The winners of the Embla Food Award 2019

The proud winners of the second Nordic Food Awards “Embla” have been announced at a special event in Reykjavik. The seven categories highlight the ingredients, artisanship, communications and people involved in the world of Nordic food. The Embla Food Awards were launched by the six Nordic agricultural organisations in 2017 as a way of spreading knowledge of Nordic food.

The proud winners of the second Nordic Food Awards “Embla” have been announced at a special event in Reykjavik. The seven categories highlight the ingredients, artisanship, communications and people involved in the world of Nordic food. The Embla Food Awards were launched by the six Nordic agricultural organisations in 2017 as a way of spreading knowledge of Nordic food.

Competition was tough, with up to seven nominations in each category. The winners are:

Nordic food producer 2019: Grøna Oyggin, Faroe Islands

The winner has pioneered the challenging art of growing vegetables on the Faroe Islands, by developing a specialised cultivation method for a harsh environment. The availability of high quality local produce has been important for the development of Faroese gastronomy.

Nordic food entrepreneur 2019: Bondens Skafferi, Sweden
The winner is a link between producers, chefs and grocery stores. It helps farmers to get their products out on the market and guarantees producers a good price for their products. Skafferi highlights the importance of food origin, quality and seasonal variations.

Nordic food artisan 2019: Ainoa Winery, Finland
The winner has filled a gap in Nordic cuisine, using wild berries and other high quality ingredients from the forests to make internationally acclaimed wines that accompany and complement the food and create a purely Nordic taste experience.

Nordic food communicator 2019: Claus Meyer, Denmark

For decades, Claus Meyer has been an inspiration for Danish food culture. Committed to the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto, Meyer communicates  with passion and energy about local products, sustainability, inclusiveness and biodiversity.

Nordic food for the many 2019: Anne-Birgitte Agger, Denmark

The winner is a “machine with a vision”, tirelessly advocating the mission of providing public-sector kitchens in a whole city with sustainable, healthy meals prepared from scratch. Always defending the weak, she challenges everyone – from decision makers to students – to take sustainability beyond the environment, to take it from the plate and beyond.

Nordic food destination 2019: Gimburlombini – Nólsoy, Faroe Islands

A small outer island of Nólsoy has managed to get "on the radar" by involving the locals in tourism. The local people use what the island has to offer in an innovative and modern way. In the past, people left the island. Now, they are staying and taking part in the storytelling about the destination.

Nordic food for children and youth 2019: Hävikki-battle – Food waste – battle, Motiva Oy, Finland

The winner has developed a concept of teaching and inspiring young people to turn food waste into treasure and share it on social media. By using every available asset and meeting young people in their everyday lives, the concept provides knowledge and curious awareness for lifelong learning by doing.

Six Nordic agricultural organisations are behind Embla, which the Nordic Council of Ministers also helps to fund as part of the New Nordic Food III programme. The aim is to boost Nordic food culture and generate greater interest in it outside the Region.

The Embla prizes are awarded every two years. National juries in each of the countries submitted nominations in the various categories to a Nordic jury, which make the final decisions on the winners.