some of the honey before we extract it, letting them finish their job naturally, as they have for millions of years. The way we work is the opposite of high-tech, processed food. It’s slow tech,” says Olofsson.

Thanks to quality equipment and careful, slow handling, the honey is harvested without any form of reheating, which helps to lock in its natural flavours and wonderful aromas.

An important ecosystem

Furthermore, while bees forage for nectar, they become covered in pollen. When visiting the next flower, some of this pollen will fall off and fertilise the flower. That’s why bees are crucial to the eco system:

they create an environment where berries and fruit can develop and grow.

“The bees also bring pollen back to the hive in pockets on their hind legs. When passing through special pollen-collectors, some of the pollen falls off and we collect it. We then freeze, dry and rinse the pollen before it is bottled,” tells Olofsson. Both honey and pollen can be purchased online from the Swedish Bee Company. And for those looking to take things a step further, it is also possibile to buy bees and set up your very own colony at home.

www.swedishbeecompany.se

Instagram: @swedish.bee.company

Mats Olofsson.

A Swedish Classic

www.svenskhusman.se

Craft beer from Sweden’s west

Small cans, big hearts, great beer. Add them together and you get O/O Brewing, the Gothenburg-based brewery known for giving a modern twist to traditional styles for high-quality beers to enjoy together.

By Emma Rodin | Photos: O/O

Long-time friends Olof and Olle had always shared an interest in learning about new things – including beer and food. This fondness for craft and cuisine eventually set them on the slow and steady path to launching their own brewery. “At the start, we didn’t know much about making beer or running a brewery, but we did know that was the end goal,” says Olof Andersson, co-founder of O/O.

Learning by doing, the duo spent some years setting up their brand and even tried brewing through a partner in Belgium. “We quickly realised that just sending recipes out for others to make was a no-go. It needed to be our way or the highway,” says Andersson. Thanks to the support of good friends (and acquiring a yeast tank) the two eventually established

themselves, earning recognition for quality, flavourful beers – and then the brewery dream took off.

Narangi sealed the deal

Today, O/O export widely. Their flagship IPA Narangi – which was their original claim to fame – features Mosaic, Citra and Columbus hops, and is still one of O/O’s all-time bestsellers, renowned in the international beer community. Another hit is Pivot Pils. This interpretation of a classic Pilsner with German and Czech influences is dry, slightly bitter and easy to drink. In other words, it hits the spot.

O/O’s line-up also include porters, helles, double IPAs and stouts, all of which are based on the same thinking and values. “Brewing is about craftsmanship, and we

strive for that to shine through in all of our brews – in the taste of the beer and the design of the can,” says Andersson.

With great focus on detail and a closeknit partnership, the two founders are still very much involved in the brewery process itself. In fact, they still brew every single batch. Why not pop by the taproom next time you’re in town? Or see if you can spot a can in your local beer shop next time you visit.

shop.oobrewing.com

Instagram: @oobrewing

Olof and Olle.

A worldwide snack with local flavour

Picture an enchanting island, where culture, nature and good food go hand in hand –the kind of place you’d have no trouble imagining Pippi Longstocking riding her horse. Well, this is the setting for the story of Gotlandschips.

By Silvia Colombo | Photos: Gotlandschips

On the Swedish island of Gotland, siblings Emelie and Oliver Lundberg are turning locally cultivated potatoes into bags of delicious crisps. The pair founded Gotlandschips in 2018, and together manage the whole production chain from beginning to end.

It’s therefore fitting to describe Gotlandschips as being all about family, quality products and sustainability. All the raw ingredients and their suppliers come from the island of Gotland itself, and all waste – canola oil and chips that don’t make the cut – is reused to produce biogas and energy to heat the fryers.

This sustainable loop and attention to detail results in eco-friendly and tasty crisps. Gotlandschips produces a range

of much-loved flavours: sea salt; truffle and Parmesan; salt and vinegar; sour cream and ramson; and dill and chive. Though distribution is mainly national, you can find Gotlandschips all over the world, thanks to the flight company SAS, which serves the Swedish snack as part of their in-flight menu.

“It was difficult at the beginning, when my sister and I went to the bank as youngsters asking for a huge loan,” says the company CEO Oliver Lundberg. But today their dream has been accomplished. “Gotland is a magical place where we produce magical chips.”

www.gotlandschips.se

Instagram: @gotlandschips

Facebook: gotlandschips

From harbour to home, across Europe and beyond

Before Norway had oil, fish was king. Norway is still known for first-class fish; Norwegian seafood is popular all over the world and the industry’s growth supports several sectors. But making sure everyone gets good-quality fish is a complex operation. There is a lot of work behind the seafood we eat.

By Hanna Margrethe Enger | Photos: Babord Group

Babord is a family-run business with roots going back to 1914. It started with a single fishing boat, but today the company has expanded into shipyards and seafood businesses. In other words, they have a lot of experience in the seafood industry.

Babord is a large company with four business areas within seafood, fishing, shipbuilding and property development. Their head office is located in Raudeberg on the beautiful island of Vågsøy, on the north-western coast of Norway. “Our passion for coastal business activity in gen-

eral and seafood in particular has led us further into the production, distribution and sale of value-added seafood products,” says chief marketing officer, Rebekka Lyng.

The guardians of Norwegian seafaring tradition

The name Babord comes from the Old Norse word ‘bakborð’ meaning ‘rear board’. However, it came to have a deeper significance for sailors. On traditional boats, the steering oar was on the starboard side, where you would find the

boat’s helmsman. On the opposite side was the bakborð, where the boat’s keeper or lookout worked or stood watch behind the helmsman. He was trusted to be the guardian of the boat and crew.

Like the fisherman’s wife, Babord represents a safe haven.

Raw salmon from the North-East Atlantic.

It’s appropriate, then, that Babord have become guardians of Norwegian fishing and seafaring traditions. “We own and operate one pelagic seine vessel and three whitefish trawlers. Our fish is mainly from sustainable stocks in the North Atlantic, which in turn helps to protect the long-term welfare and well-being of not only the fish and the sea, but our local community. It’s mutually beneficial to of all of us who have our homes and live our lives by the sea,” Lyng explains.

Babord’s fishing vessels and their crews continually deliver quality fish, despite working in some of the world’s toughest conditions in the north-east Atlantic. They take pride in preserving traditional practices in a modern, hi-tech industry.

From the coast of Norway to European tables

While the fish is caught and bought in Norway, it is partly processed in Poland. “Since 2011, we have owned and operated a processing factory in Poland,” says Lyng. “It is located in the heart of Europe, and can distribute to the vast majority of central Europe within 15 hours. This means that if we produce salmon portions today, they will be on the shelves in large parts of Europe tomorrow morning.”

It is a medium-sized factory of some 200 employees. At full production capacity, they can produce 30,000 tonnes of red fish like salmon and trout, 10,000 tonnes

of white fish like cod, haddock and pollock, and 3,000 tonnes of breaded products. There are different production lines which are able to offer tailor-made seafood products. Depending on the customer needs, they can deliver both fresh and frozen fish.

Babord demand transparent traceability standards, and they follow strict international hazard-prevention, food-safety and financial regulations (HAACP, BRC, ISO and IFS). This ensures all products are of the highest quality.

Plans for the future

Babord has big ambitions. Many of the development plans are centred in Raudeberg. They are working on a production facility on the lower floor of the head of-

fice. “This will be a combination plant for farmed cod and salmon, but in the beginning, we will focus largely on salmon production,” Lyng says. “We have plans to process around 10,000 tonnes of salmon and 30,000 tonnes of cod annually at the plant we are currently building.”

But they do not just have plans for the head office; they are renewing their fleet of fishing boats in 2023, and are working on general future-proofing by taking the business in a greener direction. Ultimately, Babord’s goal is for its seafood production to be as gentle and environmentally-friendly as possible.

www.babord.no

Instagram: @babordgroup

Facebook: babordgroup

The plans for the new head office in Raudeberg.

One of Babord’s fishing vessels.

West-coast whisky, distilled between fjords and mountains

On a sailing trip to Scotland in 2013, Reidar Horneland and his five friends were struck by the landscape’s similarity to that of Western Norway. But there was one notable difference: the numerous whisky distilleries spread along the Scottish coast.

By Synne Johnsson | Photos: Hiernagla Brenneri

Despite knowing nothing about whisky-making, the Scottish whisky culture inspired them to start their own distillery in their home region of Sveio. “This trip was back when we had a sailboat and a lot of free time – that’s not something we have a lot of now!” Horneland laughs.

“Sailing around Scotland, we saw how similar the landscape was to Norway’s, but with so many distilleries. We knew

nothing about whisky production or distillation, but after a lot of reading and research, and gaining experience at a Scottish whisky distillery, we decided to start Hiernagla in 2018,” he says.

Norwegian spirits with local flavours

The name Hiernagla is taken from a nearby headland with stunning views over the North Sea, in the direction of Scotland. The founders hope to move production to Hiernagla, where they will organise tours and visits for whisky and spirit-aficionados.

Aiming to sell their first batch of whisky the autumn of 2023, the new distillery reached a milestone in November 2022: after three years of oak-aging, they were finally allowed to call their first batch ‘whisky’.

Hiernagla also produces three different gins, a rum and the Scandinavian Christmas favourite aquavit. “We actual-

ly underestimated the popularity of our aquavit. There are so many Norwegian aquavits, so we thought a small batch of aquavit would be popular locally, but we didn’t expect to sell much beyond that. However, when we released 600 bottles before Christmas, we sold out in only two days,” says Horneland.

Using local flavours and ingredients, Hiernagla aims to capture the essence of Western Norway. Their Værbitt Skogsbær gin, for example, is made with wild berries from Sveio and without citrus, to ensure the taste is as authentic as possible. The local flavours were a roaring success at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition, where Værbitt Skogsbær secured a double gold.

Looking forward, Horneland hopes the Western Norwegian spirits will conquer the rest of Europe: “Our aim is that our whisky will be available all over Europe, but we’re a small distillery, so we have to do it little by little. Either way, we are excited for the future.”

www.hiernagla.no

Instagram: @hiernaglabrenneri

Facebook: hiernagla

From the left: Geir Ivar Seime, Magne Bratseth, Reidar Horneland, Kristine Omvik, Ragnhild Omvik Bratseth

Feeding the world, one sustainable fish at a time

The world’s population is rapidly growing, and so is the need for protein-rich food. Food production can put a strain on the environment, but luckily there are people out there looking to solve that problem. With their philosophy that “our need for protein doesn’t need to cost us the earth”, Viking Aqua is designing and building a sustainable, circular and land-based salmon farm in Skipavika on the west coast of Norway. It will be the Next Generation RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems) Facility.

By Hanna Margrethe Enger

Most people probably think of sea-based facilities when it comes to salmon farming. Land-based farming means that full control can be maintained over all parameters, creating a stable and fish-centric environment. The producers can efficiently rinse the water, ensuring the fish have a clean and healthy environment, protecting them from bacteria, viruses and, crucially, sea lice.

Another advantage of onshore farming is being able to collect sludge. There is a lot of energy and nutrients in fish sludge which can be used for energy-generation and fertiliser. Utilising this is part of Viking Aqua’s circular-production strategy.

