This autumn, the new Yh education Mathantverkare will start in Boden, with a clear ambition to increase the local investment in locally produced and artisanal food and food producers in Norrbotten. The training is run by Changemaker Educations, which has been running training courses in gaming, web development and tourism for several years, based at Boden Business Park.

With a growing demand for local produce, more conscious food consumers and food tourism as a trend, interest in food and local producers has probably never been greater. The ‘Food Producer’ course gives students the tools to start up and run a small-scale food business themselves, or to scale up their existing business. The training is also aimed at those who work or want to work in established companies and help them to grow in a conscious and sustainable way.

– We at Changemaker Educations are very happy that we can run an education in food crafts and food in Boden, Norrbotten. We are already established in the gaming industry at Boden Business Park, but our goal is to also be a strong player in Food and Tourism with sustainability in focus. Our ambition is to help and support local entrepreneurs and business owners in the food industry through the new training, says Lina Ekström Morin, Changemaker Educations.

Interest in locally produced, local and ‘real’ food has increased recently in both Norrbotten and throughout Sweden. Boden Municipality is one of the actors supporting the initiative and sees great value in the training from a business perspective.

– Our latest piece of the puzzle has fallen into place! We, as growth professionals, see good opportunities in strengthening the sector’s development, which is in line with existing development strategies. For a long-term sustainable food production, this training creates conditions for both the individual and the entrepreneurs, says Jörgen Nordqvist, business developer Boden Business Park.

Several food companies in the region support the training and will be involved in its design in the future. One of them is Polar Bread, which sees that more skills in the food industry are needed locally.

– It’s so nice that Boden has received this education on food crafts. We at Polarbröd are working to strengthen our local networks through the CHARM project with the hope of finding collaborations for future products. That Boden is helping to train the foodmakers of the future feels very exciting. Together we will put northern Sweden on the food map! says Karin Bodin, CEO of Polarbröd.

Other food and tourism companies behind the training include J.Petterssons Chark in Boden, Bondgården Bälinge, Quality Hotel Bodensia, Järnspisens Matbod, Elite Hotel Mimer, Umeå, Arjeplog hotel Silverhatten AB – Silver Resort, Tegelbrukets hantverksmejeri, Treehotel and Utblick-Huuva Hideaway.