Less than ten years ago, the traditional Norwegian lunch was quite simple: two slices of bread topped with a spread, usually brown cheese. If you were adventurous, your ‘matpakke’, or food pack in English, might include salami, egg or jam. It was fast and easy to make, but it became boring and repetitive rather quickly.
Today, the Norwegian lunch could not be more varied. Cafés have sprung everywhere offering a wide range of open sandwiches. And at Amica’s personnel restaurants, customers enjoy a vast array of dishes: a daily choice between a dish of fish, meat and a soup, a plentiful salad bar, as well as many desserts and fruits
‘Firms have become more aware of the importance of offering good lunch options to their employees,’ explains Unni Wæge, Personnel Manager at Fazer Food Services Norway. ‘Lunch at the personnel restaurant must be an experience, a highlight of the day,’ she says.
Another major change, says Unni, is that customers are more likely to want to be looked after. ‘We are very aware that good service is just as important as offering tasty food. We make sure we hire excellent employees and work on improving their skills so they meet our customers’ expectations.’