Void in the RAS market and finding the right partners

“We are creating technology that can be used to optimise fish production in a sustainable way, where fish welfare is at

cility can be established anywhere in the world,” Høie says. “When we’ve proved we can do it here in Skipavika, our RAS technology can be built anywhere in the world, as long as you have an adequate water source and energy available.”

www.vikingaqua.no

Facebook: vikingaqua

LinkedIn: Viking Aqua AS the centre,” says project director Trond Ove Høie. But they are not doing it alone: “We are focused on establishing partnerships with suppliers to collaborate on finding and testing new technology and systems that the world has not yet seen, but needs.”

The people behind Viking Aqua come from different backgrounds, but share a common disruptive mindset and a drive to break the mould and create something new. This is an attribute they also look for in potential partners, often choosing smaller, visionary companies over large, well-established players, as they are more likely to think outside the box.

Viking Aqua is building its first facility to produce 33,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon annually. However, that doesn’t mean they are creating a RAS system solely for use in Norway. “We believe our RAS fa-

“Our need for protein doesn’t need to cost us the Earth.” Photo: Viking Aqua

Trond Ove Høie, prodject manager.

Photo: Viking Aqua

The Viking Aqua Value Chain with a focus on Technology, Fish Welfare, Sustainability and R&D.

Photo: Viking Aqua

Viking Aqua’s facility in Skipavika. Photos: ViVerk

Berge Gård: where tradition and innovation meet

At the historic Berge Gård, sustainable farming practices and a deep respect and appreciation for the natural world are key. Their culinary innovation hasn’t gone unnoticed, with the family farm being nominated for a European Region of Gastronomy award in 2022.

By Maria Vole | Photos: Sissel Berge

down in an unbroken chain from father to son since at least the mid-1500s.”

With a keen interest in food culture, Sissel and Steinar produce unique and creative food from their corner of the world, often making use of wild edible plants from the area. “I think we all need to use more of what we have around us,” Sissel says.

“I’m interested in the meeting point between traditional food and new innovative flavours,” Sissel explains.

Alongside the cafe serving hungry customers delicious Norwegian fare, Berge Gård has a farm shop selling a range of products for visitors to take home – including their line of natural skincare based on skin-nourishing plants and essential oils.

www.bergegård.no

Instagram: @landligvelvaere

Facebook: bergegardselbu

The idyllic Berge Gård is located in the tiny, scenic village of Selbu, in the Trøndelag region in the heart of Norway. The charming family farm is run by husbandand-wife team Sissel and Steinar Berge.

“My sons will be the 13th documented generation of the Berge family to run the farm,” Sissel says. “It has been passed

Among her specialties you’ll find ‘konglegelé’, a pinecone marmalade which is a fantastic accompaniment to blue cheese, as well as her signature ‘barkekjeks’. Based on a handwritten recipe from Sissel’s great-grandmother in the mid-1800s, these salty forest crackers are made with pine-tree bark.

A sweet combination of past, present and future

Located in Trøndelag, an agriculturally-rich area of central Norway, Inderøyhonning is a honey business with both a history and a future. It was founded in the 1970s by strawberry and potato farmer Sigbjørn Kvam as a means of moving closer to nature –but beekeeping quickly became his passion.

By Molly McPharlin | Photos: Inderøyhonning

Sigbjørn Kvam was a well-respected beekeeper, known for his high-quality honey and work in the beekeeping union. He patented Inderøyhonning in the 1990s, and his daughter Tonje took over the business in 2015. She is now one of few second-generation beekeepers in Norway.

Inderøyhonning creates two types of honey: summer honey, or ‘sommerhonning’ in Norwegian; and heather honey, or ‘lynghonning’. A creamed version and a pure nectar version are available for each type. “Many people love the clear nectar. I prefer the creamy one,” says Tonje Kvam. “I love the velvety texture.”

One of Inderøyhonning’s new specialities is natural beeswax candles that re-

lease a luscious honey aroma – and Kvam plans to further expand the range of sustainable honey and beeswax products.

Inderøyhonning is unmistakably Norwegian. ‘The honey we have is closely linked to our environment. You can taste the plants and flowers that go into it,” says Kvam. “I keep samples from each production year. The heather honey from 2013 –the last year my father produced it – is still perfect, and tastes delicious.”

Inderøyhonning products are sold at their farm shop, select stores in Trøndelag, and via online orders on their website. “We have customers who come back every year to buy our honey,” says Kvam. “The honey market is quite domestic, but

we have many visitors who buy our products to take to their home countries.”

www.inderoyhonning.no

Instagram: @inderoyhonning

Facebook: Inderoyhonning

Cheeseplate with barkekjeks.

Photo: @lysholmfoto

Find luxury and peace in Finnish Lapland

With four-metre-high windows overlooking the unspoiled forest and waters of Lake Jeris, and bathroom windows that allow guests to see the northern lights from their tub, the modern and sustainable Polaris Villas is the ideal accommodation from which to experience the vast, quiet beauty of Northern Finland.

By Molly McPharlin | Photos: Polaris Villas

Opened in 2022, the modern log cabins of Polaris Villas are located half a kilometre from the famous Pallas-Ylläs National Park and a 20-minute drive from the village of Muonio. They boast a private outdoor sauna and Jacuzzi, plush beds with high-quality bedding, Finnish-design-inspired interiors and fully-equipped facilities to ensure a comfortable stay. The remarkable views and diversity of the area can be experienced by boat, ski, reindeer or even husky safari. The point at which the cleanest air in the world has been measured is just four kilometres away.

Matti Pakula, the owner of Polaris Villas, had a lifelong interest in developing different forms of living and sustainable tourism. He has a passion for the Finnish north, and Polaris Villas is the realisation of his dream to establish a peaceful holiday retreat in the heart of Lapland. The

cabins are designed and operated with a deep respect for the surrounding nature, and today are in line to receive several sustainable tourism certificates.

The area is rich in nature. Near the villas, gentle reindeer roam and swans flock in winter. There are hiking trails and the most extensive network of Nordic ski tracks in the world. For fishing enthusiasts, the lakes are rich in local varieties, and the Fish Library of Finland is nearby. For culture and history, there are galleries, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Sami historical centres with exhibitions focusing on Sami culture.

The village of Muonio and its surrounding region, famed as the happiest place in Finland, is home to a variety of restaurants, farms and local food shops. Polaris Villas is situated in the borderland between Fin-

land and Sweden, where three languages are spoken – Finnish, Swedish, and Sami. In this area, the cultures are both distinct and interlinked.

“We want our guests to have a luxurious stay, while also experiencing authentic local living and fresh food,” says Hanne Junnilainen, the manager of Polaris Villas. “If guests want privacy, they’ll have it. But if they want to communicate more, we are happy to be there. We tailor for every kind of vacation.”

www.polarisvillas.fi

Instagram: @polarisvillas

World-class performances by the Finnish lakeside

For over 30 years, Mikkeli Music Festival has drawn audiences from across the globe. World-class musical performances in an idyllic setting, combined with Finnish summer magic, makes this festival a true feast for the senses.

By Ndéla Faye

The Mikkeli Music Festival began in 1992 as a small-scale chamber music event. Since then, the event has grown into one of the most significant classical music festivals in Finland. Over the years, the festival has featured some of Finland’s best musicians, as well as numerous international stars.

Since its beginning, Mikkeli Music Festival worked in close collaboration with Petersburgian Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, one of the icons of Russian culture, headed by conductor Valery Gergiev. However, the Russian invasion

into Ukraine in February 2022 changed everything. “We severed all our ties with the Russian artists and had to rethink our entire strategy. That’s why, last year, our festival theme was ‘New Hope’,” says festival director, Teemu Laasanen.

Now, Mikkeli Music Festival has turned its sights to the rest of Europe and the world. The 32nd instalment of the festival –which runs from 28 July to 5 August – is back with something new and fresh with the theme ‘Licence to Love’. “The performances are focused on all the various kinds of love: godly, secular and earthly

love, altruistic love, as well as the love of nature, people and instruments,” Laasanen explains.

“The theme concert of Mikkeli Music Festival gives everyone a licence to love. Piano wizard Jukka Nykänen has arranged James Bond theme songs especially for this concert, accompanied by opera singing, so it’s going to be a completely unique experience,” he adds.

The festival’s first part consists largely of symphony orchestra and choir music. The second part is more mainstream with some light jazz, film scores and improvisation. The last part features this year’s star performers: London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, headed by Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali. The festival’s unique collaboration with

The State Choir LATVIJA, one of Europe’s most well-known choirs, is joining a long line-up of international performers at Mikkeli Music Festival. Photo: Juris Zigelis

Philharmonia Orchestra will last until at least 2026.

From James Bond to choir singing

This year, the Board of Finland Festivals named the Mikkeli Music Festival as ‘Festival of the Year 2023’. “We really have a fantastic mix of unique and quirky performances from international and Finnish artists. We have consistently proved we are able to offer a unique blend of different musical genres with high-quality performances by musicians from around the world,” says Laasanen.

Another much-awaited performance is by the Monastery of 13 Holy Assyrian Fathers Choir, run by Father Serafim, from Georgia. The choir performs songs in Aramaic, and Father Serafim is known for being one of the two priests in the world who celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the language of Jesus Christ. “Their singing is out of this world, and listening to them feels almost hypnotic,” says the festival director.

In addition to the main festival, the ‘On the Move!’ programme will kick off on 25 June 2023. The full programme line-up will be published soon. The programme will include seminars, lectures, musical brunches and performances – and everything in between. Most of the On the Move! events are free, and they are happening in the centre of Mikkeli, or in its immediate vicinity.

Mikkeli Music Festival is one of the oldest annual classical music events in Finland and has a firm place on the Nordic music scene. Many loyal fans return each year

to Mikkeli, located by the idyllic scenery of lake Saimaa, about two hours from Helsinki. And no wonder: Mikkeli Music Festival offers visitors a unique opportunity to listen to an elite level of musicianship in an intimate setting. It is also a chance for many rising stars to prove their skills.

The festival is a beautiful melange of musical genres. And there is plenty to choose from: listeners will be able to experience the magic of Harry Potter films with the original performer of the soundtrack, the Philharmonia Orchestra, playing songs from the film. Korean violinist Inmo Yang, winner of the 2022 Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, will also be performing at the festival. Or perhaps listeners would like to witness a performance by 11-year-old violin prodigy Lilja Haatainen, who won the category for vio-

linists under 13 years at the International Louis Spohr Violin Competition in November 2022. “Audiences will be able to get up close and personal with the performers, which makes the festival even more special,” Laasanen adds.

“There is plenty of untouched nature and peace and quiet around. Visitors can book a stay at a luxury lakeside villa or a cottage, come to the town centre and listen to world-class musicians in the evening, and head back to their villa for a moonlit boat trip in the evening, for example. This is an unrivalled experience, and a wonderful way to enjoy the very best that Finland has to offer in the summer,” the festival director concludes.

www.mikkelinmusiikkijuhlat.fi

Instagram: @mikkelinmusiikkijuhlat

Facebook: Mikkelin Musiikkijuhlat

The Georgian Monastery of 13 Holy Assyrian Fathers Choir, run by Father Serafim, performs songs in Aramaic. Photo: Irina Dotsenko

This year’s star performers, London’s Philharmonia Orchestra – headed by Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali. Photo: Mark Allan

Korean violinist Inmo Yang, winner of the 2022 Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, will also be performing at the festival. Photo: Sangwook Lee 11-year-old violin prodigy Lilja Haatainen.

