Category: News

As many people know, Elettra Wiedermann is visiting Iceland for DesignMarch 2012. Few people know that she is the promoter of a very special restaurant, but the ingredients she uses are mostly local. The same is true of food factories that are making inroads around the world.

A meeting is currently taking place in Iceland about New Nordic Food and the meeting will take place at Matís' premises. Many good guests attend the meeting, including the owner and one of the founders of the most popular restaurant in the world in 2010 and 2011, NOMA - Nordic Cuisine. Claus Meyer, who together with René Redzepi, founded NOMA in 2004, is here for this meeting. The importance of Nordic cuisine and people's interest in it has seldom been greater. René is gracing the cover of TIME on March 26. and it is a sign of increased US interest in what the Nordic countries are doing in food and drink, especially when it comes to local food production and the full utilization of raw materials.

The importance of food factories is significant, not only here in Iceland but elsewhere, especially in the other Nordic countries. Most of our cousins have invested considerable sums in supporting food production from the local area, both for the development of tourism but also for creating added value that the sale of food itself creates. When looking at local food production, it is safe to say that little else contributes to the equally healthy development of the economy. Here we are creating value from a real product, not an imaginary product as we knew until the collapse in 2008. Local food production is extremely important for the economy of each region and each country, but also because of the countries' own image creation in a large context where full utilization raw materials are more often than not guided.

In Matís food factories, entrepreneurs and small businesses are offered the opportunity to develop products and start small-scale food production for a small rent. In this way, they save on investments in expensive equipment right from the start of operations. This provides a unique opportunity to continue testing oneself both in production and in the market. Special emphasis is placed on development in connection with local food and food tourism services.

The facility is intended for national use. The prerequisite for getting into the facility is to buy advice on good production methods in the beginning. In this way, users will learn the correct working methods from the beginning. The facility at Matarsmiðjan in Hornafjörður provides a unique opportunity for innovation in small-scale food production. A number of projects have already started in Matís' food workshops and there is a steady increase in interest in the workshops.

More about Goodness, Elettra Wiedermann's restaurant, can be found here and information on the NOMA restaurant can be found here.

For further information Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson, marketing director of Matís.

Collaboration between Matís and the Iceland Academy of the Arts, Meeting of designers and farmers, one of the 8 best pieces at HönnunarMars 2012.

Lilja Gunnarsdóttir, editor of the Icelandic Design Center, chose the best and most delicious crumbs from the Design March 2012 program and she considered Dating with Farmers one of the best crumbs this year.

Matís is a participant in DesignMarch 2012. On the one hand, Matís is involved in the project Dating with Farmers, which is a project led by the Iceland Academy of the Arts whose goal was to bring together two very different groups; designers on the one hand and farmers on the other. Matís was an important partner when it came to creating consumer-friendly products from raw materials, often underutilized, which farmers have in hand. 

"Farmers 'and designers' meeting" is an entrepreneurial project for the benefit of the business community where two professions are brought together to create a unique product. There are great opportunities in food production, and with systematic innovation in the raw material and product development, the value added can be multiplied.

This exhibition space takes place at Klapparstígur 33 in Reykjavík. Press release: Dating with farmers.

See more at www.sparkdesignspace.com and www.designersandfarmers.com (website opens on Saturday).

On the other hand, Matís is a participant in HönnunarMars in an exhibition of the results of the university course "Eco-friendly food innovation“ (EcoTrophelia Iceland).

EcoTrophelia is competing for the title of the most delicious, original and environmentally friendly food in 2012. The competition and exhibition are held within the framework of DesignMarch and the events take place in the new premises of the Design and Architecture Department of the Iceland Academy of the Arts, Þverholt 11.

The President of Iceland, mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson will present a prize in the student competition at a ceremony in the exhibition area on Saturday 24 March at 2.30 pm. The exhibition is open to everyone and here is an advertisement for it.

