Scan Magazine | Special Theme | A Taste of Sweden
Award-winning meat with a taste of summer A unique flora, more hours of sunshine than any other part of Sweden and charming villages dotted across the island make Gotland a treasured home away from home for many Swedes. With countless awards and accolades under its belt, including Taste Developer of the Year and Swedish Champions in the Organic Products category, Svenskt Butikskött has now encapsulated the taste of Gotland. By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Svenskt Butikskött
“It’s hard to describe the feeling when you arrive here – the beautiful surroundings, the climate…” says Thomas Östlund, CEO of Svenskt Butikskött. “There are vast natural pastures for the animals to graze and there’s a long tradition of animal farming.” Östlund, whose father founded the company, grew up helping out with the family business during weekends and holi-
days before becoming a professional ice hockey player. It was never set in stone that he would return, but in 2004, after 20 years as a professional in Sweden and Switzerland, he took over from his father – a second but striking career. Back then the company had 20 employees and a turnover of 90 million SEK; today it employs 250 people and the turnover has reached a remarkable 900 million SEK. The secret, the CEO suggests, is in strong relationships and an insistence on continuously putting quality first. Today, Svenskt Butikskött is the main supplier of KRAV-labelled meat for Swedish supermarket brands Änglamark (COOP), Garant (AXFOOD) and I love eco (ICA).
Clean and natural The new initiative, Smak av Gotland (Taste of Gotland), is all about combining the company’s expertise in KRAV and organic meat with the remarkable conditions the island has to offer, in terms 36 | Issue 85 | February 2016
of not only nature but also culinary tradition. “The risk of infection is far lower here than on the mainland, and we don’t use any alternative fodder – it’s all very clean and natural,” says Östlund. “Plus there’s a strong food tradition and the island really comes to life with awardwinning restaurateurs during the summer months. We actually sponsor many of the professional culinary events, including the 2014 Bocuse d’Or.” In addition to top-quality meat, Smak av Gotland presents a website full of tips and inspiration, including recipes and a ‘meat school’, where you can be educated on various cuts and preparation methods. The customer is a conscious consumer, explains Östlund, welcoming the current vegetarian trend. “People may cut down on meat, but when they buy it they’ll be happy to spend more,” he says. “While it was all about price in the past, the emphasis is now on other values, such as quality, organic produce. We see it as a hugely positive development.” WHAT IS KRAV? The Swedish KRAV label demonstrates that a product has been produced under organic circumstances and according to exceptionally high standards of animal care, health, social responsibility and climate impact.
For more information, please visit: www.smakavgotland.se