Real Turmat – the perfect food on a guided adventure
Text: Ingrid Ballari Hovedbilde: Vincent Colliard/Real Turmat
Børge Ousland, Vegard Ulvang, Tonje Blomseth and Thomas Lone are all famous and much-loved names in Norway when it comes to exploring, expeditions and outdoor life. They also have another thing in common – they are all ambassadors for Real Turmat.
Real Turmat has a long tradition of producing freeze-dried food, including for the Norwegian Armed Forces. The company’s history is just as warming as its food on a cold winter adventure in Svalbard.
Founder Rolf Hansen missed his wife Lill’s homemade stews when he was out exploring nature, so he decided to use his expertise in freeze-drying technology to preserve the food cooked by the love of his life.
Today, the Tromsø-based company is winning the market by combining its own freeze-drying technology with skilled cooks and a commercial kitchen in Tromsø. They make everything from scratch and prepare the meals when the seasonal produce is at its best.
Why does Svalbard Adventures choose Real Turmat?
There are several reasons behind Svalbard Adventures’ choice of supplier. We need to be able to deliver a product with a high nutrient content and we need to be able to serve it hot. Most of our excursions are long and take place in cold surroundings, so weight and space are also important factors.
Our Adventure Operation Manager, Fredric Fröberg, mentions the practicality of being able to serve hot food regardless of where on the island you are.
«It also takes up almost no space and we can serve a variety of flavours and even allergy-friendly products», he says.
The challenge with self-production
Producing homemade stews in our kitchens would create several problems in the cold and with long distances. To comply with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s requirements concerning food safety, the food must not be exposed to temperature fluctuations. This often provides favourable conditions for bacterial growth, so freeze-drying is the best option.
The solution was a cooperation agreement with Real Turmat, which is already an expert in its field. They are constantly developing the products with new flavours and more environmentally friendly packaging. Tromsø is our closest neighbour on the Norwegian mainland, so the transport route is relatively short.
Instead of transporting heavy ingredients all the way up to Svalbard for processing, the job is done locally in Tromsø. This makes it more environmentally friendly to choose a freeze-dried product produced by our neighbour.
Real Turmat has a clear sustainability profile, they use local produce and place demands on their subcontractors. They also supply alternatives for allergies and special diets, which means that everyone in the tour group can consume food from the same producer.