Blog - Nordic Power Food

5 Minutes with Head of Food from Finland programme

April 24, 2017

In February, Dubai hosted the 22^nd annual Gulfood, world’s largest annual food and beverage exhibition. This year, the exhibition was attended by Food from Finland, the official government-funded programme to promote Finnish food industry. We had the pleasure to sit down with head of the programme, Mr Esa Wrang. Esa explains us why Finnish food is so unique and what is has to offer to the Middle Eastern region.

Esa Wrang

Esa, please tell us first in few sentences what is Food from Finland.

Food from Finland supports Finnish companies producing foods and beverages to open new markets. Currently, approximately 130 companies have joined us and 1oo of them are our members. The biggest players of our Nordic country are with us. We work in some fifteen countries. In the Middle East, our focus is upon the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

What kind of activities do you do?

Our work is very much commercial and hands on. Annually we take part to or organize over forty events around the world. In addition to taking part to exhibitions like Gulfood, we organize networking events in Finland and abroad to bring our member companies in touch with local buyers. Last year, we organized such events also in Dubai and in the Finnish Embassy of Riyadh. Our other events include media events and trainings.

What makes Finnish food so unique, especially to the Middle East?

Finnish food that we represent is known to be healthy and natural, partly also wild food. In the Middle East, we focus on our health promoting products as well as food safety. Products like wild berries and oat products are beneficial to all of us but especially to people suffering from high cholesterol, overweight and diabetes. With regards to food safety, Finland is the only country in the world without any cases of salmonella or other contagious animal diseases. Also, the use of preventive antibiotics is prohibited by law.

Esa Wrang together with His Excellency, Abdulla Al Maeeni,
Director General of Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA).

Like discussed, Food from Finland participated this year to Gulfood in Dubai. How did you find the exhibition?

The Middle East is an important region to us and Gulfood is an essential part of the work. We were looking at the exhibition already in 2016 and now this year we were able to take part to it. Most probably we will participate also in 2018. Currently, there aren’t many Finnish food companies in the Middle East so we have some work to do.

When you have guests from abroad, which Finnish foods do you recommend them to try?

I love fish food and always recommend my guests to try courageously different fish species. Finnish fish food is so much more than salmon. Have a try of perch, vendace, eel or bream with mushroom sauce. Finish up with a desert based on our wild berries. Actually some time ago we had a delegation from the UAE visiting Helsinki, and together with the team of Visit Finland we organized a lunch with Finnish white fish and sea buckthorn desert. Also the sour but very healthy sea buckthorn berry was appreciated by our guests.

Finally Esa, tell us how do you enjoy your bilberries?

We have berries for breakfast with my wife. Every morning we enjoy some fresh bilberries or lingonberries with yoghurt for breakfast. What a healthy and delicious way to start your day.

We could not agree more. Thank you for the interview Esa Wrang!

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Food from Finland at Gulfood 2017

February 25, 2017

Gulfood 2017, the world’s largest annual food and beverage exhibition welcomes this year Food from Finland to Dubai. Finland is known for its nutritional expertise and is one of the leading innovators and producers of functional and organic foods. Just like our Berryfect premium berry powders, Finnish food is produced without compromising on quality and safety. Strictest food regulations are applied to everything we do.

Food from Finland is known for quality and safety.

In addition to Finnish berry and grain products, Finnish oat products are known worldwide for their high nutritional value and purity. This year at Gulfood, Food from Finland introduces innovative oat based products to the Gulf region. Other products include organic chicken meat products, dairy products, honey and award winning spring water. Explore the whole offering at the Food from Finland stand S-351 in the Sheik Saeed Halls.

It all starts from the clean Finnish nature.

Gulfood 2017 takes place from the 26th February till 3rd March in the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

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Berries and Healthy Nordic Diet

February 12, 2017

Culinary world has a new healthy favorite, the Nordic diet. Traditionally enjoyed in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, Nordic diet consists of berries, vegetables, fish and rye. Not only delicious and fresh, according to many studies this diet may cause weight loss and lower blood pressure.

Vegetables and low-fat dairy

Berries and vegetables are foundation of the Nordic diet.

Nordic diet favors local and sustainable food. Berries, root vegetables like carrots and potatoes, cabbage, whole grains, nuts and seeds, rye bread, fresh fish and low-fat dairy are important in the Nordic menu. Eggs, cheese and game meat are enjoyed every now and then. Red meets even more rarely. Added sugars and processed foods are completely on the red list.

Important berries

The most important berries are bilberries (wild blueberries), cranberries and lingonberries. Rich in essential antioxidants and vitamins, these berries are known to help fight serious diseases like cancer, to lower blood pressure and to support weight loss.

Fat sources

Nordic people eat lot of salmon.