Photo: Outi Paappanen

Exploring the great outdoors

Outdoor Artisans is a family-owned company that offers tailored activities and guided trips that explore the best that Finland’s northern nature has to offer.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Outdoor Artisans

Antti Siltala and Venla Saari are both trained wilderness guides whose combined experience allows visitors to enjoy nature from a unique perspective. Be it hiking, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), cycling, fishing or snow surfing, there is no shortage of activities to try at Outdoor Artisans. “We want to offer people unforgettable nature experiences in great places and provide an opportunity for trying something new and interesting,” Siltala says.

Outdoor Artisans is located in the village of Pyhäjärvi near Pyhä-Luosto National Park. Their services are based on sustainability and respecting the surrounding nature. “Our goal is to organise safe, memorable and responsible trips for our guests,” he continues.

Memorable experiences all year round

Throughout the year, the couple offer visitors a unique chance to try a range of

quirky adventures in northern Finland’s wilderness. In the winter, guests can make their own snow surfboard at the snow surf camps. The camp also includes a snow surfing (also known as ‘snurfing’) trip in or near Pyhä-Luosto national park.

Other winter activities include winter SUP and Arctic e-fatbiking, as well as an Arctic water experience, where guests learn how to rescue themselves from weak ice on a frozen lake.

In the summer and autumn, Outdoor Artisans offer a large range of activities such as SUP and packraft excursions in the Nuorttijoki River, surrounded by stunning canyon scenery.

Siltala is a professional fisherman, so naturally, he also organises guided fishing trips. “Fishing has been an integral part of local culture and tradition for centuries. The fishing experience allows visitors to

gain insight into the lifestyle and culture of the area,” he explains.

Outdoor Artisans are keen to offer visitors a tailored and intimate experience, which is why group sizes are kept fairly small. The excursions are available for beginners as well as more experienced guests. “For us, it’s all about enjoying our favourite pastimes and taking guests along with us. It’s a wonderful way to show them the authentic manner through which to enjoy all that the beautiful nature has to offer here,” Siltala concludes.

www.outdoorartisans.fi

Instagram: @outdoorartisanspyha

Facebook: Outdoor Artisans

Experience an Arctic adventure park

Visitors wanting to take in northern Finland’s scenery from a completely new viewpoint, look no further! The Pyhäkuru Rock Adventure Park is a newly-opened rock-climbing park that offers unique experiences for all kinds of adventurers.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Pyhäkuru

From climbing up a steep rock wall and exploring ancient rock formations, to traversing a rope bridge and zip-lining, the Pyhäkuru Rock Adventure Park offers a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Pyhäkuru Rock Adventure Park is open year-round, and draws adventurous souls from around the world. Each season has its own magic: in the winter, guests might be lucky enough to spot the northern lights; in the summer, they can revel in the midnight sun; and in the autumn, enjoy ‘ruska’ – when the trees’ foliage turns into stunning shades of yellow, red and orange. “On clear days, visibility is up to 100 kilometres over the incredible natural landscape. It’s truly breathtaking,” says park master Antti Siltala.

The adventure park is located in the popular ski resort of Pyhä, and a ten-minute walk from hotel Pyhätunturi. It is easily

accessible via airplane, car and public transport. The adventure park is also situated right by the Pyhä-Luosto national park, where visitors can enjoy stunning views across the untouched nature and the surrounding taiga.

Adventures for thrill-seekers

For those wanting to push their thrill-seeking one step further, Pyhäkuru offers a night-time adventure, where climbers use headlamps – and sometimes the glow of

the northern lights or the moon – to light the way. Pyhäkuru Rock Adventure Park has three climbing routes, which cater to different experience levels. “The minimum height requirement for climbers is 120 centimetres, but apart from that, the routes are accessible for everyone. Safety is of course our top priority, and this is a fun activity to try with the whole family,” Siltala says.

In addition, the adventure park also offers an adventure day in the Pyhä-Luosto National Park, where guests will get to visit a local Amethyst mine and even dig for their own crystals.

In the winter, guests can also try ice-climbing at the same spot, run by Bliss Adventure. “It’s a very unique experience. Not much beats rock or ice climbing surrounded by gorgeous views and ancient rock formations in Finnish Lapland. This is not just an adventure, it’s an experience!” the park master concludes.

www.pyhakuru.fi

Instagram: @pyhakuru

Facebook: pyhakuru

of the Month, Sweden

Home is where the food is Restaurant

At DoMa, the ambience is as vibrant as their menu – and both are shaped by a passion for food and the dining scene. The eatery, which opened to the public in 2020 after starting as a private-dining concept, serves dishes and desserts in a warm-hearted atmosphere and has become a popular living room open for all.

By Nina Bressler | Photos: DoMa

DoMa, located in the heart of Östermalm, Stockholm, opened its doors to the public after having served private brunches and dinners at home since 2014. The home in question is that of Dorotea Malmegård and Viktor Lejon, an experienced hospitality couple on the Stockholm food scene, who turned the concept into a success. “We started with intimate gatherings for family and friends, but the word quickly spread and it evolved into full-blown dinner parties for companies, friends-of-friends and people previously unknown to us. We didn’t mind. On the contrary, we loved the social aspect of it and decided it was time to open the doors to a proper restaurant. That’s when we founded,” says Malmegård.

Paintings and other decorative elements from their own walls were introduced

into the restaurant to capture the familiar buzz and feeling of being welcomed into someone’s home. The menu consists of items they themselves love and is regularly updated to keep in step with new influences and ideas from near and far. The wine list is creative – influenced by their personal favourites – mixing classical French styles, up-and-coming producers and natural wines.

Malmegård is a dessert veteran whose formidable hospitality career has seen her baking her way through the best restaurant kitchens in town – and her ardent interest has distinctly shaped the menu at DoMa. Beside the restaurant, they run a catering service making delicious cakes for order, while for the perfect after-dinner treat, they offer a distinguished dessert list along with a candy tray, where

home-baked goodies lie ripe and ready for picking. “We love the vibrancy of service, of a busy restaurant full of people looking for a great experience packed with new flavours. Everything about our restaurant is an extension of our passion for food, wine and people – simply, a creative concoction of everything that is us,” Malmegård concludes.

www.doma.se

Instagram: @doma_bardoma

of the Month, Norway

Zuuma: bringing fresh flavours to Ålesund Restaurant

Located in the small coastal town of Ålesund on the west coast of Norway, the Japaneseinspired restaurant Zuuma has had a reputation as a top local food destination right from the day it opened, eight years ago.

By Maria Vole | Photos: Marius Beck Dahle

At Zuuma, the focus is on fresh, nourishing food – which is easy when the sea is on your doorstep. The modern Japanese-inspired restaurant is fantastically located just a stone’s throw from Ålesund’s historic seaport, with big glass windows offering diners beautiful views during their meal.

The varied menu at Zuuma features an exciting range of fresh sushi, grilled and fusion dishes. While the grill and dessert dishes rely on seasonal ingredients, the sushi is based on first-rate offerings from the sea. “Part of our success comes from having access to some of the best fresh seafood in the world, right outside our front door,” says Andreas Ottosen, co-founder and head chef at Zuuma.

With a focus on high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients, the expert chefs prepare each plate with care and attention – creating dishes that are as beautifully presented as they are tasty. The Zuu-

ma team changes their menu four times a year, resulting in an inspiring range of fusion twists on classic dishes. “For us, fusion is about combining authentic dishes with excellent local ingredients –Japanese fare with a Norwegian touch,” Andreas explains. “We enjoy drawing inspiration from different places and using innovative techniques to create interesting dishes, such as grilled maki sushi rolls.”

The restaurant has seen great success since it opened in 2015, and the Zuuma team remain just as passionate about what they do eight years later. “Working like this is a lifestyle,” Andreas says. “We want to continually evolve and stay interesting – we’re always trying to get a little bit better, and we’re lucky to have a very talented team of people all working towards the same goal.”

Embarking on international trips to keep up with food trends and to seek inspira-

tion from other restaurants around the world is part of their approach to bringing delicious and exciting dishes to the small fishing town of Ålesund. “We’ve seen a fantastic growth in the quality and diversity of food experiences here. Being part of that journey and having been one of the first restaurants to contribute to that change has been really rewarding,” Andreas concludes.

www.zuuma.no

Instagram: @zuuma_alesund Facebook: zuuma

CEO Vincent Caballes and head chef Andreas Ottosen are the founders of Zuuma. Photo: Kristin Støylen

Restaurant of the Month, Finland

50 years of delicious food and friendly service

Finland boasts a number of classic restaurants specialising in hearty, unfussy Finnish cooking. Well-loved by both locals and visitors, these institutions have fed customers for decades. Turku, the thriving former capital of the country on the southwest coast, is a city with vibrant scenes in art, music and dining. Here, Pippurimylly lovingly offers up a delicious combination of food, ambiance and history, as it has done for nearly 50 years.

By Molly McPharlin | Photos: Pippurimylly Restaurant

Located in the central Martinmäki neighbourhood, Pippurimylly (meaning ‘the Peppermill’) was opened in 1974 by Osmo and Helena Ravantti. At first, there was doubt that a restaurant could be successful in this area, which was known for its working-class roots. However, the restaurant has become an institution in the city, praised for its straightforward cuisine and welcoming atmosphere. On July 18 2024, Pippurimylly will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The name Pippurimylly was originally floated by Helena’s friend Armi Ratia, the founder of the iconic Finnish design brand, Marimekko. Viljo Ravantti, the son of Osmo and Helena and the current owner of Pippurimylly, still has the original letter Ratia wrote suggesting the name.

Classic cuisine, local ingredients

In 1993, the Ravantti family also opened Hugo, a more informal restaurant located downstairs in the same building as Pippu-

rimylly. Hugo offers a broad selection of beer, including labels from local microbreweries, as well as tasty pub-style food.

Pippurimylly’s Dining Room.

Vintage posters along Pippurimylly’s Staircase.

Pippurimylly’s menu is classic, focusing on meat and fresh, local fish. “Our signature dish is Pippuriphivi, or pepper steak,” says Viljo Ravantti. “It has won a number of national competitions, and is often highlighted as a customer favourite.” The restaurant also offers themed cuisine weeks throughout the year, including game, Lappish and blini weeks. Local Finnish ingredients always play a starring role in Pippurimylly’s cooking. “The menu still includes some dishes that were prepared as they were in 1974,” says Ravantti.

The clientele of Pippurimylly is diverse. Weekday business lunches happily occur alongside pensioners having a meal out, or those enjoying a day away from work. On the weekends and holidays, families with children savour long, relaxed meals at the restaurant, while groups of friends are beside them, out for the evening.

A restaurant full of stories

One customer remembers visiting the restaurant as a small child with her parents for special nights out. Another says he chose Pippurimylly for his first ever date. “A lasting memory for me is the night we had both the Finnish and Swedish national hockey teams eating in our restaurant at the same time,” reminisces Ravantti. “Our dining room was completely filled with both of the countries’ toughest opponents on the ice. With good food, however, the evening went really well and everyone was satisfied.”

The Ravantti family owns other restaurants in the Turku region. Their latest venture is a bakery opened near Pippurimylly in 2021. Here, they bake bread for many local restaurants as well as offering a wide variety of cakes and baked goods to the public.

Pippurimylly also cooperates with local educational institutions in training young chefs. They offer student apprenticeships that benefit both the trainees and the restaurant itself. “We learn from their experience and benefit from their knowledge. At the same time, they gain an understanding of what it’s like to work in a restaurant with such a long history and connection to its location,” Ravantti states.

