Vossabia wins regional award

'Combining farm life with the production of skin and hair care products is a brilliant example of what is possible when you think creatively. They truly deserve this award,' says Aslak Sverdrup, Regional Director at Innovation Norway Vestland.

The newly crowned award winner is proud of the recognition:

- 'It is a great honour for me and the entire team to win the Business Development Award for Vestland. Receiving this recognition after more than 20 years of hard work moves me deeply, and I am immensely grateful. I hope this award helps even more people discover Vossabia's message and inspires them to see the value of combining the farm's resources with a focus on health, sustainability and biodiversity,' says Renate Lunde of Vossabia.

Renate runs and owns the farm at Bulken near Voss. The farm and its resources are at the very heart of Vossabia. Through her skin and hair care products, guided tours and extensive educational activities, including presentations, courses and experiences on the farm, Lunde works to raise awareness of the resources found on farms and in the surrounding natural environment.

'When I took over 25 years ago, I made it my mission to map the farm’s resources and continually look for value and opportunities in what most of us take for granted. I am still passionate about this and see enormous potential in making greater use of everything a farm has to offer,' she says.

Vossabia uses local, organic ingredients such as honey, beeswax and wild herbs in its skincare products, ensuring high quality and sustainability. By creating effective products from what other farmers call weeds, Renate has become a pioneer in natural cosmetics. But there have been some challenges:

'When I became ill in my early twenties, it made me more aware of preventive health and natural ingredients in both food and cosmetics. The bees opened my eyes to the farm's biodiversity, and when my mother developed cancer, it gave me a powerful push to create the products I had been missing myself,' says the award winner.

Through effective marketing and high-quality products, Renate has reached more than 100,000 customers and 120 retailers across Norway, driving strong growth, sound finances and positive results for her innovative farm business.

She is now planning a large new farm building on the site and wants to restore the farmyard to its former appearance, while running a modern operation based on the farm's resources.