Reddiksen

The interest organization for retail in Norway, Virke, have ordered a report showing that 3 grocery store chains are responsible for 95% of sales in Norway: NorgesGruppen, REMA 1000, and Coop. This makes up a so-called oligopoly (monopoly with few entitites), and should in and of itself be seen as a problem. But in addition to this, the report shows that the supplier side is also very concentrated. The interest organization does of course not mention that it is the grocery store chains that determine which products are stocked on the shelves and that they themselves could choose to focus on local small-scale food producers… We believe that the solution is found outside of the conventional industry chain. Instead of relying on problem entities in all parts of the chain, we instead look to small-scale food producers. Norwegians have to shop more local and seasonal, especially when weather and climate is becoming increasingly unpredictable. By shopping locally directly from small-scale food producers, we achieve several things: - Smaller climate footprint - Less pollution - Lower energy consumption - Support for local employment - Support for local food production based on local resources - More money for the producer - Less money for the corporate directors that contribute with little to no value Source: e24.no/naeringsliv/...

In 2025, the prices of food and nonalcoholic drinks in Norway increased by 5.2%. This week, NorgesGruppen, one of the largest grocery chain owners, bragged about their record revenues after having increased them with over NOK 7 billion. That is an increase of 6.2%. We wonder how much of this increase is going to the Norwegian food producers and how much is going straight into the pockets of the share owners. In Reddiksen, we believe that more of the price tag should be going to the food producers, and that less of the price tag should consist of compensation for unnecessary intermediaries.

It is not a coincidence that Norway is a winter sport nation. It is also not a coincidence that our athletes come from all over the country, ranging from small hamlets to large cities. We have made a political choice to maintain settlements across the entire country. The same areas that provide us with cross-country and biathlon skiers are also the areas where the lion's share of small-scale food production takes place. When we support local producers, we support more than just food on the table. We support living mini-communities, jobs, and a structure that makes it possible to live and work in all parts of Norway. It is not a coincidence. But it is also not something we can take for granted.

FINALLY EQUALLY NORWEGIAN On January 6th, the news broke: Norwegian seafood can now be labeled with Nyt Norge ("Enjoy Norway"). For the first time since 2009, seafood is included under the same quality umbrella as agricultural products. The interesting part? 26 percent of consumers already thought Norwegian fish had the Nyt Norge label. WHAT TOOK SO LONG? Norway is the world's largest seafood exporter. We export 38 million seafood meals every day. Seafood is our second-largest export industry after oil and gas – €14.6B in exports in 2023. Yet Norwegian seafood has not been part of what we officially stamp as "Norwegian quality" until now. Same country, same coast – two different ways of communicating "Norwegianness." TWO FOOD SYSTEMS – ONE COUNTRY This isn't just about a label. It's about how we view Norwegian food production. Seafood Norway has long argued that seafood must be fully integrated into Norwegian food security. Calculations show that Norwegian seafood alone can cover nearly 70 percent of the population's energy needs in a severe crisis. Yet there has been no clear plan for how this resource should be part of Norwegian preparedness. There's a symbolism in the fact that agriculture and seafood haven't shared the same quality label. As if food from land and food from sea have different value, even though both are equally Norwegian and equally critical for food security. THE QUESTION GOING FORWARD Now that the label is in place: Will Norwegian seafood get the same place in public procurement as agricultural products? Will canteens and schools prioritize Norwegian fish the same way they do Norwegian meat? And most importantly: Will politicians begin to see seafood as a natural part of Norwegian local food – not just as an export commodity? At Reddiksen, seafood is an obvious part of the picture. We started collaborating with the seafood producer Torsvågbruket early and every day we see how short supply chains create value. Maybe the rest of the food industry is starting to realize the same.