EcoTrophelia Iceland's goal is to reduce the environmental impact of the Icelandic food industry by creating new environmentally friendly food and beverage products through product development competitions for university students. The Icelandic Innovation Center together with Matís has established a collaboration with five Icelandic universities to organize a master's course in environmentally friendly food innovation. Interdisciplinary teams of students from different schools and specialties are guided through the product development process, from concept to marketable product, with special emphasis on environmental issues and design. At the end of the course, each team has an advanced prototype food product and a complete business and marketing plan. Students can market their product themselves or sell the innovation idea to an existing food company. The course ends with a competition, EcoTrophelia Iceland, between the product ideas, but the winning team will take part in the European competition EcoTrophelia Europe later the same year. In addition to the Iceland Innovation Center and Matís, the competition is run by the Food Development Center - Food for Life and the Confederation of Icelandic Industries.

More information about EcoTrophelia can be found here.

Matís' newsletter has just been published. Here you can find the main news of recent weeks, summarized so that it is easy to read.

The newsletter can be found here: www.matis.is/frettabref

Matís is not only a strong research and knowledge company on an Icelandic scale, but Matís also fully compares with comparable foreign companies and institutions.

An example is the search for a company with as much and extensive in-depth knowledge and experience in research related to seafood. In that field, it can be said that Matís is one of the leading companies in the world, "says Hörður G. Kristinsson, Matís' research director.

From the beginning, Matís' international research and development work and participation in foreign projects has steadily increased and has now become a large part of its operations. Matís' staff has at the same time education and extensive experience that is useful in project relationships on almost every continent.

"This move towards foreign targets is necessary to maintain Matís' strong work and further connect its operations with strong research and development groups abroad. International co-operation is the key to further development of research for the benefit of Icelandic society. As an example of the great success that has been achieved in Matís' work, it can be mentioned that we are now participating in about 30 international research projects. Of these, Matís leads over ten projects, all of which are very large and with many international partners, "says Hörður.

New methods - a new approach
Hörður mentions as an example Amylomics and Ecofishman, both projects that are handsomely funded from the European Union's Seventh Framework Program and received excellent evaluation. The projects are very different, but Hörður says that they well reflect the great breadth and expertise that Matís has. "The Amylomics project is about finding new enzymes from Icelandic hot springs to convert starch in a new way. This can lead to a revolution in the use of new starch varieties, for example in the food industry, in addition to introducing new Icelandic enzymes. The Ecofishman project is about exploring a new approach to fisheries management where stakeholders have the opportunity to influence the development of fisheries management. The outcome of the project can lead to important improvements to the current fisheries management system, for the benefit of all, "says Hörður.

Matís on all continents
In addition to major European projects, there is great energy in Matís' Nordic co-operation. This can be seen from Matís' outstanding success in obtaining grants from the Nordic Innovation Program in the autumn of 2011. Matís leads five large projects that received grants from the fund and participates in almost all projects that were funded.

"This is a good example of the great power and ambition that lies in Matís' work. The projects range from developing new consumer products from Icelandic seaweed to creating a plan for marketing Nordic whitefish products, "says Hörður.
Matís' foreign co-operation is not only limited to Europe. The company's projects and partners are on almost every continent. An example is a development project that began in the autumn of 2011 for the Tanzanian government related to research on fish, fish processing and an assessment of the social status of fishing communities on Lake Tanganyika. Matís has recently worked on other important development projects in Africa, for example in Kenya and Mozambique, related to quality issues and the training of fisheries inspectors and technicians. On the other side of the Atlantic, Matís has participated in aquaculture projects in Chile and research on bioactive marine materials in the United States in collaboration with both universities and large companies. A new project is also underway with Canadian scientists to study the effects of fish proteins on type 2 diabetes, a growing global problem. These projects are mostly due to the expertise and experience that Matís employees have and are highly sought after worldwide.

