The Whole World Looks to Norway: – Unique

Published: 24. February 2025

By: Jørgen Ryggvik Karlsen

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Photo: Ole Ekker
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No other region in Norway produces more food than Trondheim and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship region of Trøndelag.

Deep fjords, open sea, towering mountains, and unique cultivated soil give Trøndelag’s ingredients a distinct character.

– Trøndelag is a world-class international food region, says Brit Melting, head of food and beverage for the World Championships.

– The World Championship region takes local food production seriously throughout the value chain. The food offerings at the championships reflect local value creation, a sustainable food supply, and a proud Trøndelag food culture, she continues.

Trondheim 2025, in close collaboration with 100 local food and beverage producers from seven Trøndelag regions, will showcase the diversity, flavors, and distinctiveness of Trøndelag’s ingredients and food producers.

Every competition day, these seven regions present four unique dishes that highlight their specialties, amounting to over 30 local dishes daily in the Fan Zone in Granåsen. Additionally, a food street near the medal plaza in Trondheim city center will involve local food and beverage producers in the ski festival.

Faktaboks

  • Local Food Production

We will take advantage of the fact that no other region or place in Norway produces more food than the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship region, Trøndelag. Using local food in Granåsen and the Medal Plaza creates local value, short-distance, and sustainable food offerings and encourages preserving and promoting local food culture. All food providers will offer at least one plant-based option on their menus.

  • Trøndelag at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship

We will involve the entire region of Trøndelag in the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship. On each competition day, one region will be invited to Granåsen and the medal square. The region will present 1,000 local cultural performances, and the region’s culture and food culture will be prominently featured.

  • Business Network SPOR

We have created and established the business network SPOR to bring together the Trøndelag business community and ensure sustainable procurement. Over 260 companies are members. The goal is to provide a platform that helps businesses unite their efforts and make a difference for the region. SPOR will continue to thrive beyond the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

  • Cultural Date with the Business Community

We will create opportunities for value creation in Trondheim’s culture and business sectors. We have organized a cultural date with the business community, where creative and performing artists met with event organizers, real estate companies, and trade and tourism stakeholders.

  • World Championship Festival

We invite the public to twelve FIS Nordic World Ski Championship days with a spectacular, diverse, and versatile cultural program in Trondheim and Trøndelag. We will facilitate a cultural program that embraces the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship’s own events and activities organized by other cultural actors and cultural institutions, both professional and volunteer.

  • Local Art

Six local artists are creating the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship prizes for the athletes. In collaboration with Kjøpmannsgata Ung Kunst, the artists are making prizes for all medalists.

  • Heart Waffle from Røros

The official Trondheim 2025 waffle comes from Røros and Galåvolden Farm. It is made with the farm’s eggs and whey, a byproduct from cheese production.

Contributing to Local Value Creation and Employment

Along Norway’s coastal areas, several local communities are thriving.

SalMar, the world’s second-largest salmon producer, has a strong presence here.

– SalMar contributes to local employment and value creation while processing fish in Norway significantly reduces our carbon footprint, says SalMar CEO Frode Arntsen.

The Norwegian salmon giant is committed to sustainable food production and has developed the largest processing capacity in the aquaculture industry in Norway.

The official FIS Nordic World Ski Championship sponsor ensures local value creation by preparing salmon for local consumption while reducing transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. This climate initiative is the company’s most significant environmental measure, leading to an annual reduction three times greater than the total emissions from its operations.

Together with other Trøndelag-based food and beverage producers, SalMar is a key player in the region’s food industry.

Melting is proud of its collaboration with a carefully selected group of local producers who help share Trøndelag’s rich culinary traditions.

– There is no better seafood than what we have in our region. Thanks to ocean temperatures, water circulation, and nutrient availability, Trøndelag produces seafood and shellfish that are in demand worldwide, says Melting.

– Agriculture in our region is also unique. Our soil and climate provide a long growing season, producing pure and distinctive flavors in our ingredients. Trøndelag boasts quality, diversity, and craftsmanship that many other countries can only dream of.

Several food producers have refined these proud traditions by developing environmentally responsible methods to maximize ingredient usage.

One such method involves using food and beverage production by-products instead of discarding them.

– We have several ongoing collaborations in Trøndelag where our by-products are integrated into circular production cycles. This ensures that our food production also contributes resources to other value chains, says Frode Arntsen of SalMar, noting that excess seafood industry resources are used in animal feed and biogas production.

The Whole World Looks to Norway

1,600 miles southeast of Frøya, the Trøndelag island where SalMar is headquartered, by-products play a central role in the production of Røros’ “Heart Waffle” from Galåvolden Gård—also known as the World Ski Championship waffle.

For Galåvolden Gård, a major supplier of fresh eggs, sustainable production is key to maximizing ingredient use and minimizing food waste.

– The Heart Waffle is a sustainability story from start to finish. It represents Trøndelag’s entire food culture in a single waffle. That is unique, says Melting.

The farm uses whey, a by-product of cheese production, as the main ingredient in the waffle. Eggs from their farm, extra egg whites from ice cream and mayonnaise production, and locally sourced flour from four regional farms make the waffle special.

The “VM waffle” was extremely popular during the test events in Granåsen. Galåvolden Gård will be back for the World Championships. Photo: Ski-VM 2025.

– On cheese production days, we used to pour 700 liters of whey down the drain. Now, we collect it, transport it to our production facility, and use it in the waffle batter, says former Galåvolden Gård CEO Anita Galåen.

– This is healthy, locally sourced Norwegian food with a recipe as good as gold. The whole world is looking at Norway and Trøndelag, she adds.

The recipe aligns perfectly with the Trondheim 2025 food philosophy.

Trondheim 2025 aims to create pride and identity while adding value to local food and beverage producers, preserving, strengthening, and developing Trøndelag’s food production and culinary heritage.

– We utilize resources available from local food and beverage producers. The entire food region is included, and we hope the World Championships will leave a lasting sustainable legacy for Trøndelag, Melting concludes.