Taking pride in Turku’s community

The city has received a number of accolades in recent years, including for the Michelin-starred restaurant, Kaskis. Ravantti believes that Turku’s restaurant community is tight-knit and supportive, even though they employ different styles

of cooking: “Pippurimylly is proud to be a part of such a special food scene like the one we have in Turku.”

Ultimately, Ravantti believes the success of Pippurimylly is down to the restaurant’s loyal customers and the care and dedication shown by its staff. “At times, we have three generations from the same family working here. They know how to take care of our visitors. Our customers are loyal; many people, especially those from Turku, have been visiting us since they were little children.”

www.pippurimylly.fi

Instagram: @pippurimylly

Facebook: Pippurimylly

The symbol of Pippurimylly.

Making pizza at Pippurimylly.

A vintage view of Pippurimylly.

A classic fish main course.

Hotel of the Month, Sweden

Magic views and gastronomic experiences

The High Coast is world-renowned for its nature and dramatic landscapes. The world’s highest coastline offers plenty of outdoor activities, but also two fantastic hotels with stunning views, culinary experiences and a wide range of events.

By Malin Norman

Right next to the High Coast Bridge is Hotell Höga Kusten, Sweden’s first wind-powered hotel. Built in 1994 by the municipality Kramfors, the hotel immediately attracted curious guests and builders who were working on the construction of the bridge, which took place from 1993 to 1997.

In 2005, Mats Löfroth took over the hotel, and ensured a new prosperous phase. “The hotel is in a fabulous location, it’s the ideal starting point for discovering the area,” says Fredrik Björk, restaurant manager at Hotell Höga Kusten. “In addition to absolutely stunning views,

the hotel also has an excellent restaurant, and lots of fun activities and events throughout the year.”

The hotel has 28 rooms, all with a view of the High Coast Bridge and the river Ångermanälven, and is a popular destination for conferences, with great facilities and technology plus activities and experiences for groups of different sizes. Guests can enjoy the relaxation area and sauna, as well as the spa massage pool outdoors, again with amazing views. Options for outdoor activities include kayaking and canoeing on the river, and perhaps a round of frisbee golf.

The ambition of the hotel’s restaurant is to provide extraordinary gastronomic experiences with a magic view. “The restaurant has an innovative approach, in close collaboration with local producers,” says Björk. “We like to try unexpected combinations and introduce new dishes, but we also serve local delicacies, such as handpicked chanterelles and lingonberries.”

Photo: Hotell Höga Kusten

Photo: Hotell Höga Kusten

At Hotell Höga Kusten, you can expect an exciting programme of events, such as stand-up comedy with Jacke Sjödin, live performances and themed weekends. For instance, a gourmet weekend with Jessie Sommarström, winner of Chef of the Year 2022, and wine tastings with Maya Samuelsson, the renowned sommelier and educator who appears on TV4’s Nyhetsmorgon. Hotell Höga Kusten also organises gin tastings together with Hernö Gin, producer of the

what’s considered by many to be the world’s best gin, and whisky tastings with High Coast Distillery, the world’s northernmost whisky distillery.

Stay at the mansion by the river bank

The smaller sister hotel, Björkuddens Hotell & Restaurang, is located two kilometres from Hotell Höga Kusten, right by the river Ångermanälven and with a view of the High Coast Bridge.

The building was initially constructed as a school in 1892 by director Seth Kempe, with bricks shipped from the UK. Over the years, the building has had several owners and purposes, from a school to housing. At one point, it was used as a sewing factory, and in 1952 it became an inn with the name Björkudden. Since then, it has been used as a hotel and restaurant under the ownership of different local families, and undergone a number of renovations. Finally, in the spring of 2019, Mats Löfroth took over Björkudden and will no doubt continue developing its interesting story.

Not surprisingly, the mansion-like building is a popular location for weddings and other celebrations, as well as themed weekends and conferences. The res-

taurant promises culinary experiences and classic Swedish dishes made from premium local produce, such as salmon from the river, and boasts a beautiful interior with chandeliers and white tablecloths. The terrace is a nice spot to be at on warm summer days. The lush garden is perfect for hosting wedding parties and corporate events, and the area is ideal for activities such as kayaking and canoeing.

Amongst popular themed events at the mansion are the murder mystery weekends, an exciting concept where guests solve a murder case, and they each get to play a role with clues and tasks to perform during dinner. Björkuddens also hosts gourmet weekends with a fivecourse dinner, and French weekends with an inspirational journey through the wine districts of France, including a tasting of wines selected by sommelier Ebba Andersson.

www.hotellhoga-kusten.se

Instagram: @hotellhogakusten

Facebook: hotellhogakusten

www.bjorkudden.se

Instagram: @bjorkuddenshotellochrestaurang

Facebook: bjorkudden

Photo: Björkuddens Hotell & Restaurang

Photo: Björkuddens Hotell & Restaurang

Photo: Björkuddens Hotell & Restaurang

Photo: Hotell Höga Kusten

Hotel of the Month, Greenland

A luxury city trip to Greenland’s wild and beautiful west coast

At 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, the Greenlandic city of Ilulissat draws a special breed of traveller. All around, the rugged, mythological landscape is covered by an ice sheet up to three kilometres thick, and is home to some of the oldest gemstone deposits on the planet. The city of the midnight sun and the aurora borealis also has a lively urban culture – so how do you make the most of Ilulissat? You stay right in the middle of it all, in luxury accommodation run by local experts.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: Hotel Ilulissat

In some of the most exciting cities all over the world, Best Western’s hotels are synonymous with stylish design and modern convenience. Best Western Plus Hotel Ilulissat, the newest luxury accommodation in Greenland’s third-largest city, is no exception, and offers unrivalled access to this unique coastal destination.

“Ilulissat is Greenland’s tourist mecca, but it’s a place of peace and relaxation, a slow lifestyle and fantastic nature,” says the hotel’s head of marketing, Emilie Baj Elmo Bagger. The city is home to almost as many sled-dogs as people, and where the picturesque paintbox buildings peter out, it’s met by vast arctic expanses of undulating hills to the east, and the

iceberg-riddled Disko Bay to the west. At the heart of the city, overlooking it all, Hotel Ilulissat offers five stories of awe-inspiring, unbroken views, while local museums, shops, churches and cafés are just a ten-minute walk away.

Elegant design for business and leisure

Inside, the 78 rooms – including standard, family, executive and superior rooms, as well as exclusive suites – are inspired by the opalescent palette of the moonstone gem. No matter the size, all rooms possess a sense of architectural grandeur. Elegant tones of sand, natural blue and white characterise the spacious interiors, while magnificent windows overlooking the city, coast and

hinterland allow Greenland’s magical arctic light to fill the space.

Elsewhere, Hotel Ilulissat’s mini-gym and six modern meeting and conference rooms ensure that travellers can have both a relaxing and a productive stay. “We offer the best service in Greenland for business travellers, right from the moment you request a quote,” says Bagger. The hotel is superbly equipped to offer a high degree of flexibility, with expert staff on hand to arrange everything from airline tickets and extra accommodation, to personalised all-day catering.

Unforgettable rooftop dining

The most memorable spot at Hotel Ilulissat, however, is right at the top of the building. “The rooftop restaurant has the best view in the city,” says Bagger. “Seated inside or outside, you can see right across the Ilulissat Icefjord, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, all year round.” The rooftop is a tranquil, high-altitude oasis, where guests can enjoy a cup of coffee with the Arctic sunrise, evening drinks while the sun sets on the icy water, or an unforgettable dinner-table view.

The menu is Greenlandic-inspired, with a focus on fish such as halibut, and lo-

cal seasonal flavours as well as international favourites. “We run a concept called ‘Meet the Locals’, where we collaborate with local Greenlandic markets to provide the best fresh produce for our guests. It’s a beautiful way of telling the story of Greenlandic cuisine and giving back to our community,” says Bagger.

While the west coast of Greenland has plenty to offer the daring traveller, organising an adventure in such a challenging landscape can seem formidable. An airport transfer service to and from the hotel

is included in the room price, and guests can also choose to explore the country via its range of tailored excursions and travel packages. Meanwhile, the friendly staff are well-versed in the top attractions and day trips in and around Ilulissat. With travel-inspiration and local tips, luxury, adventure and culture all under one roof, Hotel Ilulissat guarantees a Greenlandic experience like no other.

www.hotel-ilulissat.gl

Instagram: @hotelilulissat

Facebook: hotelilulissat

Hotel of the Month, Finland

The new archipelago hotel raising the bar for sustainable luxury escapes

The Barösund region of Inkoo on the Finnish south coast is often overlooked by travellers who flock instead to the well-advertised urban centre of Helsinki, and to the Arctic promise of Lapland. But this magnificent archipelago is a hidden gem of ancient coastlines, untouched pine forests and local stories dating back to the Viking Age. And there’s something else hidden amongst the trees: an extraordinary new getaway that has raised the bar for luxury forest hotels.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: The Barö

Despite being just an hour’s drive from Helsinki airport, The Barö is nestled in something of a Finnish Arcadia. On the forested shoreline of Hycklesund Bay, where white-tailed eagles surf the breeze, the hotel’s glass-fronted cabins seem to melt into the surrounding wilderness. The 18 luxury pinewood huts, raised on stilts and connected by floating boardwalks, range from magnificent two-room suites, complete with a private sauna and jacuzzi, to intimate double-lodgings – each characterised by its panoramic window onto

sea, valley or woodland. The interiors are darkly elegant: rich tones of charcoal and umber draw the arresting forest light and views into the cabin, creating an almost holy feeling of immersion.

But the hotel’s harmony with nature is more than just aesthetic: in December, The Barö was awarded the Green Key Certificate for excellence in environmental responsibility. “We built The Barö in four and a half months, and we barely touched the forest. You can tell

from the wildlife. During longer building projects, deer will alter their routes –but all the local fauna is still here. Just last week, we had some guests who opened the curtains on the panoramic window, and a herd of nine deer was walking past the terrace,” say the luxury escape’s owners and founders, Netta and Jussi Paavoseppä.

Tailored relaxation and adventure

Combining nature and indulgence, The Barö offers its guests a selection of highly personalised experiences. “We have our own massage therapists. Then, of course, when you’re in Finland, you have to visit the sauna!” says Jussi. The hotel’s shared wooden sauna fronts onto the bay, while The Bärosund suite boasts its own private sauna. “We have 180,000 islands in this region, and no tides or streams, so the waters are

completely calm. In the winter when the sea freezes over, the view from the sauna is spectacular,” he adds.

Hycklesund Bay is also a magical place to go kayaking, or for a private boat tour with the local family-run water-taxi service. All activities start at the hotel’s beach or harbour, and the more adventurous include biking to historical island-villages, ice-swimming, helicopter tours, hunting and fishing. Away from the shoreline, the indigenous pine forests that ensconce The Barö offer a more primal kind of therapy. “One of the greatest experiences here is to enjoy the healing power of the quiet woodland. For forest hikes, we offer a tailor-made picnic basket, filled with local delicacies. Or, during the autumn, you can hunt for wild berries and eat them as you walk. In mushroom season, we’ll provide you with baskets, tools and maps for guided or independent mushroom-foraging,” explains Jussi.

