Grøndals behind

Martin Grøndal

At Grøndals, we distribute tasty and sustainable canned fish.
From the beginning, Grøndals has had a simple motto: Good taste and a good conscience.

I admit that it can sound both very banal and a bit fluff. But that motto reminds me of my purpose with Grøndals as a company. The desire to influence our food culture for preserves, to give it a well-intentioned nudge in a better direction. We are a prosperous nation with the opportunities to choose better raw materials and responsible food production for - so we can actually have both good taste and a good conscience. Raising the bar for quality in preserves gives me a belief in creating and passing on something bigger than myself - and leaving my mark on the food I love.

Do you know how much canned tuna we Danes consume annually?

In 2016, WWF published an article about tuna fishing and the consumption of tuna.

The article was in many ways an eye-opener for me, and I then understood that the tuna I discovered in the Azores. It was something special, also in addition to the good taste.

The answer to the question above:

"IN 2010, 55 MILLION CANS OF TUNA WERE CONSUMED IN DENMARK ALONE."

Wild ik?

FROM CRAZY TRADITION TO KIND-HEARTED BUSINESS

As a child, I hunted canned fish with my grandfather. We were always looking for preserves we hadn't tasted before. I never got to ask my grandfather why he threw his love into preserves, but one thing is certain - he was always curious when it came to food and new taste experiences.

I loved following along when grandpa did things, which wasn't always convenient for my parents. Sometimes it was quite harmless: if grandpa ate old cheese, I ate old cheese. Sometimes it was less harmless: when grandpa climbed onto the roof to fix the antenna, I climbed onto the roof too. Grandfather's habit with canned fish was quite special: when he found something interesting, he hid it in his canning cupboard until I came to visit.

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Elsker dåsefisk, sardiner, makrel og tun på dåse

GRANDFATHER AND THE CANNERY

Grandfather's canning cupboard founded a tradition where we looked for exciting preserves - everything from the classic tinned tuna and mackerel in tomato, to tinned squid, kippers, anchovies, mussels and anything else that could be put in a can.

It was always a small triumph to find a new and exciting tin of tuna, mackerel, sardines or something else that could give us a good dining experience together. It was especially a hit when we found something that was markedly different from what we could get in Denmark. It was always fun to be able to discuss the taste, the texture and the experience, but the most important thing was to share it all with each other.

I have continued that tradition as an adult. I still can't walk past shelves of canned goods without taking a second look to see if there's anything interesting or tasty. It is especially when I am outside the country's borders that my curiosity grows, and the tradition with grandpa bubbles to the surface.

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FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO COLDING

Grøndals emerged in the wake of a voyage on the sailing ship Mursejleren , from the Caribbean to Kolding. After 16 days at sea, from Bermuda to the Azores archipelago, I found my first tins of Santa Catarina tuna.

When we ate it, we were all surprised by the quality, the freshness and the taste impression a canned tuna could give us. The tuna from the Azores was a completely different caliber than I had tried before, and so good that I ended up emptying the shop and buying 50 cans to take home as gifts for friends and family. As a kind of tuna souvenir from our trip, which funnily enough created a greater demand.

For me, Grøndals is the opportunity to spread my own love for good and responsible canned fish in Denmark. An opportunity that mixed my own experiences and traditions with the growing desire to have sustainable food and good taste on the table.

The good products are based on good craftsmanship. Right from the sea, where the fish are caught sustainably with pole fishing, which prevents harmful by-catch, to the production, which is about classic craft traditions and experience. Of course, the fish also swim in locally produced olive oil in the BPA-free cans.

I am constantly looking for other manufacturers, and evaluate them based on my increasingly extensive expertise in the field. My experiences and experiences with Santa Catarina have meant that I am now looking for new producers who live up to my personal ideals of sustainability and love for nature, and who fit in with me and my grandfather's curiosity and traditions.

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