Record in the number of student projects
Matís' role and role in student education and training has grown and the company has strong connections with many reputable foreign universities. Hörður mentions a very successful collaboration with UNU, the United Nations University, since its establishment, but Matís employees play an important role in teaching at the university's so-called quality line, and students are located at Matís and do their final projects there. "Last year, a new record was set in the number of students at Matís who worked on these and other projects. Of these, many were foreign students from around the world who benefited from the guidance of Matís scientists and the excellent facilities that the company can offer students. They consider Matís an exciting option because of how well the company is connected to both the university environment and companies, as most of the student projects are of the nature that they are working on scientific projects with practicality in mind. "

For further information Hard.

The University of Iceland in collaboration with the University of Akureyri, the Agricultural University, Hólar University and Matís, has established a master's program in food sciences where the emphasis is different from what has been known before.

New master's degree in food science

Master's program in food science in collaboration with the University of Iceland, other state universities and Matís, with the involvement of companies in the food and biotechnology industry.

There will be three study programs in the program, during which students will complete a master's degree in food science with an emphasis on production management, quality management or biotechnology.

• Production management line: emphasis on processing, product development and value added
• Quality management line: emphasis on microbial measurements and research and implementation and implementation of quality control
• Biotechnology line: emphasis on biochemical processing, research and innovation

The intention is to connect the study program to the business community directly, both with guest lecturers from the business community and with practical student projects that will be carried out in collaboration with powerful food companies. At the same time, to better connect the studies to the business world
but previously known in this field, international co-operation will be strengthened, in addition to which management and operational emphases have been added to the study.

It is a practical course suitable for those who have completed undergraduate studies in food science or other science subjects such as chemistry, biology and engineering and are interested in playing a leading role in the food and biotechnology industry in management, innovation or research.

Further information can be found here and also by contacting Guðjón Þorkelsson head of department at Matís and associate professor at the University of Iceland and Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson, marketing director of Matís.

Study website: www.framtidarnam.is.

Increased collaboration between universities and research institutes results in a new course, the first of its kind in Iceland.

Five universities have been collaborating with the Iceland Innovation Center and Matís for some time now and are offering the first courses of their kind in Iceland. The course is called "Eco-friendly food innovation" and brings students from different fields of study and different universities together and guides them through all the aspects of the process from shaping a cost-effective product idea to developing a fully-fledged eco-friendly product and bringing it to domestic and foreign market.

Innovation is talked about as a promising and effective opportunity to create growth and profits, both within individual companies and whole economies. There is every reason to educate and train Icelandic university students in the innovation processes that promote the creation, marketing and sale of new product ideas. The University of Iceland, the University of Akureyri, the Agricultural University, the Academy of the Arts and the University of Hólar have therefore joined forces in collaboration with the Iceland Innovation Center and Matís and offer courses where students create new product ideas and develop sophisticated and marketable products in collaboration with the business community. and students from other specialties and schools so that expertise from different sources is utilized in the overall process. Success in product development is based, among other things, on such collaboration and collaboration between parties with different professional knowledge and experience, and the sustainable use of resources and the impact of production, processing and distribution methods on the environment have also begun to have a major impact on food industry innovation.

Parties from agriculture, food companies, research institutes and university professors in relevant fields are called in to ensure that the innovative ideas that emerge are based on Icelandic raw materials, Icelandic expertise and Icelandic interests. Teams of students are formed across the universities and across the relevant disciplines so that each person's expertise is utilized. There is a lot to work on, but the product idea that wins the competition for the most promising and eco-friendly innovation idea in the field of food, which will be held at the end of the course, can take part in the Eco-Trophelia competition, where eco-friendly food ideas will compete with each other.

The competition in Iceland will be held in connection with the Design March and students will compete with their ideas and products behind closed doors on March 23. Results will then be announced with pomp and splendor on Saturday 24 March.

The winning group will receive a prestigious award and its members will represent Iceland in the EcoTrophelia European competition.

