Eva Alskog’s epic journey to certification
Eva embarks on what can be a treacherous journey to a height of 2,104 meters, 150 kilometers above the Arctic Circle, to certify a restaurant that serves organic food. In Sweden, these restaurants must be KRAV certified – with no exception for those on top of mountains. One of the country’s most remote eateries is the Kebnekaise mountain lodge, in Sweden’s northernmost province, Lapland. The lodge sits at the foot of Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain, and cannot be reached by road.
Walk, ski or take a helicopter
Eva travels from Umeå, 700 kilometers south of the restaurant, to carry out the KRAV audit. For the last part of the journey, she has a choice of transport: she can walk, ski or take a helicopter.
“It’s about 19 km to the lodge, which takes around 5 hours on foot,” Eva explained. “I do the auditing, then I stay there for the night and walk back the next day. It’s easier by helicopter, but I would prefer to ski while the snow is still there.”
Kebnekaise mountain lodge serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, including local specialties like reindeer and fish. KRAV certification assures their customers – adventurers taking a break from their hikes – that the food they’re eating is organic. With an MSc in husbandry and after 25 years in the certification business, Eva still finds the work interesting.
“I like the work because it’s so varied. I also do auditing in dairy farms, restaurants, bakeries and many other places; I visit a lot of different types of companies. And auditing the lodge gives me a great opportunity to go to the mountains – I can combine work with a short holiday and take in the spectacular scenery.”
I would prefer to ski while the snow is still thereEva Alskog