Mør local food producer wins the Rural Development Award in Troms and Finnmark

The regional winner of the BU Award in Troms and Finnmark shows what young entrepreneurs can achieve through drive and perseverance. Starting with a small sheep farm, they quickly established their own brand and built production facilities to process meat from their own livestock and that of other farmers. Their goal is to produce high-quality local food sustainably.

Sindre and Kristina Storegraven bought the farm in 2018 with no previous farming experience. They have invested considerable time and their own funds in getting the farm into shape, increasing production and developing the business. Through their innovative approach, the couple have successfully harnessed the farm's resources and the opportunities offered by agriculture in an exciting and profitable way.

'It is wonderful to have all our hard work recognised. I think most people would find it difficult to grasp just how much work goes into this. We have put in as much effort as humanly possible,' says Sindre.

Under his own brand, Mør lokalmatprodusent, Sindre makes products from lamb, beef and reindeer. He sells them locally, to restaurants and at local markets. Sindre works with other local businesses, and many people will be familiar with the Vadsøburger, served in its distinctive burger bun bearing the Mør logo and baked by Hildonen's bakery.

To secure access to locally sourced ingredients, the farm recently invested in a new building for suckler cows. As part of this project, Mør works with another local company in Vadsø that has a contract with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to shred documents. Instead of being shipped abroad as waste for incineration, the shredded paper is used as bedding for the farm's animals. This reflects the company's mindset: thinking differently and seizing opportunities as they arise. Mør also collects by-products from the local brewery and uses them as animal feed. Lilleelva Gård makes use of its own and other locally sourced products, combining sustainability with action.

- Lilleelva Farm has built on its core operations and explored how the right investments can add value to the business. They have established their own brand and are actively promoting it, strengthening the reputation of both traditional farming and supplementary enterprises. The company has a clear focus on the circular economy, using residual products from other businesses in its production to keep costs down. Their efforts are impressive, and they are a great inspiration for the future of agriculture in the region, says Regional Director Øyvind Enstad Haga at Innovation Norway Arctic.

Each year, we award the Business Development Award for Agriculture (the BU Award) on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The award recognises those who have built a successful business or industry based on rural and agricultural resources. The regional candidates then go on to compete for the national BU Award of NOK 250,000.