Three generations of dedication to craft
In 1987, when mass-produced bread was beginning to dominate Norwegian supermarket shelves, our founder Olav Eriksen made an unusual decision. Rather than following the trend toward industrialisation, he chose to do the opposite—opening a small bakery committed to the methods his grandmother had taught him on the family farm in Gudbrandsdalen.
Those early years were challenging. Customers had grown accustomed to soft, uniform loaves that stayed artificially fresh for weeks. Our crusty, dense breads with their irregular shapes required explanation. Olav spent countless mornings at the market stall, offering samples and describing the difference between real fermentation and commercial shortcuts.
Slowly, the tide turned. A generation of Norwegians began questioning what they had lost in the rush toward convenience. Food writers discovered our tiny shop tucked behind Mathallen. Chefs started requesting our sourdough for their restaurants. By the late 1990s, weekend queues stretched around the corner.
When Olav's daughter Maren joined the business in 2005, she brought formal training from baking schools in France and Germany. Her innovations—introducing laminated pastries, experimenting with ancient grain varieties, establishing relationships with organic farmers—expanded our offerings without compromising the principles her father had established.
