The Story of Bjørge Ocean AS
Bjørge Ocean AS consists of owners and management with extensive experience in production of marine products. The idea throughout more than a hundred years has been to harvest raw materials from the ocean which can be used to improve our quality of life. This includes ordinary food products, as well as marine ingredients sold to the international food industry. Recent research and development has shown that resources from the ocean can be utilised in a variety of areas within both health and cosmetics, and Bjørge Ocean AS is an important player when it comes to bringing the results of this to you as the consumer.
The family’s history takes us back to the time of the Hansas in the 1600s. The gazelle Claus Jannecken working at Bryggen (the docks) in Bergen wanted to make a living along the coast, and in 1694 he settled in the area of Sunnmøre on the North-West Coast of Norway. Since that time our family has made their living from the sea. It was hard work, which took a lot of lives, but it has also provided a living for our family until today.
The company’s history takes us back to the first half of last century. Our company has always based their business on the ocean and products with marine origin.
It is a well-known fact that products from the ocean have been utilised to improve health and wellbeing throughout generations. The fishermen in the Barents Sea and Greenland used halibut oil and seal oil as a hand cream to prevent dry and chapped skin in the cold climate.
Soft Roe from herring is another natural marine product used through generations. The mineworkers in England used canned soft roe from Norway as an important part of their diet to be better prepared for their tough working conditions. The soft roe has a positive impact on nerves, muscles and heart, in addition to improving the immune system and performance.
Our company was the first to extract pure DNA from codfish soft roe in collaboration with the well known Pasteur Institute in Paris, amongst others. We have continued the research, and have during the past years developed products with DNA as an active ingredient.
During the seventies, we started collaborating with Japanese manufacturers to develop and produce crabsticks. ‘Bjørge Crabsticks’ became a very well known brand which represented excellent quality.
We are best known for our development, production and export of marine ingredients to the international food industry. From the start, in the late sixties, we developed the company to become the world leader in this market. This part of the business is today a part of a large international flavouring corporation.
Bjørge Ocean AS is based on the knowledge and experience we have gained through generations, but the knowledge will now be used in different ways and transferred to new products in line with our modern ways of life. Our history, our global network, as well as our customers’ trust and loyalty, have made us aware of the requirements and expectations in this market, and these things make us able to source the best and most interesting ingredients and products.
By combining experience and development, we are able to offer our customers some of the best and most interesting products within marine health food and skin care. We have a long-term strategy where we focus on the customer, and where we are determined to offer you products of highest quality to help you improve your health and wellbeing. But we are also determined to do something to help and improve the quality of life for other people. Our direct financial contributions have given approx. 15 000 people in the village of Fiiltu in South-East Ethiopia, a modern water well and clean drinking water. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to know more about this project. You can reach us via e-mail info@bjorgeocean.com or by phone +(47) 70 11 66 85.