Fishes like salmon and herring with essential fatty acids are great protein sources of the Nordic diet. Rapeseed oil or canola oil are rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and they are used for cooking. Regarding whole grain cereals, dark rye bread is the famous bread of the Nordic table. Along with rye, oat is important too. Many Nordic families start their day with oat porridge.

Health benefits

Dark rye bread is common in the Nordic table.

Surely beneficial to all of us, Nordic diet is especially recommended to people suffering from type-2 diabetes or heart disease. Several studies have shown that enjoying Nordic diet may lower blood pressure. It is also said to be beneficial to cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. Try it out yourself!

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Berries journey from Finland to Dubai

December 5, 2016

From Finland to Dubai. The journey of our super berries is not that long that you could think of. The Berryfect berries grow naturally in the wild Finnish forests – in one of the cleanest environments in the world. At the fastest pace, berries hit the Middle East in couple of weeks’ time only.

bilberry_picker_in_finnish_forest_visitfinland-com

Harvest

The harvest of bilberries, cranberries and lingonberries runs from mid July to end of September. Our berries are handpicked from the wild Finnish forests. As we don’t use any machines for the harvest, the nature remains intact also for the coming years.

In the Berry Factory

When the berries arrive from the forest to our state-of-the-art production facilities, they are cleaned and dried. Drying is done just under 40 degrees to preserve vitamins and minerals in the best possible form. As this old preservation method makes moisture fade away, but preserves berries’ nutritional values, there is no need to add anything to our berries. There is no additives, no sugar or preservatives what so ever! Then after drying, we ground the whole juicy berries and pack them.

drying_of_bilberries

Off to Dubai in a safe way

Overall, you can be assured that we handle these super berries with extra care in our production facilities. The production is very safe and traceable, as we follow Finland’s strict rules and regulations for food safety. At the fastest scenario, berries’ journey from forest to packing takes only couple of days. Then, they are off to the United Arab Emirates!

berryfect-bilberry-powder-package

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Health Benefits of Nordic Superberries

November 14, 2016

Packed with antioxidants and fibre, berries have various health promoting benefits. In fact, so many that we decided to write down the top benefits of our nordic superberries – bilberries, lingonberries and cranberries – for you.

Familiar with the summer in Dubai, we may think that a summer in the North may not be that long or warm. But in the summery North, the sun shines from early morning to late evening, and even thought-out the night on Midsummer. Bright summer days ripen a delicious berry harvest in the wild forests. And what a health promoting harvest it is! Berries are real superfood rich in antioxidants and fibre.

Superberries bilberries and lingonberries

Bilberries (wild blueberries) and lingonberries have several health promoting benefits. (Photo: visitfinland.fi)

Bilberry is a vitamin powerhouse with vitamins C, E and K. It is also a good source of fiber. Moreover, bilberry is rich in anthocyanin, a pigment that gives the berry its dark blue color. Anthocyanin is beneficial in preventing any type of cancer. Furthermore, it has anti-inflammatory characteristics, and helps to prevent hearth disease, obesity, or even diabetes.

Lingonberries carry more flavonoids than any other berry. And flavonoids are important to us as they protect our bodies from damage by free radicals. Lingonberries also help reduce inflammation, treat diabetes and control weight gain.

Cranberry is a rich source of vitamin C. Thanks to its antioxidants, cranberries are known to protect against recurring urinary tract infection. Moreover, cranberries help prevent cancer (especially breast cancer), and cardiovascular diseases. This superberry also prevents bacteria from sticking to our teeth leading to a lower risk of periodontal disease.

Superberries cranberries (Photo: visitfinland.fi)

Cranberries are known to fight recurring urinary tract infection.

The berries might be small, but full of nutrients with amazing health benefits.

Add superfood bilberries to your diet with our delicious recipes! Subscribe to Bilberry.ae Newsletter and get our recipe book for free.

Wild Berries now available in the UAE

October 10, 2016

Wild berries from clean Nordic forests are now available in the United Arab Emirates as Nordic Power Food brings Berryfect Berry Powders to the region.

bilberry_at_ripe_farm_shop The premium powders of bilberry, cranberry-lingonberry, and bilberry-blackcurrant are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre, and are free from any added sugar or preservatives. Available at the Bilberry.ae Online store, these nutritious and delicious wild berries are only couple of clicks away from your smoothies, porridges, and pastries.

Berryfect Powders are also easily available with The Ripe Market. UAE’s pioneering provider of local and organic food offers Berryfect on The Ripe Market’s online store and in The Ripe Farm Shop in Dubai’s Al Manara. The Ripe Market makes a perfect partner for Nordic Power Food as the dynamic Ripe team is passionate for promoting healthy eating habits and wellbeing in the UAE. The shops offer everything from super foods to organic fruits, vegetables, and gluten free products.

You can also find Berryfect Powders at the Ripe Summer Market that runs until the end of October at the Times Square Center.

bilberry_at_ripe_market_times_square_center_dubai_1