In the busy streets of London, you can enjoy the traditional earwear or salmon bread. Iltalehti reporter visited the Nordic Scandikitchen store and was surprised.
Moomin ad sign off Fitzrovia’s Scandikitchen Café. Julia Laine
There are as many as two stores in the center of London where you can buy familiar Finnish products such as Fazer’s chocolate, tentacle and rye bread.
Scandikitchen is a grocery store and a café focusing on Nordic products. It was founded by a Swedish -Danish couple in 2006. The first café was founded 18 years ago in the Fitzrovia area, a stone’s throw from the lively Oxford Street shopping street. Two months ago, another store-café opened in the Victoria district, near the Buckingham Palace.
Two months ago, the new Scandikitchen store was opened in the Victoria district. Julia Laine
Victoria’s Scandikitchen is a popular lunch spot. Then many locals get lost there.
– On weekdays, most of the customers are lunching British. On weekends, Nordic customers visit the store’s products, says Scandikitchen’s forerunner Freja Haulrik.
Danish Freja Haulrik, 26, has worked for Scandikitchen for 6 years. He spotted a job report on Facebook shortly after moving to London. Like Haulrik, most of Scandikitchen’s employees have some relationship with the Nordic countries. Julia Laine
According to Haulrik, the most popular lunch dose is meatballs and mashed potatoes. Lunch breads have also been popular. Many British customers have been confused by something that is completely ordinary for Finns.
– Many are confused by the fact that there is no cover on the bread. Some customers have even asked for an extra piece of bread they would put on bread, Haulrik laughs.
Popular breads have confused many British customers, as there is no other piece of bread on top of them. Julia Laine
A small family business is distinguished from other restaurants in the area, which are mainly large chains. The atmosphere of the café is clear, minimalist and relaxed in the Nordic style. From the buzz of a busy street, it offers lunch for a hurry.
The minimalist interior and neutral colors are suitable in the Nordic style of the café. Julia Laine
In addition to lunch, the café sells familiar cakes, such as traditional earrings. Julia Laine
The new café has been open for two months now. There have been enough customers, even though Haulrik still expects the larger troops to find a new place. Recently, they have got benches outside the café that Haulrik believes will attract more customers – or out. Julia Laine
The new Victoria café has a small shop that sells many familiar products. The larger store is located in the original Fitzrovia location.
The size of Victoria’s new store is smaller than its sister shop. There are brands familiar to Finns and, for example, a loose candy shelf. The marketing authorization for alcohol has not yet been obtained, but it is expected to receive it. Julia Laine
The number of Finnish products is relatively small. Haulrik says that all Finnish products are imported from Sweden.
– Imports are difficult from Finland, so Finnish products come from Swedish importers.
These Finnish Fazer products, for example, were sold at the Victoria Scandikitchen store. According to Haulrik, Finntoast is one of the best-selling Finnish products. Julia Laine
According to Haulrik, there are fewer Finnish customers than Swedes, for example, which also explains the smaller number of Finnish products.
– There are more Swedes living in London than Finns living here.
However, there are some Finnish customers in Scandikitchen, so there is also demand for Finnish products.
The original Fitzrovia Scandikitchen café has a hustle and bustle at lunch. Julia Laine
Downstairs in the café, there is a wide range of Nordic products. According to Haulrik, the best -selling products this year have been Kalle’s caviar paste and Smash chocolate -like. Julia Laine
The most popular Finnish products are the tentacle and Finntoast, or rye bread.
“Usually they will buy them, but also to the Swedes,” Haulrik says.
Haulrik, a Danish, says he likes the tentacle. Often, customers go for tentacles and go to the park in the evening.
– I don’t know how they managed to make it so good. Gin & Tonic mixes are available elsewhere, but they are never as good, Haulrik wonders.
Koskenkorva Strait Liqueur is also one of the most popular Finnish products.
– It’s good, laughs Haulrik.
Tipkero is one of the best -selling Finnish products. Julia Laine
– Aesthetically, I think it is really nice to put the tentacles out in the store. They look really pretty on the shelf, says Haurlik. Julia Laine
Loose candies have always been at the forefront of the best -selling products. In recent years, they have even been so popular that they have not been ordered more from Sweden.
The Swedish candy trend, which has been wild in social media last year, has also been noticed in Scandikitchen.
– There is a difference in which loose candies will buy. Many non-North people have found the store after the trend, says Haulrik.
Both Scandikitchen stores also have a loose candy department. Loose candies have always been one of the best -selling products, but with the recent Sometrend, their popularity has grown considerably. Julia Laine
Scandikitchen has opened the online store in 2009. It is still the most popular place to purchase for Scandikitchen customers.
-There are Nordic people throughout the UK. Sometimes customers tell us that we have been our online store customers for years and wanted to visit London to visit our store on the spot, Haulrik says.