Flavour and flair at The Berg

Meanwhile, The Barö’s own restaurant, The Berg, extends the philosophy of hyperlocal cuisine to an even higher standard. With menus themed around the sea and the forest, guests can enjoy the seasonal harvest in a magical four to seven-course menu. In January, the Chef’s Table event series was launched. For this, diners seated around The Berg’s stunning open kitchen are presented with an exclusive menu prepared by guest chefs.

“When we host a new chef, they bring their own flair and flavours to the table. It’s an exciting chance for our own chefs to learn, and for our guests to try delicacies from further afield,” says Jussi. April will see the kitchen helmed by Wilma Wilms from restaurant atNordhem in Gothenburg, while Finland’s Young Chef of the Year, who also placed second in Jounes Chef’s Rôtesseurs 2022, Otto Hietamies, will visit The Berg in May. “Then there’s the Wine Producers’ dinner series, with guest vignerons and sommeliers. In January, we welcomed visitors from the importer Gustave Lorenz, and in March, Antinori will shape the menu around a selection of wines,” he adds.

Though The Barö is surrounded by nature, it’s not swallowed by it. In fact, it strikes a balance that’s rarely achieved in the world of luxury eco-tourism. Thanks to its sophisticated hermitage-style architecture, the grandeur of the wild is felt in every moment, but an exquisite standard of luxury is equally ever-present. Those seduced by The Barö’s charms will have more to discover in June, when Netta and Jussi open a new hotel called The Torby, just 20 minutes away. “That’s the next project,” says Netta, with a cheeky smile.

www.thebaro.fi

www.thetorby.fi

Instagram: @thebarohotel

Facebook: thebarohotel

Photo: Saas Instruments

Hotel of the Month, Norway

Experience tranquility in beautiful surroundings

Tucked away in Inderøy, Norway, the family-owned Øyna Kulturlandskapshotell overlooks breathtaking fjords and green slopes. Guests describe the hotel as a ‘concept made with heart and soul’, and the beautiful accommodation offers not just a break from the everyday urban hustle and bustle, but a sense of inner peace, and a natural landscape like no other.

By Celina Tran

In 2006, Kristine and Frode Sakshaug started an initiative to provide their local community with a space for physical activity and fun. Over the years, their highly sought-after space has been expanded and developed into a sports ground, a communal longhouse, a restaurant, conference spaces and, in 2020, a cultural landscape hotel.

“The footgolf courses were the first step towards realising our hotel dream,” says Kristine. “After that, we just built everything else brick by brick, based on the needs and wishes of the local community.”

The hotel has become a hot travel destination for domestic and international voyagers seeking Nordic tranquility in natural surroundings, while The Golden Road, which runs through Inderøy and is thronged with unique local farm shops, and culinary and cultural experiences, is nearby and easily accessible.

Experience green luxury

Before the term ‘eco-friendly’ began to be subverted as a marketing tool on social media, Øyna Kulturlandskapshotell was already setting a standard as one of the greenest hotels in the country. It became a certified Norwegian eco-tourism business in 2013, joining other Norwegian business in creating local and cultural experiences that could be enjoyed without taxing the environment. “We want to go about our day and run our business in a way that allows people to enjoy surrounding nature as much as possible without harming it,” says Frode.

Photo: Sigurd Løseth

Photo: Eline Gullbrekken

A true breath of fresh air, the hotel’s green profile is also reflected in the architecture of the hotel. Built by local hands in a natural style using dark colours, Norwegian materials, and a grass roof, the hotel appears to blend into the landscape, allowing guests and locals to enjoy the serene, quiet and unspoiled nature of the area.

As the winners of the annual Bygdeutviklingspris, a prize awarded for excellent local developments, it’s no surprise that Øyna Kulturlandskapshotell champions locality and community.

“We’re very proud of our local area, and part of our goal as a hotel is to promote local views, businesses and experiences. There are many excellent farms, breweries and producers around, all of whom we include in our restaurant and culinary experience at the hotel,” explains Frode. “Our milk and eggs come from farmers nearby, the fish is from the fjord, and the venison and other meat products also come from the local area.”

Made from locally-sourced food and products, the hotel offers a fresh, varied and homegrown menu at its restaurant, Restaurant Litjstua. The meals vary from day to day, depending on what the local producers have to offer. Regardless of the seasons or time of day, however, it’s certain that the dining experience has been carefully crafted with

an eco-friendly approach, real culinary passion, and lots of love.

“Øyna Kulturlandskapshotell is a place that provides peace, serenity, and a relaxed heart-rate of 60 beats per minute,” chuckles Frode. Kristine agrees, adding that their ultimate goal is to make guests feel at home. “We want this feeling to translate into everything we do and offer, from the rooms to the activities and food,” she says.

www.oyna.no Instagram: @oynakulturlandskapshotell Facebook: Øyna Kulturlandskapshotell

Things to do in Inderøy

Hike: Experience nature by exploring local trails and areas.

Play footgolf on site: Footgolf is a combination of football and golf, a perfect activity for families and friend groups of all ages.

Visit local businesses: From trying beer at Inderøy Gårdsbryggeri, Aquavit at Berg Gård and award-winning cheeses at Gangstad Gårdsysteri, to taking art classes at Nils Aas Kunsterksted, Inderøy has something for everyone.

Take a boat trip: Whether you need a moment of relaxation or a fast, endorphin-releasing bike ride on the other side, a boat trip from Kjerknesvågen to Straumen provides a lovely day out.

Photo: Eline Gullbrekken

Photo: Craig Williams

Photo: Sigurd Løseth

Experience of the Month, Norway

Stay a night where earth meets water

The Norwegian coastline is one of the most scenic in the world. This is the place where the elements meet, where earth, water and air collide in the most beautiful ways. Experience it yourself with a stay at the Runde Panorama.

By Andri Papanicolas | Photos: Memoria

Runde is an island located in Møre og Romsdal County in Norway. The small paradise is known for mostly two things: bustling wildlife and treasure hunting. The island only has a population of a hundred people, yet travellers from all over the world go to Runde every year to experience the unique nature and especially to catch a sight of the famous puffins, or ‘lundefugl’ in Norwegian. Now, you have the opportunity to spend the night at the bird island, right next to the Norwegian sea.

An escape by the open sea

The main shareholder of Runde Panorama, Arnulf Goksøyr also runs a bed and breakfast on the island called Christine-

borg Guest House. The guest house was designed by his father and built and run by his uncle, and they have welcomed visitors since 1979. Today, the establishment is an important melting pot that brings people together.

Despite the harsh terrain, Goksøyr wanted to take advantage of the stunning property right next to the ocean and decided to give the architects creative leeway in the planning of Runde Panorama. “I told the architects to draw me something that works with the terrain and does minimal damage to nature,” he says.

The area consists of nine independent cabins built on poles on top of a rocky landscape fronting the open sea. Guests

Photo: Børge André Amundsen

here live in harmony with the elements, and just like nature’s, its atmosphere is raw, pure and authentic.

Free-standing sustainable cabins

The cabins contain all the necessities and have a fully equipped kitchen. The furniture is hand-made and delivered locally from Ekornes. “It is important that there is quality in everything we do. The idea behind the cabins is that they are built around nature and if they are to be taken down in 70 years time, they won’t leave a footprint,” Goksøyr says.

Each cabin is around 70 square-feet, enjoys full privacy from the rest of the lodgings, and has room for up to six people. One cabin has been designed specifically for people with accessibility requirements and comes with a ramp. “We want people to come here and take in all that nature has to offer,” Goksøyr says.

An El Dorado of wildlife

For such a small island, Runde has a lot to offer. Even though the puffins get more press than the other birds, they are far from the only ones there. From April to August, 500,000 birds of some 230 different species flock to the island for the breeding season. 80 of these species hatch their eggs during this season. No wonder, then, that this is known the bird island.

“We have people coming from all around the world to see the puffins. They are called the parrots of the sea,” he says.

Less than an hour’s walk from Runde Panorama is the famous bird mountain where you can get face to face with the puffins and many other bird species.

Go treasure hunting

But Runde also offers incredible diving opportunities. The island has a rich and important maritime history, and many merchant ships have sailed by throughout the years. On January 9, 1725, the Dutch merchant ship Akrendam sailed from the island of Texel to Batavia to buy spices and other exotic products. Six weeks later, the ship was hit by a bad storm at sea and 200 people lost their lives. Fast forward 250 years: on a summer’s day in 1972, three divers off the coast of Runde discovered 57,000 gold and silver coins

from the Akrendam wreck. To this day, it remains one of Europe’s greatest coin finds, dubbed The Runde Treasure. And who knows what else is down there?

Everybody has their own relationship to the ocean. Some people like to dive in it, others like to sit down and take in the view. Runde Panorama offers room for breathing, reflection and relaxation, with nature at your doorstep. All the cabins are unique and custom-made, with their own names. You can truly experience Norwegian history and wildlife on Runde island, in summer or winter.

www.rundepanorama.no

Instagram: @Runde_Panorama

Facebook: Runde Panorama

Photo: Njord Freediver, Marko Polter & Bjørnar T. Sævik

Experience of the Month, Finland

Love biking? Explore the Arctic on two wheels

Snow and cycling might not seem like the most obvious pairing, but Hidden Trails Lapland has found a new and exciting way for visitors to explore the breathtaking Arctic nature. ‘Fat biking’, on narrow meandering trails through taiga forests, gives visitors a unique way to experience the magic of the Finnish Arctic, any time of the year.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Hidden Trails Lapland

Hidden Trails Lapland was born out of Tytti Laakso and Marko Kiviranta’s boundless love for mountain biking. “We built a business based on our hobby, and not the other way around,” Laakso laughs. For the past six years, the couple have been offering visitors guided year-round ‘fat bike’ tours in the middle of the Arctic forest, in the Ylläs area of Finland’s Lapland.

‘Fat biking’ has become one of the hottest trends in outdoor sports in the last few years. Fat bike tires are specifically designed to provide traction in snow, making

them perfect for winter riding. The bikes’ electric assistance also makes biking in snow much less physically challenging.

An intimate biking experience

The Ylläs region, 115 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, is well-known as a paradise for active, outdoorsy people, boasting a ski centre and over 300 kilometres of cross-country ski trails. In the summer, there are plenty of opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, foraging and kayaking.

In the winter, Hidden Trails Lapland makes full use of their own private trails, which have been ploughed to enable bike-riding. The winding bicycle trails merge into the surrounding terrain, so riders can lose themselves amongst the snow-covered fir trees. “Our minivan picks up the guests from the Äkäslompolo village, and drives them to our basecamp. Although we are within easy reach of the ski slopes and accommodation, we are also right on the cusp of the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, and our trails run through com-

pletely inhabited areas, where there is no risk of bumping into other tourists. This is as authentic as exploring Arctic nature gets,” Laakso says.

Hidden Trails Lapland is committed to keeping the tours intimate and personal, which is why each hosts a maximum of seven people. The best season for winter riding usually starts before Christmas, and runs until mid-April, but this varies each year. “We use our own private trails in order to show our visitors the untouched forests’ wildlife and nature. Riding in the fairytale surroundings really is a one-of-a-kind experience,” she continues.

In addition to regular tours, night-time tours are also available. “It’s a magical experience to ride on trails that are illuminated only by bike lights and the banks of glowing snow all around. If the sky is clear, riders might be lucky enough to spot aurora borealis, as the trail is far away from any light pollution. The best timing for this is December to February,” Laakso says.

