It's absolutely wild: Røyland Gård is betting big on Norwegian berries

From guesthouse to national initiative on wild berries

Røyland Gård is located in Engesland, in the municipality of Birkenes in Agder – just over an hour’s drive from both Arendal and Kristiansand. The business has been owned by the Sagstuen family since 1979, when Marit and Frank Sagstuen bought the farm. The farm was originally remote, without roads or running water, but Marit and Frank built it into a guesthouse with a restaurant in the barn, its own farm tower, rental cabins and a beautiful garden.

When we stroll around Røyland Gård, it oozes creativity and innovation. -We want to be the best at wild berries , says Pernille Vea and shows us around the new premises. A brand new industrial building with plenty of space, better working conditions and a huge machine that is still wrapped in plastic. - The wild berries taste better, are healthier and the supply from nature is massive! There are millions of tons of wild berries in Norwegian forests waiting to be picked, cleaned and pickled in jars, she continues.

They have invested over 10 million kroner and want to make this a national project. In an interview with the local newspaper Lillesand-Posten, it is explained as follows.

– It is extremely important for us. The ambition is to make this a national project. Today there are only smaller, scattered initiatives in Norway, says Gunnar

And the project requires major investments. Røyland Gård has applied for several support schemes, including from Innovation Norway, and has recently received funds from NorgesGruppen's sustainability fund, Handle. Norges Vel is also providing money and justifies the commitment by saying that this is a new and important way to develop Norwegian agriculture.

Back at the farm, there is a cleaning line that will be 17 meters long when it is finished. The jam producers are going from being able to clean 100 kg of berries per day with five people working, to now, with the new investments, being able to clean several tons per day, using less labor. It is smart, efficient and frees up resources to do other things in the company. Because the demand is great, they say.

From Norwegian forests to store shelves

Today's operators, Pernille and Gunnar, produce jams, jellies, apple drinks and drink syrups from Norwegian wild berries as well as apples and berries from the local area. They are foragers and don't really grow anything themselves - everything is picked by hand. Røyland Gård is known for things like cricket and lingonberry jelly, currants with vanilla, and apples with spruce shoot jelly. The products are also sold in delicatessens and grocery stores in Southern and Eastern Norway. NorgesGruppen and MENY in particular have been cheering Røyland Gård on. In 2025, Meny awarded Norway's largest food grant, the Food Tax Grant, of NOK 300,000.

– This was the kickstarter for this major investment, and without all the support and cheering from everyone around us, we would never have dared or been able to make this happen, says Gunnar.

In October, the new cleaning line will be up and running, and even more wild berry jam can enter stores and be on festive and everyday tables around the country.