written by Joanna Leach
September 30th, 2024
Bruuns Baghaver is a small, family-owned business dedicated to capturing the seasonal flavours of local Danish and Nordic fruits through their handmade preserves. Members of Grønt Marked since 2022, their eye-catching stall is always a joy to see, with its colourful selection of jams, jellies and marmalades based on family recipes handed down over the years.
The family company consists of Carsten (the main hands of the operation), his son Jan-Christian, and his daughter Camilla, both of whom help with harvesting, foraging, and processing during high season. With over 20 products in their range, and a list of ingredients that includes blackberries, raspberries, lingonberries, blueberries, cherries, gooseberries, plums, figs, and sea buckthorn, this is no small undertaking. Whether it’s picking and cleaning, destoning and peeling, or carefully cutting out the hundreds of cotton toppers to decorate the jars, production is truly a hands-on process, with Carsten’s 90-year-old mum, Birte, occasionally lending her skills and expertise.
Simple and fruitful
Being out in nature has been a source of fascination and joy for Carsten since childhood, so it’s fitting that he now finds himself traversing the Nordic forests and farmlands to spot the perfect produce. Between picking blueberries in Skåne and foraging figs in Amager, Carsten’s dedication to the quality of the fruit and how it is sourced means the fruit’s natural flavour is able to shine through in all their recipes without the use of artificial preservatives or additives. Most Bruuns Baghaver products have between 75-83% fruit content, which is one of the things that makes them so distinct from mass produced jams, and one of the reasons they enjoy so many return customers looking for that authentic homemade taste:
“It’s so rewarding when we hand out tasters. People will come to the market and taste one of our products and say ‘Wow, that’s just like my grandma’s backyard. Taste can really transport you to so many places in your childhood”
Seasonal changes, seasonal challenges
Flavour is indeed a powerful thing, as is the ability of preserves to extend the shelf life of seasonal produce all year round, giving us the chance to enjoy these flavours whenever we want. Preserving is a tradition that has endured within many families, and few are strangers to the joy of a pan of stewed fruit bubbling on the stove after a day of picking berries. But to do so at the scale and level it takes to run a successful small business is intensive and involves a lot of work. Applying handcrafted methods to the development and sale of multiple varieties of jam to both consumers and other businesses, all while relying on the weather, is a challenge Bruuns Baghaver have met with enthusiasm and resilience. The yield can be changeable, as can the timing of when fruit is ready to be picked. Some recipes are also particularly time consuming due to relying mostly on manual processes and the use of modest tools needed for filtration and blending. Their limoncello jam, for example, is a particularly tough product to make: “we have to shave the lemon, remove the pith, chop it up …it just takes forever”. Right now is sea buckthorn and rosehip season, two of the trickiest and most time-consuming ingredients to process, meaning Birte is called upon to offer her skills and expertise.
An added challenge when working with the seasons and their changeable nature is consistency, something that can only be achieved through constant monitoring and adjustment. Whereas many bigger manufacturers stabilise their products with additives, the natural pectin used in Bruuns Baghaver products is subject to seasonal influence: “How sunny or rainy a season has been can affect both the sweetness and water content of the fruit. It’s a matter of always testing, and a lot of tasting”. What’s more, unlike mass produced products that require certain processes and additives to ensure a consistent product, for Carsten, small variations in consistency are inevitable. What is most important for the Bruun family is that the products are the same high quality and fruit content overall, and it’s on this promise that they’ve built such a loyal customer base.
Responsible relationships
In order to maintain this high level of quality and do justice to the flavour of the fruit without additives or artificial sweeteners, the family have been experimenting with new ways to sweeten their products. Carsten uses honey from a local bee school in place of sugar,as well as orange shavings as a natural sweetener for their sea buckthorn marmalade. The family has also found ways to incorporate wild foraged woodruff into some of their jams, known by some as “Nordic vanilla”, for an added sweet twist.
Seeking alternative ingredients and materials that are responsibly sourced and produced is also a priority for Bruuns Baghaver. Working closely with local growers who share their commitment to the environment and quality of their produce, all Bruuns Baghaver packaging is FSC and GOTS-certified, with jars that are reusable and recyclable. A lot of their produce is purchased from local ‘sprøjtefri’ or organic farmers and micro-farms, and when it comes to foraged berries and other wild fruits (where certification is not possible), the priority for Carsten is a direct and responsible partnership with her producers and land caretakers:
”We want to make sure that we have an honest production and that what we do is what we stand for. That seems to come through because people come back and they know and trust the product”
Their commitment to conscious and responsible procurement was also a priority when they decided to start introducing vanilla into selected recipes (their blackberry, raspberry and rhubarb jams for example). Sourced from three family-owned farms in northern Bali, the Bruun family visit their suppliers every year in person, maintaining a direct line of communication with those they work with, in what is otherwise an industry affected by third party corruption:
“The vanilla business is like the coffee or cocoa business where the farmer gets barely anything, but we know the people because we go there and we see their operation and the quality of the product. We know the money is going to the right people.”
