Norway

NoMy

© NoMy
Fungi, Mushrooms & Mycelium

Fenja BioSolutions and NoMy Combine Expertise to Scale Mycoprotein Production in Europe

Norwegian Mycelium (NoMy) and Fenja BioSolutions (Fenja) have formed a strategic partnership to advance the industrialization of mycoprotein production in Europe. The agreement positions the companies to scale up sustainable protein production in both Norway and the EU, responding to the growing demand for locally sourced and environmentally sustainable proteins. As part of the partnership, Fenja will design and supply specialized processing facilities to support the production of mycoprotein. This collaboration is particularly relevant as Europe seeks to reduce its dependency on imported proteins and enhance food security. It also aligns with EU goals such as the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, as well as Norway’s push to promote local ingredients and sustainable food systems. Idar Alvestad, CEO of Fenja BioSolutions, explained …

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two people wearing "go vegan" t-shirts at Oslo vegetarfestival

Oslo vegetarfestival 2023, Photo Credit: Oslo Vegetarfestival
Charity & Campaigns

Help Spread the Plant-Based Message in Norway!

The Oslo Vegetarfestival is the largest plant-based event in central Oslo and has been running every year for over a decade. To further increase its impact, the organisation works with other festival and event organisers in the country to make plant-based food offerings available at their events. Oslo Vegetarfestival has also started hosting the Future Foods conference, Norway’s go-to event for the plant-based food industry, to foster innovation and collaboration among all stakeholders. It’s the only event of its kind in the country, made possible with the help of ProVeg Grants. Since launching in 2019, ProVeg Grants has provided more than 900 grants to organisations and individuals in over 90 countries working to change the global food system. Your donation to ProVeg Grants will help …

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Norwegian dietary guidelines

© Helsenorge/Norwegian Directorate of Health
Health

Norway Becomes Latest Country to Recommend Eating Mostly Plants in New Dietary Guidelines

Norway has published updated dietary guidelines that recommend choosing mostly plant-based foods and limiting red and processed meat consumption. The guidelines advise that all meals should include fruits and vegetables, while several servings of whole grains should be eaten each day. Meanwhile, the maximum recommended red meat consumption has been lowered from 500g to 350g per week, and people are advised to eat as little processed meat as possible. The protein group in the food wheel now contains legumes and tofu as well as meat and seafood, and the recommendations suggest replacing some or all of the meat in certain dishes with beans or lentils. Low-fat dairy consumption is still recommended as a source of calcium, but the guidelines acknowledge that plant-based alternatives are a …

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Four samples of alga-based oils in tubes

Image courtesy of GC Rieber VivoMega
Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

VivoMega’s New Omega-3 Supplements from Microalgae Gain V-Label Certification

GC Rieber VivoMega, a Norwegian manufacturer of fish oils, has expanded into the algae oil market with a new line of vegan DHA Omega-3 concentrates derived from marine microalgae. Today, the company announces that it has received the International V-Label certification for its new vegan products. Established in Switzerland in 1996, the V-Label certification has set a precise definition and criteria to classify products as vegan or vegetarian to ensure the quality and the origin of ingredients while allowing consumers to identify products quickly.  “This certification further helps validate our efforts to provide a superior product with exceptional purity parameters and optimal sensory profiles. We launched our vegan DHA omega-3 at Expo West this year and received great customer feedback and engagement,” said Ståle Søfting, Sales and Marketing …

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dan-gold-unsplash-courtesy LiveGreen

Image courtesy LiveGreen
Health

Updated Nordic Nutrition Recommendations Advise Plant-Forward Diet With Minimal Meat

The much-anticipated sixth edition of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) has finally been published, taking into account sustainability as well as health. The report has made headlines by recommending a mostly plant-based diet, rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. It advises that meat consumption should be restricted to a maximum of 350 grams per week, while dairy consumption should be moderate and limited to low-fat products. Alcohol, processed foods, and products high in fat, sugar, and salt should all be kept to a minimum. Along with advising a shift in dietary patterns, the report has increased recommended intakes for nutrients such as vitamin C and folate, while adding recommendations for other nutrients such as vitamin K and choline for the first time. …

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Meat-free popup

© Burger King
Fast Food

Burger King Opens Meat-Free Popups in Three Nordic Cities

Burger King has opened three meat-free popup restaurants in the cities of Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. Customers in the Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish capitals can now choose from a range of offerings made using The Vegetarian Butcher’s plant-based meat — including meat-free versions of classic options such as the Whopper and Chicken Royale. Some sauces containing eggs and dairy are still available, but customers can ask for these to be omitted to make their orders fully vegan. “By opening a restaurant that only serves plant-based and meat-free alternatives, we get a good opportunity to test products that are not yet part of our traditional menu for our further product development and innovation within the plant-based segment,” said Carsten Lambrecht, country manager for Burger King Denmark. …

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Higher Steaks pork

©Higher Steaks
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Norway Funds €2M Cellular Agriculture Research Project to Increase Self-Sufficiency

The Research Council of Norway announces it is to fund a €2 million cellular agriculture research project, “Arrival of Cellular Agriculture-Enabling Biotechnology for Future Food Production (ARRIVAL).” The project will be conducted by The Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Research (Nofima) and is set to receive €2 million over a period of five years to support the Norwegian food industry in its development of meat alternatives through cellular agriculture and precision fermentation. Cellular Agriculture Research Norway started significant lab-grown meat research in 2018. The first cellular agriculture research project called GrowPro was aimed at “finding a growth medium in which the cells thrive, and which is also sustainable.” The results, in which the scientists concluded residual biomass from chicken to be an appropriate …

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HENRIK Lund Naturli'

Founder Henrik Lund ©Naturli'
Interviews

Naturli’: “We Are On a Global Journey and We See Great Ways of Expanding the Consumption of Green Foods”

Danish heritage brand Naturli‘ has been producing like-for-like plant-based alternatives since 1988 and has no plans to slow down any time soon. Last year, the Scandinavian pioneer opened a plant-based café in Oslo, the capital of Norway, as well as launching a new line of frozen vegan food products across the UK. We caught up with CEO Henrik Lund to talk about strategic partnerships, plant-based going mainstream, and Denmark’s role in the movement. What is Naturli Foods’ elevator pitch? Naturli’ is a unique cross-category brand. We embrace mainstream consumers with 1:1 uncompromising taste and texture in dairy products, meat-free products and ice cream. Our target is to provide you with the food you consume during a day – plant-based only and without sacrificing on taste vs. conventional food. One-stop shopping …

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Henrik Akerman, Oumph

Photo credit: Monika Agorelius
Interviews

Oumph! “Our Aim is to Drive More People to Eat Plant-Based Food”

Vegan brand Oumph! is part of Swedish company Food for Progress and is a favourite in Sweden and the Nordic countries. Their meat alternative products are plant-based, free from gluten and dairy, high in protein and fibre and a source of iron and folic acid, as well has having a low climate impact. Since its launch in Sweden and the Nordic countries in 2015, Oumph! has become a favourite with a wide audience, including families, millennials, foodies, chefs and fast-food loving flexitarians and vegans.

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