An exciting alternative to skiing

Biking in the Arctic taiga is a combination of leisurely exploration and fastpaced fun, according to Laakso. Biking is also better than a snowmobile for exploring the untouched nature and wildlife in the area, because it’s quiet and emission-free. “Fat biking is an excellent addition or replacement for more tradi-

tional and popular snow sports, such as skiing and cross-country skiing. Thanks to the bikes’ electric assistance, all you will need is a basic fitness level and a decent riding ability – as well as an adventurous mind, of course,” Laakso adds.

It’s clear that the small family business thrives off Laakso and Kiviranta’s genuine passion for the sport, and they are keen to share their excitement and expert knowledge of local nature. Hidden Trails Lapland also has a small bike-rental company located in the immediate vicinity of the Ylläs-Pallastunturi National Park, offering direct access to the national park and its trails, both in summer and winter.

“Everything we do revolves around biking –all year round,” Laakso concludes.

www.hiddentrailslapland.com

Instagram: @hiddentrailslapland

Facebook: Hidden Trails Lapland

Ylläs has two villages, Äkäslompolo and Ylläsjärvi, with a total of some 1,200 inhabitants.

The nearest airport is Kittilä, a 30-minute drive away from Ylläs. The nearby Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is the third-largest in Finland, covering an area of over 1,000 square kilometres

At the basecamp, guests are also almost guaranteed to meet some grey-headed chickadees or Siberian tits, who are tame enough to feed from people’s hands.

Brewery of the Month, Finland

Brain and brawn: Finland’s most masterful craft brewery is also its most metal

Tuju Brewery, out of Lappeenranta in south-eastern Finland, is one of the country’s most exciting names in craft beer today. Its range of no-nonsense cans and kegs, wild-fermented bottles, and dark heavy-hitters are uncompromisingly crafted according to traditional techniques. They’ve scooped numerous awards for their brews, but Tuju is also catching eyes with its wicked sense of humour and penchant for heavy metal artwork.

By Lena Hunter | Photos: Panimoyhtiö Tuju

The brewers at Tuju have a deep respect for technique. Every beer they can keg and bottle promises a precise and intense flavour. “We believe that a beer has to represent the style: an IPA has to have a certain amount of hopping in it; a lager needs to be a lager,” says Tuju’s CEO and co-founder, Jukka Mononen.

Tuju’s canned beers are its most audience-friendly, comprising favourites like session, West Coast and New England IPAs, helles and American lagers, and an American porter and stout. “Hazy IPAs remain the biggest trend in beer right now, and that’s reflected in our cans,” says brand designer and il-

lustrator, Samu Koskinen. The stylish range has whipped up a hype amongst beer-gourmands and casual drinkers alike – for its dark graphic art, as well as its flavour. As an official partner of Helsinki Death Fest, Tuju has made several special beers for metal bands and festivals: “We have three illustrators making our artwork. Tuju is a super creative brewery and our design is too. Our vision is to be the most interesting brewery in Finland,” says Koskinen.

The Wild Barrel Series

Tuju’s cans might look experimental on the outside, but the real fun starts with the Wild Barrel Series. “These wild-

style beers resemble Belgian lambics. Flavour-wise, they are somewhere between beer and wine. They’re matured in wooden barrels, often ex-bourbon or wine barrels, to which we introduce a a cocktail of several different cultures of Brettanomyces yeast and lactic-acid-producing bacteria, resulting in a range of dry, complex, sour and funky profiles,” explains Mononen.

Some of the Wild Barrel bottles have been matured with fruits from the local forests of Lappeenranta, like raspberries, lingonberries, quince and sea buckthorn. “Everything is hand-picked. The beers work particularly well with fruits that have a natural tartness and sweetness,” says Mononen. The Wild Barrel bottle range has caught the attention of a slew of Finnish restaurants who pair them, like wines, with their menus. “They pair really well with food, but are also great to enjoy on their own,” he says.

The Black Barrel Series

Then there’s the Black Barrel Series –the most metal of the lot, sporting dark, gothic artwork. These bottles represent the pinnacle of Tuju’s barrel-aging methods, with long-maturation imperial stouts and barley wines that display deep, rounded flavours, soft aromas and a velvety texture. “These days, most brewers produce quite sweet imperial or export stouts, like pastry stouts. We

do more American-style traditional imperial stouts – dry, with a high ABV and strong bitterness. In the Black Barrel Series, we blend and season the beers to introduce different accents. The long maturation really helps them to transform,” says Mononen.

Meanwhile, Tuju’s barley wine – a lesser-known style that’s yet to see a popular renaissance – quietly marks them out as uncommon devotees to the craft of brewing. “I really enjoy heritage styles, like old British ales, Scotch ales, shilling ales. Barley wine is one of my favourite styles because of the bold, sweet maltiness. Ours is closer to an American style, with more hopping than is usual,” says Mononen.

Beer trend predictions from the experts Though it doesn’t get the same press, there’s a dark horse at Tuju. “We have a farmhouse ale called Farmhouse Alien. It’s close to Belgian IPA in flavour, and it’s seriously under the radar. People don’t realise how good it is. I think farmhouse and saison styles tend to scare people,” says Koskinen. Mononen agrees: “Saisons don’t have the footprint in Finland that they deserve.”

Despite wandering deep into the annals of beer history, Mononen and Koskinen’s own everyday choices are the brewery’s well-done classics – and they

project that the vox populi will swing in this direction, too. “At the moment, I’m into dry-hopped lagers, American lagers and IPAs,” says Koskinen. “Lagers and West Coast beer styles are coming up fast. I think we’re going to see a trend for cleaner IPAs with more crispness and hopping, and more breweries trying to do high-quality lagers.”

Thirsty Lappeenranta locals can visit Tuju’s brewery and beer store, while Helsinki-siders can enjoy Tuju’s freshly kegged beers on tap at Juova, one of the city’s most centrally located taprooms. But those from further afield will have to wait for Tuju’s much-anticipated debut on the European market. Beer aficionados, watch this space.

www.panimotuju.fi

Instagram: @panimoyhtio_tuju

Facebook: panimoyhtioTUJU

Untappd: Panimoyhtiö Tuju

Visit Tuju’s Beer Store at: Meijerinkatu 4 53500, Lappeenranta

Opening hours:

Thursday: 12 – 17

Friday: 12 – 18

Drink Tuju on tap at Helsinki’s Juova Hanahuone

Instagram: @juovahelsinki

Conference of the Month, Finland

Get active on your next summer holiday

Planning a retreat with your company, or even a holiday with family and friends, can often be tricky. You have to find the perfect location, with food, activities and accommodation, all in the same area. Therefore, Käringsund Resort & Conference pride themselves on being able to provide all of this in one friendly, beautiful and well-connected holiday destination. “Our resort is the perfect place to be during summer,” says Käringsund’s CEO Hubertus von Frenckell.

By Hanna Andersson | Photos: Käringsund Resort & Conference

Käringsund Resort & Conference is located on Åland, an island in the Baltic Sea, easily accessible from both Sweden and Finland. The resort consists of a village with a wide variety of accommodations, including luxurious villas, small cottages and large bungalows. Meanwhile, the holiday destination offers an extensive selection of activities to keep you busy during your stay.

“We offer a huge range of sports and leisure pursuits for a fun holiday. There’s everything from motorbike tracks, minigolf, tennis, padel and beach volleyball, to more exclusive activities such as water scooter safaris, seal safaris and trolling for salmon in the archipelago,” says von Frenckell. “It’s perfect for an active family, or a group of colleagues trying to strengthen their team spirit.”

Käringsund happily hosts both small groups and large companies, and can supply you with conference rooms for strategic meetings, as well as fun activities for team building. Von Frenckell confirms: “We can offer things your colleagues have never tried before. For example, we have our popular SUPathlon, a relay on SUP boards where your groups compete against one another.”

The feedback has been positive throughout the years, and von Frenckell explains that they work hard to create a relaxed and fun environment where everyone feels included and taken care of from start to finish.

“This is a relaxed holiday home. We love to see our guests return year after year; it’s like a little community. You can tailor

your holiday by either cooking your own food in your cottage, or visiting our restaurant. You can have a busy day trying out all of our activities, and then treat yourself to a sunbed the next day,” explains von Frenckell.

At Käringsund Resort & Conference, there is something for everyone; no matter your budget or how active you are. It’s a home away from home, where you can enjoy your summer holiday to the fullest.

www.karingsund.ax

Instagram: karingsund_resort

Facebook: Käringsund Resort

A picture tells more than a thousand words, they say.

But what if there are no words?

Just the sound of the sea and the wind. And an island.

Far out in the Finnish Archipelago, off-grid.

Where design follows the landscape.

Where your only job is to light the logs for the sauna. To switch off from time. To disconnect from the world. To reconnect with the nature. With yourself.

A place where feelings and experiences count more than words or pictures.

A place to simply be.

www.project-o.fi

The island to be.

Working on new paintings in the studio.

Artist of the Month, Norway

One painting tells a thousand stories

From the mysterious forests to the snow covered mountains, Norway’s unique nature is raw and ruthless, yet soft and tender. Karianne Gruer Torp captures the bond between man and nature in the most beautiful ways.

By Andri Papanicolas | Photos: Jarran Flokkmann

In her renovated barn located at the end of Steinsfjorden, Norway, lies Kariannes ateliér. Overlooking the vast landscape

in every direction, Karianne is used to observing the day as it rolls by. “Sometimes, I only see silhouettes, other times

I see rays of light. The landscape can be deep and mysterious or crisp and clear,” Karianne says.

Starting each day with a walk in nature, Karianne has witnessed the many moods mother earth has to offer. “Some people assume I am a hunter because of my three cocker spaniels,” she laughs.

She likes to explore, going off the beaten track to find her own breathing room in the landscape. Sometimes she spots an elk running gracefully away or skittish deer hiding behind the trees. Karianne explains that nature will always accept you as you are. “I guess I am a hunter. I catch the atmospheres and the rhythms,” she adds.

Take a leap of faith

Karianne has been painting and drawing since childhood, nuturing her eagerness to create, and her inner artist has never waned. Eventually, she felt a calling to tell the story of the vast nature around her through art.

Passing the age of 40, she finally decided to be bold and take a leap of faith.

She sold her business and invested fully in her paintings. Today, she is a nationally renowned artist with multiple exhibitions to her name.

Since Karianne’s first art exhibition in 2013, A lot of Norwegians have an original KGT (Karianne Gruer Torp) painting hanging in their homes. “When I talk to people, they find a resonance in my work with their own stories, I am glad people can relive memories throught my paintings,” Karianne says.

Close to home

There is a deeply emotional self that lives inside all of us, and spending time in nature heightens our connection to it. For thousands of years, the forests, rivers and mountains have been human’s bread

and butter. Our dependence on nature for survival has created a unbreakable relationship between humans and the wild.

“The most powerful experiences I’ve ever had took place when I was alone in nature. I find stillness and a deep sense of calm. That is the most important feeling that I try to convey in my paintings,” Karianne says.

One of Karianne’s artistic strengths is the way she captures the feeling of belonging. To achieve that, she often paints what people are familiar with – such as a weather phenomenon in the mountains, famous landmarks, or a special energy.

Karianne has several paintings named Glittertind, Sommerregn Jomfruland and

Fjellegg Hemsedal, 80x80 cm, acrylic and sand flour.

Borgund Stavkirke, 120x120 cm, acrylic and sand flour.

Kyst, 80x80 cm, acrylic and sand flour.

