Grangarde Musteri

Fruit cordials and syrups*Jam*Marmalade*Cider

Grangarde Musteri
At the Grangarde Musteri they have found that the cultivation and pressing of their own berries is the key to a quality product. By controlling all parts of the production chain Tillmans can ensure that their fruit jams and syrups are made from berries that are freshly picked. “That also means we keep our prices competitive”, says Thomas Tillman, the owner of the Musteri.

History
In 1979 Tord Tillman founded ‘Tillmans Berries’ and leased some unused fields for a blackcurrant crop in his native village of Saxdalen. The site of the present -day musteri was bought at Solbacken, Grangarde and 55 hectares of berry cultivation, including 7 hectares of strawberries was commenced.

Fresh-pressing
Only Tillmans make their cordials from berries they have grown and pressed themselves. The hard work begins in late spring when the fertile soil around lake Byson unfreezes. After planting and manuring, the constant weeding and care, unaided by the use of chemicals, ensures that the first strawberries are harvested around midsummer festival time.

From then on, strange sight in the Grangarde fruit fields, is a Tillmans worker perched high up on their mechanical picking machine which is in use almost constantly until the lingonberry harvest in September. In 2004 a new diapragm press , Scandanavia’s first, was installed and, armed with new techniques similar to those of Italian wineries, a five-fold increase in capacity was achieved. Now 10,000 kg of berries can be pressed, filtered and pasteurised each day.

Products
After the juice is recovered a little organic sugar is added before bottling. Cordials make up 75% of production alongside jams, marmalades, cider, sparkling drinks , and glogg for Christmas.

KRAV
The musteri is a member of the organic control organisation, KRAV . Several times a year KRAV inspectors make unannounced visits to Tillmans to make sure their tough organic standards are being met, in field and factory.