From a small Norwegian deli and restaurant born to share small local producers, to a bakery, to a specialty coffee roaster: the unusual story behind Norð
The story of Norð Oslo, a specialty coffee roasted based in the Norwegian coastal capital, is not one of the most usual. It was not born as a multi roaster coffee shop (as many roasters do), neither as a coffee truck (as often happens recently): it all started in 2011 with a small deli and restaurant opened in Bjølsen, a neighborhood in the central-northern part of Oslo.
Quite unusual, it was also the goal of the place, the purpose for which it was created: to build a place where small producers could get a platform to become more visible, until they became big enough to enter groceries all around town.
The idea behind Norð, at the time, was to buy as much local as possible, buying directly from local Norwegian farmers: only in this way, they knew, would it been possible to offer customers unique and extraordinary products, both in terms of Nordic ingredients and Nordic food.
Joakim Strand and his two companions, the founders of Norð Oslo, already had clear ideas about the belief that it would be the focus of the business: “We believe food should be bought from the person who makes the food. Be it the farmer, the dairy or the juicer. We think it’s healthier, we know it’s more environmentally friendly and we promise it tastes better.”
And it was certainly a winning idea, because pretty soon the founders opened a bakery, which shared the same purpose, quickly followed by several coffee shops and – finally – by a coffee roaster.
It was at that time, in 2015, that all the shops (which at the time had all individual names) were finally united under one simple name, which perfectly represented the core business: Norð.
Today, Norð is a thriving business with ten coffee shops (one of which works both as a café and as a wine bar), a bakery (with baked goods made with ingredients from local suppliers) and the coffee roastery.
Norð Oslo
(Est. 2011)
Tvetenveien 162
0671 Oslo
NORWAY
