A sweet combination of past, present and future

Located in Trøndelag, an agriculturally-rich area of central Norway, Inderøyhonning is a honey business with both a history and a future. It was founded in the 1970s by strawberry and potato farmer Sigbjørn Kvam as a means of moving closer to nature –but beekeeping quickly became his passion.

By Molly McPharlin | Photos: Inderøyhonning

Sigbjørn Kvam was a well-respected beekeeper, known for his high-quality honey and work in the beekeeping union. He patented Inderøyhonning in the 1990s, and his daughter Tonje took over the business in 2015. She is now one of few second-generation beekeepers in Norway.

Inderøyhonning creates two types of honey: summer honey, or ‘sommerhonning’ in Norwegian; and heather honey, or ‘lynghonning’. A creamed version and a pure nectar version are available for each type. “Many people love the clear nectar. I prefer the creamy one,” says Tonje Kvam. “I love the velvety texture.”

One of Inderøyhonning’s new specialities is natural beeswax candles that re- lease a luscious honey aroma – and Kvam plans to further expand the range of sustainable honey and beeswax products.

Inderøyhonning is unmistakably Norwegian. ‘The honey we have is closely linked to our environment. You can taste the plants and flowers that go into it,” says Kvam. “I keep samples from each production year. The heather honey from 2013 –the last year my father produced it – is still perfect, and tastes delicious.”

Inderøyhonning products are sold at their farm shop, select stores in Trøndelag, and via online orders on their website. “We have customers who come back every year to buy our honey,” says Kvam. “The honey market is quite domestic, but we have many visitors who buy our products to take to their home countries.” www.inderoyhonning.no

Instagram: @inderoyhonning

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