On December 2nd, the numbers came in: Local food sales hit a new record in Norway at 13.55 billion NOK in 2025. The food service market – hotels, restaurants, and canteens – grew by 13.3 percent to 7.1 billion. Same week: Price war on Christmas groceries in retail stores. Christmas porridge for under four kroner. Pork ribs sold at a loss. Two worlds of Norwegian food. Two completely different ways of valuing it. In retail stores, it's about one thing: being cheapest on a few loss leaders to win the Christmas food price comparison. But who pays the price? Grocery expert Odd Gisholt is clear: All parties – both suppliers and retailers – take their share of the loss when chains dump prices. But it's the producers who have the thinnest margins to begin with. Meanwhile, the three major grocery chains deliver profits of well over 15 billion kroner annually. The Competition Authority concluded in 2024 that both suppliers and grocery chains earn far more than expected in a well-functioning market. Price wars are not the same as healthy competition. While retail stores compete on price, the food service market is growing at double-digit rates. The difference? Food service builds on predictable contracts, quality, and value chains where both buyer and producer can actually earn money. When a restaurant orders lamb ribs from a local producer, they pay what it costs to produce good food in Norway – not rock-bottom prices. This isn't premium food for the few. This is what happens when food's value is actually reflected in its price. If we're serious about building sustainable food production – why do we accept a retail market that operates on the opposite principle? At Reddiksen, we work every day to connect producers with end-consumers. We see how it works when both parties actually want the other to succeed. Food service proves it's possible to do things differently. Maybe it's time for the rest of the food market to learn from it. #localfood #foodservice #foodvalue #grocery #agriculture

When Your National Dish Becomes a Luxury Every day, one Norwegian farm closes. More than 365 per year. Our self-sufficiency rate? 40-45%. We import more than half our food. Even fårikål, our beloved national dish, is at risk as lamb farming becomes economically unsustainable. The pandemic and Ukraine showed us: Global supply chains fail when we need them most. Local food production isn't just tradition, it's national security. The problem: Small-scale farmers can't compete in a system built for large operations and middlemen. Even when demand exists, they can't reach consumers efficiently. Our solution: Reddiksen connects small-scale food producers directly with consumers. Shorter value chains mean better margins for farmers and stronger food security for everyone. Why this matters globally: - Climate change threatens food production worldwide - Supply chain disruptions are the new normal - Every country needs resilient local food systems Your vote can help us: - Keep family farms alive - Strengthen local food security - Build a model that works beyond Norway Vote for Reddiksen – because food security starts local. #foodsecurity #sustainableagriculture #foodtech #farmtotable #inspired #socialimpact #localfood

When products contain lead, and no one is required to tell you A recent investigative report from VG (Norwegian media) revealed that tampon manufacturers have known about lead content in their products. Lead – a substance with no safe lower limit for human exposure. The most alarming part? It's perfectly legal. Manufacturers have no obligation to disclose all harmful substances, whether in intimate products or food. *This is about more than tampons.* It's about a regulatory gap that affects everything from what we put in our bodies to what we eat every day. Consumers lack basic information needed to make informed choices. The questions we should be asking ourselves are: - Why does the burden of proof lie with consumers, not producers? - What if transparency about ingredients was the standard, not the exception? - How can we build systems where safety and openness are the starting point? At Reddiksen, we're working toward a different standard. When you buy directly from local producers, you know exactly where your food comes from and what's in it. Not because regulations require it, but because transparency should be self-evident. What do you think? Where's the line between trade secrets and consumers' right to information? #producttransparency #consumerrights #businessethics #foodsafety #sustainability

In Norway, food prices keep rising, yet the farmers behind it earn less than ever. According to Nationen (2025), many full-time farmers make below the national median income, despite working some of the longest and hardest days in the country. This imbalance reveals a deeper issue: profit is not distributed where the real work happens. At Reddiksen, we believe a fair and sustainable food system begins with transparency and direct connection. By creating a digital bridge between producer and consumer, we return both income and recognition to those who cultivate the land, raise the animals, and preserve Norwegian food traditions. This isn’t only about economics. It’s about restoring dignity to the people who feed us. #SustainableFood #LocalProducers #FoodTransparency #FairFood #SupportLocal