Food from the norwegian mountains

Traditional rural and mountain cooking, a

competitive advantage: the Norwegian Experience

Overview• Norway and Norwegian history• Norway as a tourism destination• Typical approach to food for tourism, in the mountains• What is Norwegian food today?• How does our travellers needs change?• Examples of mountain gastronomy as a competitive advantage

Quick facts about me• Name: Espen Blåfjelldal (Means Bluemountainvalley)• 50% from the north of Norway, 1/8 Sammi

Quick facts about me• Name: Espen Blåfjelldal (Means Bluemountainvalley)• 50% from the north of Norway, 1/8 Sammi• 50 % from Valdres in the south mountain region

Quick facts about me• Name: Espen Blåfjelldal (Means Bluemountainvalley)• 50% from the north of Norway, 1/8 Sammi• 50 % from Valdres in the south mountain region• Lives here now• Education from University of Adelaide• Moved back • Runs a restaurant, brewery and projects. • Vice-president in Hanen

Norway• A long stretch country with only 5 million people• Norway a country in the artic• Traditionally a country with fish and forrest• Found oil in the 60’• Now a big social-democratic success• Women is working full time• Oil price down

Norway as a tourism destination• Exotic• Fjords• Northern light• Cold• Expensive• Nature, much of it• Once in a lifetime?

Norway for tourist• Snow guaranty• More accesible nature• Temperature turists• Mountain Norway• Micro-segments• Luxury

Norwegian Moutains• Mountains in general between Bergen- Oslo – Stavanger and

Trondheim• Low, from 800 meters, and maximum 2469 meters• Three line at 1000 meters• Snow from november untill april

Norwegian Moutains• Mountains in general between Bergen- Oslo – Stavanger and

Trondheim• Rural• Scarcly populatet• Traditionally destination for Norwegian turists• Mountain hotels down• Farming, summer farms, long winter

Typical approach to food for tourist• International tourist was typicly groups, Low price• Frozen salmon and industry

• Food along the way was fast food• Dinner from 4pm to 7pm• No restaurant culture in the mountains

Trends• Industry - farm• Imported - local• The sharing economy• Social media• Air Travel - Norwegian, Budget flights• Individual - Groups• Climate• Booking

What is Norwegian food today?

Norwegian food today• Yesterday, first 3 star restaurants in Scandinavia

• Huge export of seafood

• Local food, farm food revolution last 10 years

• The local revolution lead by mountain food

Norwegian food today• Huge export of seafood• Fantastic chefs and restaurants• Local food, farm food revolution last 10 years• The local revolution lead by mountain food• Cheese, cured meat, raindeer, beef, berries, vegetables etc• Markeds in the cities

Mountain gastronomy• Tradionally cooking to survive the winter• Curing, salting, cheese, fermenting, stewing, jams etc

• Free range animals• High level of antioxidants• Higher levels of omega 3• Tourism at summer farms

Røros-mat and Gudbrandsdalsmat• Producers made a company together to sell, distribute and to

promote the region

• Common distribution and quality brand

• Started with food, now it is a travel destination

Røros-mat today• Explosive growth• Increase in tourist• Many new businesses• Deliver good results• Sustainable

Why did Røros succed?• Need, Bottom up

• Good helpers, bureaucrats

• Financial help from innovation Norway and local government

• Hard work

Protected food• Rakfisk, fermented trout• Mountain lamb from Gudbrandsdalen• Cured leg of lamb• Cured sausage from Valdres• Mountain almond potato• Cheese from Røros• Fermented milk from Røros

Competitive advantage, mountain food• Pure• Healthy• No industry approach• Believable

• Extreme

Successpoints• Hotels with good food is a success• Food experience

• Experienced quality• Give your costumers what they want ? • They do not know what we can offer• Over deliver

• Available

Success• Social media• Tripadvisor, ratings• Google• Destinations• Traditional marketing is for the big ones

Food, success• Fermented Trout• Cured sausage and meet• Raindeer• Mountainpigs• Lamb• Game

Vinjerock, a case-studie

Vinjerock• How can a festival sell out in under 10 seconds?• The festival is in the middle of nowhere• The infrastructure has to be re-established each year• You can get better music in Oslo

• The success is the package• Judge it by the least favourable experience

And of course, the mountain, food and beer!• Reindeer, moose, lamb, mountainpig

• Local breweries

• Made on site

Festivals• Food festivals

• Semifermented trout

• Rock-festivals with local food

• Demand for unique food in sportsevents

Brief• Norway is small and exotic• The mountains are cold and clean• Mountainfood is pure and clean food• Judge your quality by your least favourable ingredient• Experienced quality• Reviews• Available