A growing reputation and growing network
With the exception of vanilla, the majority of Brunns Baghaver produce is sourced in the Nordics and made exclusively here in Denmark. The traditional and familiar flavours of local fruits with the occasional unique twist has drawn the attention of local restaurants and bakeries looking for new and imaginative additions to their menu. As a result, Bruuns Baghaver have cultivated a respectable B2B customer list over a few short years, including Omegn og Venner, Kasada and Ard Bakery. The ability of their products to bridge the sweet-savoury divide has seen their preserves accompanying everything from ice cream to high-end burgers.
Such growing interest has naturally called for more trips to farms and forests, the planting of more bushes, and more kilos of fruit to be processed. This has kept the business thriving over the dark winter months, particularly now Carsten has been experimenting more with freezing harvested fruit batches to allow for later processing times. Enjoying a shared production space with a former colleague has also allowed for more space for storage, freezing and production. Grateful for a wider network of people in the industry with space and resources to share, Carsten notes how supportive he has found others working in the food community to be, not least his fellow stall-holders at Grønt Marked:
“It’s always a great feeling at the end of the market when you exchange what you’ve brought and share new stories about what people are doing. Some fun things can come out of it too. Last year some of us came together and made an alcohol-free gløgg to sell at Christmas which was a great success. These relationships you build… they also grow into something else. For example, we now have 240 bushes at Kysøko (a fellow Grønt Marked producer) where we grow blackberries, blackcurrant and gooseberries. And now with this shared space we have where we can freeze and store the fruits, we have even more possibilities. I’ve never felt such a strong support network”.
It’s this sense of community and collective value found in the sharing of resources that reflects why producers like Bruuns Baghaver are such an important part of Grønt Marked. By participating in collaborative networks of producers, they contribute to a vibrant, sustainable local food system. This commitment to working together in turn fosters resilience, supports fair pricing, and encourages sustainable practices that benefit both producers and consumers. As part of a broader community effort, producers like Bruuns Baghaver help ensure Grønt Marked remains a thriving hub for fresh, responsibly sourced food that nourishes our community and strengthens our food systems.
You can find Bruuns Baghaver on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bruunsbaghaver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Bruuns-baghaver-100067697420022/
Website: https://bruunsbaghaver.dk/
GRØNT MARKED
Producer Portrait: Bruuns Baghaver
written by Joanna Leach
September 30th, 2024
Bruuns Baghaver is a small, family-owned business dedicated to capturing the seasonal flavours of local Danish and Nordic fruits through their handmade preserves. Members of Grønt Marked since 2022, their eye-catching stall is always a joy to see, with its colourful selection of jams, jellies and marmalades based on family recipes handed down over the years.
The family company consists of Carsten (the main hands of the operation), his son Jan-Christian, and his daughter Camilla, both of whom help with harvesting, foraging, and processing during high season. With over 20 products in their range, and a list of ingredients that includes blackberries, raspberries, lingonberries, blueberries, cherries, gooseberries, plums, figs, and sea buckthorn, this is no small undertaking. Whether it’s picking and cleaning, destoning and peeling, or carefully cutting out the hundreds of cotton toppers to decorate the jars, production is truly a hands-on process, with Carsten’s 90-year-old mum, Birte, occasionally lending her skills and expertise.
Simple and fruitful
Being out in nature has been a source of fascination and joy for Carsten since childhood, so it’s fitting that he now finds himself traversing the Nordic forests and farmlands to spot the perfect produce. Between picking blueberries in Skåne and foraging figs in Amager, Carsten’s dedication to the quality of the fruit and how it is sourced means the fruit’s natural flavour is able to shine through in all their recipes without the use of artificial preservatives or additives. Most Bruuns Baghaver products have between 75-83% fruit content, which is one of the things that makes them so distinct from mass produced jams, and one of the reasons they enjoy so many return customers looking for that authentic homemade taste:
“It’s so rewarding when we hand out tasters. People will come to the market and taste one of our products and say ‘Wow, that’s just like my grandma’s backyard. Taste can really transport you to so many places in your childhood”
Seasonal changes, seasonal challenges
Flavour is indeed a powerful thing, as is the ability of preserves to extend the shelf life of seasonal produce all year round, giving us the chance to enjoy these flavours whenever we want. Preserving is a tradition that has endured within many families, and few are strangers to the joy of a pan of stewed fruit bubbling on the stove after a day of picking berries. But to do so at the scale and level it takes to run a successful small business is intensive and involves a lot of work. Applying handcrafted methods to the development and sale of multiple varieties of jam to both consumers and other businesses, all while relying on the weather, is a challenge Bruuns Baghaver have met with enthusiasm and resilience. The yield can be changeable, as can the timing of when fruit is ready to be picked. Some recipes are also particularly time consuming due to relying mostly on manual processes and the use of modest tools needed for filtration and blending. Their limoncello jam, for example, is a particularly tough product to make: “we have to shave the lemon, remove the pith, chop it up …it just takes forever”. Right now is sea buckthorn and rosehip season, two of the trickiest and most time-consuming ingredients to process, meaning Birte is called upon to offer her skills and expertise.