“This painting is a work-in-progress and the subject is from Hallingskarvet and Tvergastein, the cottage of philosopher Arne Næss. It was a very strong and beautiful nature experience.”

Photo: Jan Tore Eger Heed

Senhøst Bitihorn, all scenic locations in Norway. “My work reflects real places with familiar elements. The soul of the painting is based on the way I felt at the time I was there. Afterwards, I choose the visual aesthetics and technique,” she says. Her purpose as an artist is to give viewers their own breathing room in nature by capturing the atmosphere.

Bringing a piece of nature into the piece

When creating the acrylic paintings, Karianne likes to incorporate the surrounding nature, taking, for example, sand flour from the local moraines and mixing it with paint. “It feels like I am giving back to nature. The result is a beautiful rustic, matte surface,” she says.

She explains that a painting is constructed with thick layers at the bottom and thin layers at the top, almost like the aquarelle technique. Sometimes, she painstakingly layers gold leaf on the works, giving them depth.

Combining a lot of earth-toned colours with the simplicity of nature, Karianne’s paintings tick all the boxes that categorise the humble, modern Scandinavian style. “The pieces are naturalistic and abstract at the same time. They have soft shapes, earth tones, grey-blue hues, sienna and ochre,” she says.

“When we renovated my studio, I kept the old barn wall where the horse had stood, it tells a nice story with its scratches and kick marks.”

Oktoberdag Hallingskarvet, 400x120 cm. “This is one of the mountain areas that is close to my heart, it is with humility that I try to recreate the experiences from here.”

Steinsfjorden Vintermorgen, 100x50 cm, acrylic and sand flour.

Endless oportunities

Like an author going away to write, Karianne has dedicated this year to working on her next exhibition. She plans to spend a lot of time in nature, taking in the calmness and stillness that inspires her to paint. The next project, which will gradually take form over time, will culminate in a new exhibition. Karianne underlines the importance of being patient and to not stress the process. “It is going to be like writing a book, but with no words, only on the canvas,” she says.

To Karianne, nature’s abundance is not in its beauty, but also in the variety of feelings it inspires. This gives her all she needs to keep doing what she loves. “My biggest wish is that my art can give you a sense of calm in a hectic life. I want to pass on what I have experienced myself. I am both proud of and humbled by people supporting my work,” she says. “A common love for nature is what defines those who are drawn to my art.”

If you want to see more of Karianne Gruer Torps work, you can visit her website or follow the Norway-based artist on Facebook or Instagram to keep updated on her latest ventures.

www.kariannegruertorp.no

Instagram: @Karianne_Gruer_Torp

Facebook: Karianne Gruer Torp

Høst Tanbergmoen, 100x50 cm, acrylic and sand flour.

Two of my travel-loving friends, Morris and Henry the cocker spaniels.

“I always have hiking equipment on hand, and I am constantly picking up twigs, pine cones and stones from trips as souvenirs and reminders.”

Design Studio of

the

Month, Norway

This Norwegian studio is a world leader in visual design

Do you know your visual identity? Faced with this question, a growing number of enterprises discover that they don’t – but it’s time that they did.

By Eva-Kristin U. Pedersen | Photos: Bleed Studios

“Your visual identity is more than just the logo, it is an ambassador of your brand, a package that underpins every choice related to communication, including images, graphics and text, and how these are used. The idea is to improve the brand experience and ultimately to create a proxy for a set of associations that people all over the world are willing to pay for,” says Christoffer Nøkleby.

Nøkleby is one of the owners of Bleed, a world leading studio in visual design. At Bleed, they combine a thorough understanding of society and business with top-quality design inspired by Nordic aesthetics.

Founded in 2000 by five young designers and software developers in Oslo, the company’s fame has exploded internationally, as the focus on visual identities in business has heightened over the years.

The Apple revolution

“Apple revolutionised a somewhat boring and utility-driven technology sector, introducing design as a main feature. Now, virtually all sectors demand an unequivocal and effective visual identity,” Nøkleby explains.

To construct that identity, designers at Bleed work with the client to identify the latter’s unique values before they de-

sign the visual message that represents them. In doing so, clients are forced to carefully consider who they are and what they stand for – something they wouldn’t necessarily do if it weren’t for the need for an effective visual identity.

Christoffer Nøkleby CEO and partner in Bleed Studios. Photo: Bleed Studios

The visual idenetiy and packaging of Son Venin perfumes is made by Bleed. High-end perfume brand Son Venin started out as an in-house Bleed project.

“The process of creating a visual identity is often very useful for companies in ways that extend beyond obtaining the digital asset that we make for them,” says Simon Stjern, director of strategy at Bleed.

Stjern has a strong background in rhetoric having been a political speechwriter, and says that there are many similarities between defining the essential messages for a speech and for a commercial client. “It helps them understand the core of what they do,” he stresses.

Diverse staff

To be able to serve a large number of clients across sectors, from banks and festivals to universities and fashion brands, Bleed relies on employees with equally diverse backgrounds, both culturally and professionally.

“Our staff have worked in both digital and in physical sectors, and of the 15 designers in the Oslo studio, about half are non-Norwegian. Joining our international team of staff is competitive – the company is popular amongst aspiring designers around the world. If you speak to a student in Tokyo with an interest in Nordic design, chances are that they follow us on Instagram,” Nøkleby says with a smile.

Scandinavian aesthetics, international context

The company’s international profile does not prevent them from being a proponent of the wave of Nordic design that has taken on global markets over the last decades. The secret, if we are to believe Nøkleby, is in their capacity to

adapt Scandinavian style to an international reality – as in one of their recent projects for a tech start-up linked to a major American university.

“Part of the reason that we are selected for such jobs is that we represent, in their eyes, something unique and interesting that you may want to call Nordic aesthetics – yet this style is adaptable and we make it relevant no matter where it is applied,” Nøkleby stresses. “Nordic aesthetics are a driving force in our work, not the goal in itself,” he points out.

Looking to the future

Bleed has major potential for growth, but rather than opening a string of offices in new cities, they’d rather strengthen the already existing Vienna-office, which today has five employees.

“Our focus, be that in Vienna or Oslo, is on creating interesting design in an economically sustainable way, not expanding for the sake of expansion,” says Nøkleby.

To do that, Bleed maintains a combined understanding of the world of business, the society we live in, and top-quality design at the core of all of its activity.

“What we want our clients to see is that, if done well enough, visual design can greatly improve user experience and make marketing strategies dramatically more efficient,” he concludes.

www.bleed.com

Facebook: bleeddesign

Instagram: @bleed.studio

Twitter: @bleed_design

LinkedIn: Bleed Design Studio

Natural History Museum, rebranded by Bleed

Photo: Jan Kühr (Abrakadabra Studio)

Bleed Studios was responsible for the branding process when Skandiabanken became Sbanken.

Photo: Tom Wood

ONE and OTHERs visual identity reflects ambitions and core values. Photo: ONE and OTHER

Architecture Profile of the Month, Finland

HELST Architects: timeless, beautiful designs with a Nordic soul

A visionary and creative architecture company in Helsinki are helping their clients turn dreams into realities. They create sustainable and sensory homes with a focus on longevity, flexibility and beauty. The designs themselves are timeless, the materials environmentally sound, and each home has, like life itself, room for change.

By Trine Ejlskov Jensen-Martin | Photos: HELST Oy

Founded by Jens Rasmussen from Sweden and Rabbe Tiainen from Finland, HELST Architects has its base in Helsinki. The pair met whilst studying at Aalto University. “We were working in large-scale offices on big design and building projects

such as hospitals,” says Rabbe. “But we wanted to work more closely with both people and materials,” adds Jens.

Working alongside one another, they realised that they wanted to create something

different and unique together. In 2016, they founded HELST, which is going strong today with a string of exceptional projects and hugely grateful clients behind them. Jens and Rabbe bring a youthful creative eye to contemporary Nordic architecture and design, and every build they produce is bespoke and client-focused.

It’s all in the name

They each bring different cultural influences and experiences to their projects, which is reflected in the company’s name.

HELST is an amalgamation of Rabbe’s Finnish background and Jens’ Swedish upbringing, combining the words HELsinki and STockholm. “We wanted to merge our ideas and views on architecture and design by mixing elements of Finnish minimalist architecture with the more colourful Swedish approach,” says Rabbe.

The word ‘helst’ also means ‘most preferable’, and is a nod to the company’s careful and considerate approach when choosing each project. HELST take on projects they feel strongly about, where they can work closely with their clients to create functional and beautiful buildings. Jens and Rabbe are driven by passion and creativity, and they have a clear vision of the company’s core ethos.

Sustainability over time

“We make buildings that are enduring in design and function, as well as beautiful and environmentally sustainable,” they agree. At HELST, projects are crafted with close attention to the impact that buildings will have on the environment and on the wellbeing of their clients –who are at the heart of the company. “We want to design high-quality houses with heart,” Jens explains.

The care Jens and Rabbe have for each project and client is evident. They do not just design buildings, they create homes. The pair’s working relationship has evolved over the years; where initially they would work together on every stage of design and creation, these days

they take turns leading projects, with one always taking on the role of main designer, and the other giving input.

Tailor-made homes

“We want to get to know the people we work with, and go on a journey with them that culminates in their dream, tailor-made home,” Rabbe says. “Involving the client in the process is crucial.” The materials they use are environmentally-conscious and the designs themselves are neither too modern, nor too traditional, ensuring that they never date.

The houses are made to be flexible and organic, able to adapt over time in step with the changing lives of the users. “It is important that our buildings can change as family life and dynamics change. Leaving room for change is a crucial part of our home-design approach,” explains Jens. They achieve this through close collaboration with the client, meeting several times to understand their needs and to in-

tegrate them in the design solutions. “We are firm believers in listening to people, which is evident in our working environment, our approach to the company, and the relationships we develop with our clients,” Jens says.

Nordic appeal

So far, HELST have worked solely on successful projects in Finland, but they are open to branching out. “We intend to expand into Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia,” Rabbe says. The style of their designs and their bespoke approach is well-matched to Nordic sensibilities and values, and it is likely only a matter of time before other Nordic countries open their eyes, ears and hearts to what HELST has to offer. There is no doubt that this company will continue to create timeless and beautiful homes with impressive skill, genuine care and real soul.

www.helst.fi

Instagram: @helst_architects

Jens and Rabbe inside the HELST office.

The Estonian National Opera: a cultural gem on the shore of the Baltic Sea

In the heart of Tallinn, Estonia’s capital city, lies an art-nouveau-classicist theatre and concert hall built in 1913, and designed by the renowned 20th century Finnish architects, Armas Lindgren and Wivi Lönn. Today, the magnificent building houses Estonia’s national treasure: its historic opera and ballet theatre.

By Marion Leppik

Established in 1906, the Estonian National Opera (Rahvusooper Estonia) is the country’s biggest multi-genre repertory theatre, staging operas, operettas, musicals and ballets, and hosting concerts and other exciting events. It is a symbolic building in Estonian history: in 1919, the first Estonian parliament was assembled in its rooms, and in 1990, the Congress of Estonia gathered there to restore the Estonian Republic.

Nowadays, this majestic hall hosts the President of the Republic’s Independence Day receptions, and other high-profile visitors. On weekdays, festivities fill the opera house with music, and serve as a source of cultural inspiration for locals and tourists alike.

