This autumn, the new polytechnic education, food craftmen, will start in Boden, with a clear ambition to increase the local investment in locally produced and artisanal foods and food producers in Norrbotten.
The education is run by Changemaker Educations, which for several years has run education in games, web development and tourism based at Boden Business Park.
Increased demand for locally produced, more conscious food consumers and food tourism as a trend – the interest in food and local producers has probably never been as great as now. With the education ‘Food craftsman’, the students get the tools to start up and run a small-scale business in the food industry, or to scale up their already existing business. The training is also aimed at those who work or want to work at established companies and help them grow in a conscious and sustainable way.
– We at Changemaker Educations are very happy that we get to conduct an education in food crafts and food in Boden, Norrbotten. We are already established in the gaming industry at Boden Business Park, but our goal is to also be a strong player in Food and Tourism with sustainability in focus. Our ambition is to help and support local entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in the food industry through the new education, says Lina Ekström Morin, Changemaker Educations.
Interest in locally produced, local and ‘real’ food has increased recently in both Norrbotten and the whole of Sweden. Boden Municipality is one of the actors that supports the investment and sees great value with the education from a business perspective.
– Our latest piece of the puzzle has fallen into place! We who work with growth see good opportunities in strengthening the industry’s development, which is in line with existing development strategies. For long-term sustainable food production, this education creates conditions for both the individual and the entrepreneurs, says Jörgen Nordqvist, business developer Boden Business Park.
Several food companies in the region support the training and will be involved in the design in the future. One of them is Polarbröd, which sees that more competence in the food industry is needed locally.
– It’s so fun that Boden has received this training in food crafts. We at Polarbröd are working to strengthen our local networks through the CHARM project with the hope of being able to find collaborations for future products in the future. That then Boden contributes to educating the foodmakers of the future feels very exciting. Together we will put northern Sweden on the food map! says Karin Bodin, CEO of Polarbröd.
Other companies in food and tourism that are behind the education include J.Petterssons Chark in Boden, Bondgården Bälinge, Quality Hotel Bodensia, Järnspisens Matbod, Elite Hotel Mimer, Umeå, Arjeplog hotel Silverhatten AB – Silver Resort, Tegelbrukets hantverksmejeri, Treehotel and Utblick-Huuva Hideaway.
