Stromma’s onboard restaurants receive the Swedish eco label KRAV

Before receiving the coveted KRAV label, a restaurant is tested rigorously to make sure that the ingredients used to prepare the food served is produced in accordance with ecological guidelines and satisfy various strict demands regarding the wellbeing of animals, health, social responsibility, and climate impact. We’re very happy that all of Stromma’s 20 on-board restaurants, along with the restaurant Särimner on Birka and the kitchen of on the Vaxholm fortress, now are proud bearers of the KRAV label.

What does the KRAV label mean for Stromma?

“The KRAV label is the confirmation for all the hard work we put into making sure that what happens aboard our boats happens in agreement with high ecological and sustainability standards. This means that our guests can rest assured that we only use the best ingredients for all our food cruises,” says Peter Henricson, Director of Stromma’s Sweden operations.

We also asked Josefine Larsson, responsible for setting up rules and guidelines for restaurants and large kitchen at KRAV, what the label entails.

What does it actually mean for a restaurant to KRAV-certified?

“Restaurants can receive one, two, or three stars to indicate how many ingredients used by them have been approved. The more ingredients are approved, the more stars the restaurant receives,” Josefine explains.

Once restaurants have received the KRAV label, how do you make sure that they maintain their standards?

“We work with an independent third-party certification body that goes performs annual checks at every restaurant to make sure that they follow the rules and make sure that the standards are upheld by taking a look at the whole chain from producer to consumer.

“Beyond the ingredients used to prepare the food, there are further requirements regarding the training of the personnel, the use of disposable products, and the use of eco-labelled cleaning products. A KRAV-certified restaurant is also not allowed to serve endangered fish.”

What’s the point of the KRAV label?

 “The KRAV label makes it easier for both private consumers and companies to make sustainable choices and is a step in the right direction toward minimizing our impact on the climate and the environment,” Josefine argues.

If I, as a private consumer, want to buy some KRAV-labelled products for my home, what do you recommend I focus on?

“I think that coffee and bananas are great choices in such a case, but also buying KRAV-labeled meat, milk, potatoes, and other groceries that you use often or that have a particularly high carbon footprint is extremely helpful and effective. On top of that, you should also consider buying fruit and vegetables that actually are in season and don’t have to be imported.”

Two years ago, Stromma joined the national network of sustainably driven restaurants (called “Hållbara restauranger” in Swedish) and this year marks the certification of all on-board restaurants with the KRAV label.

In what other ways does Stromma work with questions related to sustainability? For starters, the on-boat restaurants only serve eco and fair-trade coffee and tea. Additionally, Stromma cooperates with the organization WWF to push for a cleaner and healthier Baltic Sea.

As Peter Henricson says, “We love the archipelago and the sea, so trying to preserve the beautiful nature that we get to work in is near and dear to us.”

Read more about Stromma’s various projects and work in sustainability questions here.