Jonas comes from Finland, but lives in Tromsø. He has a Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry, and a passion for cooking.
An avid culinarian, Jonas acquired some skrei roe and started experimenting. The following years he continued to produce and improve small amounts of bottarga, for family and friends to enjoy.
In 2009 Jonas shared his ideas with Joakim Wikström, a Swede with a long background in the food and hospitality sector.
They both saw the potential of bottarga made from skrei, and Joakim enrolled at Tromsø University, aiming to develop the idea into a viable business venture. In the following years, the duo slowly scaled up the production.
In 2014 the time had come to start a company. With some aid from Innovasjon Norge, Hrogn AS was born. The company got its name from the Norse word for roe – and is equally unpronounceable in every language!
Some years later, the duo was joined by Lia Berti, an Italian with a strong food interest. Before joining the company, Lia finished her Master’s degree in Business Creation and Entrepreneurship, using Hrogn AS as her case study.
In 2017 the company produced the first batch of skrei bottarga on a commercial scale, for an international market. As of 2020 Hrogn AS is exporting Bottarga Boreale to 14 countries, and has over 20 Michelin restaurants on its customer list.