An added challenge when working with the seasons and their changeable nature is consistency, something that can only be achieved through constant monitoring and adjustment. Whereas many bigger manufacturers stabilise their products with additives, the natural pectin used in Bruuns Baghaver products is subject to seasonal influence: “How sunny or rainy a season has been can affect both the sweetness and water content of the fruit. It’s a matter of always testing, and a lot of tasting”. What’s more, unlike mass produced products that require certain processes and additives to ensure a consistent product, for Carsten, small variations in consistency are inevitable. What is most important for the Bruun family is that the products are the same high quality and fruit content overall, and it’s on this promise that they’ve built such a loyal customer base.
Responsible relationships
In order to maintain this high level of quality and do justice to the flavour of the fruit without additives or artificial sweeteners, the family have been experimenting with new ways to sweeten their products. Carsten uses honey from a local bee school in place of sugar, as well as orange shavings as a natural sweetener for their sea buckthorn marmalade. The family has also found ways to incorporate wild foraged woodruff into some of their jams, known by some as “Nordic vanilla”, for an added sweet twist.
Seeking alternative ingredients and materials that are responsibly sourced and produced is also a priority for Bruuns Baghaver. Working closely with local growers who share their commitment to the environment and quality of their produce, all Bruuns Baghaver packaging is FSC and GOTS-certified, with jars that are reusable and recyclable. A lot of their produce is purchased from local ‘sprøjtefri’ or organic farmers and micro-farms, and when it comes to foraged berries and other wild fruits (where certification is not possible), the priority for Carsten is a direct and responsible partnership with her producers and land caretakers:
”We want to make sure that we have an honest production and that what we do is what we stand for. That seems to come through because people come back and they know and trust the product”
Their commitment to conscious and responsible procurement was also a priority when they decided to start introducing vanilla into selected recipes (their blackberry, raspberry and rhubarb jams for example). Sourced from three family-owned farms in northern Bali, the Bruun family visit their suppliers every year in person, maintaining a direct line of communication with those they work with, in what is otherwise an industry affected by third party corruption:
“The vanilla business is like the coffee or cocoa business where the farmer gets barely anything, but we know the people because we go there and we see their operation and the quality of the product. We know the money is going to the right people.”
A growing reputation and network
With the exception of vanilla, the majority of Brunns Baghaver produce is sourced in the Nordics and made exclusively here in Denmark. The traditional and familiar flavours of local fruits with the occasional unique twist has drawn the attention of local restaurants and bakeries looking for new and imaginative additions to their menu. As a result, Bruuns Baghaver have cultivated a respectable B2B customer list over a few short years, including Omegn og Venner, Kasada and Ard Bakery. The ability of their products to bridge the sweet-savoury divide has seen their preserves accompanying everything from ice cream to high-end burgers.
Such growing interest has naturally called for more trips to farms and forests, the planting of more bushes, and more kilos of fruit to be processed. This has kept the business thriving over the dark winter months, particularly now Carsten has been experimenting more with freezing harvested fruit batches to allow for later processing times. Enjoying a shared production space with a former colleague has also allowed for more space for storage, freezing and production. Grateful for a wider network of people in the industry with space and resources to share, Carsten notes how supportive he has found others working in the food community to be, not least his fellow stall-holders at Grønt Marked:
“It’s always a great feeling at the end of the market when you exchange what you’ve brought and share new stories about what people are doing. Some fun things can come out of it too. Last year some of us came together and made an alcohol-free gløgg to sell at Christmas which was a great success. These relationships you build… they also grow into something else. For example, we now have 240 bushes at Kysøko (a fellow Grønt Marked producer) where we grow blackberries, blackcurrant and gooseberries. And now with this shared space we have where we can freeze and store the fruits, we have even more possibilities. I’ve never felt such a strong support network”.
It’s this sense of community and collective value found in the sharing of resources that reflects why producers like Bruuns Baghaver are such an important part of Grønt Marked. By participating in collaborative networks of producers, they contribute to a vibrant, sustainable local food system. This commitment to working together in turn fosters resilience, supports fair pricing, and encourages sustainable practices that benefit both producers and consumers. As part of a broader community effort, producers like Bruuns Baghaver help ensure Grønt Marked remains a thriving hub for fresh, responsibly sourced food that nourishes our community and strengthens our food systems.