The national opera’s artistic director and chief conductor Arvo Volmer has a particular affection for Nordic music. In fact, he has recorded all the orchestral pieces of the Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja,

and the symphonies of Finnish Jean Sibelius and Estonian Eduard Tubin.

The repertoire of the national opera is diverse, ranging from the classical to the modern. In 2022, it staged five premieres, including two originals: The Magic Flute by W. A. Mozart and directed by Vilppu Kiljunen; Twilight Houses, a ballet about love in the fading society of the Baltic Germans by Tiit Härm; Three Jolly Fellows, an original children’s opera composed by Tõnis Kaumann and directed by Vahur Keller; Orpheus in the Underworld, an operetta by Jacques Offenbach and directed by Liis Kolle; and The Corsair, a pirate ballet by Adolph Adam, choreographed by José Carlos Martinez.

2023 will see several new pieces added: Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Giovanna d’Arco, directed by Marco Gandini; the two short ballets Open Door by Katarzyna Kozielska and Suite en Blanc by Serge Lifar, under a shared title of Black / White; Lohen-

grin, a romantic opera by Richard Wagner, directed by Michiel Dijkema; Claude Debussy’s Pelléas and Mélisande, an opera directed by Albert-André Lheureux; and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, directed by Gyula Harangozó.

The Estonian National Opera’s excellent concert programme includes symphony concerts, choirs and small and large performances in the opera house and other venues. It also has its own symphony orchestra, choir and a permanent ensemble who work together to bring various large-scale works to the stage every season.

www.opera.ee

Instagram: @estoniannationalopera

Facebook: Rahvusooper

Tamar Nugis in Oprheus in the Underworld.

Photo: Siim Vahur

Ketlin Oja and Ali Urata in Twilight Houses.

Photo: Veljo Poom

The Estonian National Opera. Photo: Kaupo Kalda

Develop your field at Estonia’s world-leading arts academy

Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) in Tallinn is listed among the top 200 architecture and design universities in the world by QS World University Rankings. At the leading national centre of innovation in visual culture, 1,200 students from all over the world are taught by internationally recognised artists, architects, designers and scholars.

By Lena Hunter

Across four faculties of Architecture, Design, Art Culture and Fine Arts, EKA is renowned for its detailed curricula and an interdisciplinary atmosphere that supports the development of robust, creative and conscientious thinkers.

The Academy has a strong profile of international PhD programmes, and offers nine Master’s courses in English, including Contemporary Art, Graphic Design, Urban Studies, Craft Studies, Animation and Interaction Design.

Inside the Craft Studies Master’s programme

The Craft Studies course is spearheaded by the interdisciplinary artists Juss Heinsalu and Kärt Ojavee, whose own practices in ceramics, smart textiles and broader material exploration shape the uniquely inquisitive curriculum. Accepting some ten students per year, the

course offers a framework for drafting individual material-based practice and advancing critical thinking.

“It’s a heavily studio-based approach, composed of one-on-one mentoring, collaborative and unconventional learning experiences. In the contemporary world, studio practice is not something fixed. Nomadic aspects have to be considered. The crucial footwork – collective field trips –takes us to the local bogs, wild woods and coastal boundaries here by the Baltic Sea, as well as on journeys further afield,” explains Heinsalu.

Interdisciplinary learning

The course is also enriched by the competencies of the Ceramics, Glass, Jewellery and Blacksmithing, Textile, Accessories and Fashion departments. “There are many different workshops available in, for example, leatherwork, woodworking,

weaving or biomaterials. EKA is unique because practical expertise is so readily accessible, while its intimate scale allows for cross-pollination,” says Ojavee. “Students can dedicate their studies to one discipline, but have the opportunity to inform and expand it with methodologies native to other material fields. We encourage curious experimentation and construction of speculative narratives.”

Heinsalu and Ojavee agree that Tallinn is a particularly fertile city for the arts. “Estonia is kind of on the vibrant edge,” says Heinsalu. “It embodies this peripheral idea which is present in craft. Craft is neither design, nor fine art, yet central to all disciplines. Here, we engage with the local skills, knowledge and heritage, and use it as the grounds on which to reimagine the future of art and technology.”

EKA International Curricula promotion is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.

www.artun.ee

Instagram: @eka_estonian_academy_of_arts

Facebook: Eestikunstiakadeemia

Left: Estonian Academy of Arts building. Photo: Tõnu Tunnel. Right: Field trip to Kristineberg Center for Marine Research and Innovation with students from EKA, Aalto University and Vilnius Academy of Arts, as part of a collaborative project Algae for Design-Led Transition towards a Blue Bio-Economy.

Best new Scandi music in February

By Karl Batterbee

Swedish up-and-comer Paula Jivén is back with her first single since last summer’s excellent debut EP The Duality In Me. New release Can We Talk About Me? provides Paula with the ideal platform for channeling one of her most admirable traits as an artist: her engaging storytelling. Accompanying her lyrics are an endearingly eccentric pop production and a skittish melody that ascends and descends according to the beat, challenging us to come along for the ride, if we can take it.

Icelandic artist Daniel Oliver is out with a brand-new tune – Ready For Love. A rare feat in today’s Spotify playlist popscape, this track actually clocks in at just over four minutes. And in that time, Daniel has been able to compose a song that, almost exactly halfway through, switches from mega-ballad to arena-pop banger. Both

genres showcase a change in direction for Daniel in this synthpop era of his, but they are blended together brilliantly.

As her previous single Summer Really Hurt Us takes off in the UK, Finland’s ALMA is now out with the follow-up Hey Mom Hey Dad. It’s a switch-up in sound for our Finnish pop icon as she takes a brief break from futuristic electronica sounds to slow it down to a retro-chic pace. Melodically, this sounds like it could be a rewrite of an old classic. But it’s actually the artist composing a new classic - which she seems to be doing a lot of, recently.

Sweden’s Seinabo Sey has just gone and delivered an unmissable listening experience. Her latest single Suzuki exudes an irresistible warmth that invites you in on the positive-vibes fest that it’s doing such

a good job of hosting. Self-affirmation features highly in the theme of the lyrics, and the feel-good message is infectious. And really, who would turn that down right now?

www.scandipop.co.uk

Monthly Illustration Looking back through snow-tinted spectacles

I sometimes tell myself that every Swedish winter was white when I was a kid. I remember the wonderful quiet of heavy snowfall and magical days spent building snow forts. I loved those crisp, clear winter days when I would put on my skis and go round the neighbourhood again and again, pretending I was either Ronia, the wild and brave Astrid Lindgren character, or Gunde Svan, the 1980s skimaster.

I look at the catastrophe of grey rain and mud outside my window, and then over to the sofa where my children are on screens, and I say what all parents say: “When I was a child, we played outside aaaaall the time”.

Then the guilt sets in. Maybe my children are hard done by for living somewhere without snow. I spiral into thoughts that I’m not giving them the magical childhood they deserve – one that I could only give them in

Sweden, because surely all of Sweden is a dreamy winter wonderland of joy from November til March.

But is it? Was every winter snowy when I was young, or do I just remember the ones that were? Scotland’s climate is certainly warmer than Sweden’s, but the people here also have a warmth that’s not easily found

By Gabi Froden

in Scandinavia. Maybe my children, growing up Scottish, will be formed by things other than white winters. Maybe they will be influenced by the lovely, funny community they grow up in, and remember the lochs we visit. Maybe Glasgow’s music scene will be their snowy winter days. Sure, they might struggle to become skiing champions, but they can still be wild and brave like Ronia.

As long as I get them off the bloody screens.

Gabi

Scandinavian Culture Calendar

–Where to go, what to see?

It’s all happening here!

By Hanna Heiskanen

Rosa Helin, Pink Bubble Puppy Perro

Photo: Rosa Helin Art

Yukine Kuroki piano concert (15 February)

Despite her youth (she was born in 1998), the Japanese pianist Yukine Kuroki has already won the prestigious Liszt competition. Now she is taking on the stage in Bærum Kulturhus in Greater Oslo, Norway. Her performance programme consists of Liszt, Schubert and Stravinsky, and is part of the Sanvika Master Series, which has featured some of the most exciting names in classical music.

Claude Monets alle 27, Sandvika www.baerumkulturhus.no

Contemporary dance by Ekman, Hjálmarsdóttir and Naharin (10 to 24 February)

The Swedish National Opera is celebrating its 250th anniversary all year, so expect a fine programme of song and dance. Representing the latter is this three-piece evening of contemporary dance, with choreographies by the Swedish Alexander Ekman, Icelandic Hlín Hjálmarsdóttir, whose piece Rip-

tide has been created for this group, and Israeli Ohad Naharin, the wild-child of modern dance.

Gustav Adolfs torg 2, Stockholm www.operan.se

Turku Artists’ Association’s 99th annual exhibition (until 26 February)

Turku, Finland’s original capital (just ask one of the locals about it!) is a vibrant centre for visual arts. The local

Albert Edelfelt: Luxembourg Gardens, Paris (1887).

Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Hannu Pakarinen

Tampere Film Festival offers something for everyone.

Photo: Jeffrey Mayeda

Artists’ Association’s annual show is an opportunity to see an eclectic mix of 42 works curated by set-designer and puppet-theatre artist Johanna Latvala, with inspiration ranging from nature to AI. Vanha Suurtori 5, Turku www.turuntaidehalli.fi

CIRCULEIGHT (until 28 February)

Are you interested in art but suffer from a short attention span? Or perhaps you just want to experience something intense and immersive? We recommend that you visit the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík, which has partnered with ARTECHOUSE to create CIRCULEIGHT, a 20-minute immersive experience and installation consisting of visuals and sound. The music has been composed by Icelandic Högni Egilsson. Austurbakka 2, Reykjavík www.harpa.is

Tampere Film Festival (8 to 12 March)

This festival, which saw its first edition in 1968, focuses on short films and is the

largest of its kind in the Nordics. While the programme isn’t out until mid-February, expect a selection of about 400 different films. One of the venues is the former Finlayson cotton factory – the local Meatpacking District.

Venues around Tampere www.tamperefilmfestival.fi

Albert Edelfelt – Modern Artist Life in Fin-de-Siècle Europe (until 12 March)

The Gothenburg Museum of Art boasts the third-largest art collection in Sweden, so it’s well worth a visit. There is still time to check out their Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905) exhibition, which showcases the paintings of one of Finland’s best-known and loved artists.

Götaplatsen 6, Gothenburg www.goteborgskonstmuseum.se

The David Collection

While Copenhagen is a mecca of modern art, it also hosts an interesting collection of Islamic art. Take, for example, the small but fascinating David Collection in

the centre of the city, with free entry all year round. The museum also has European artworks from the 18th century and Danish early-modern art. Until 9 April, you can also check out Claus Rohland’s photos of the Middle East from the 1970s.

Kronprinsessegade 30-32, Copenhagen

www.davidmus.dk

The Albert Edelfelt exhibition in Gothenburg.

Photo: Hossein Sehatlou

Silja Selonen: Purple II

Photo: Silja Selonen

February 2023

Published 02.2023

ISSN 1757-9589

Graphic Designer Mercedes Moulia

Cover Photo Rolands Varsbergs, Copenhagen Media Centre

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Ekman Hjálmarsdóttir Naharin.

Photo: Kungliga Operan Thomas Klementsson

This is my house!

Alfons Åbergs Kulturhus (Alfie Atkins’ Cultural Centre) is a creative cultural centre for children and their adults.

This is a place where curious children can play, get up to mischief, climb and discover a world full os exciting things.