For further information, contact Fanney Frisbæk at Nýsköpunarmiðstöð, fanney@nmi.is, 522-9144.

The association Matur-saga-menning (MSM) and Grindavíkurbær are hosting a recipe competition for the best salted fish dish in 2012.

The chefs Sigurvin Gunnarsson and Friðrik V. Karlsson, members of MSM, choose five recipes. You can send recipes by e-mail to sigurvingunnars@simnet.is no later than March 23.

Winning recipes will be chosen at the end of Grindavík Culture Week March 17 - 25, see more about the varied program at www.grindavik.is

1st prize is ISK 30,000, 2nd prize ISK 20,000, 3rd prize ISK 10,000, 4th prize ISK 5,000 and 5th prize ISK 5,000.

Winning recipes will be visible on websites www.matarsetur.is and www.grindavik.is. During Culture Week, Salthúsið in Grindavík will offer salted fish dishes www.salthusid.is.

The company Food history culture
www.matarsetur.is
facebook: food history culture

Spring is around the corner. At Matís, we are starting to look at what projects the company will seek to get summer students. Every summer, Matís hires a considerable number of summer students and there will probably be little change this summer, although no number has yet been decided.

Here You can see a list of the projects that summer students can work on this summer. Recruitment is subject to funding and it is best to contact the contact person for each project regarding all aspects of the project as well as the possibility of hiring (information on employees can be found here).

Applications for summer jobs are accepted here.

For further information Jón Haukur Arnarson, Matís' human resources manager.

Tomorrow, Friday 2 March at 16-18, Matís invites university students to visit Vínlandsleið 12 in Grafarholt.

University students and those who intend to pursue a master's or doctoral program can familiarize themselves with Matís 'activities and how the studies can be linked to fun and demanding projects at Matís and Matís' partners.

The advertisement for the homecoming can be found here.

The collaboration between Náttúrustofa Vestfjarði and Matís for research on the environmental issues of the coastal sea has undoubtedly resulted in new thoughts and approaches, according to Þorleif Eiríksson, director of Náttúrustofa Vestfjarði.

Þorleifur says in a conversation with Útvegsblaðið that the collaboration shows the possibilities inherent in cluster collaboration such as the Icelandic Ocean Cluster.

The research collaboration between Náttúrustofa Vestfjarði and Matís has ranged from observations of optimal locations for aquaculture to what happens to organic residues such as eutrophication of bottom and sea. The collaboration began when Náttúrustofa Vestfjarði came to Matís' research regarding experiments with using light to delay the maturation of cod. Náttúrustofan also participated in Matís' study of the environmental aspects of aquaculture that the company worked on with aquaculture companies in the Westfjords.

Due to the collaboration, Náttúrustofa Vestfjarði has been able to increasingly develop various theories that can be generalized! from. The research has also produced results that are more useful to aquaculture than narrow service research. "Since then, our collaboration has enabled Náttúrustofa Vestfjarði to move to pure academic basic research on the environmental issues of coastal waters in addition to consulting and service research for individual companies. Among other things, we have conducted research on what happens to organic excesses that are released into the environment and their impact on the marine environment. That project has developed into our largest collaborative project, "says Þorleifur to Útvegsblaðið.

New ideas and approaches have emerged as a result of the collaboration. "When it comes to our projects, the main thing is to work on research that promotes environmentally friendly aquaculture. The research has since developed into larger projects where we are trying to understand these environmental issues in a larger whole. We were completing a basic research project we call “Biosphere Life! a. "This is a basic study of the tolerance limits of Icelandic fjords for organic pollution."

According to Þorleif, other research has been carried out in collaboration with Matís, for example on the development of breeding pens and what attachments are attached to the pens. Náttúrustofa Vestfjarði, in collaboration with Matís, is working on examining the combination of cod and mussels, but it is too early to report those results.

_{This news is published on Bæjarinn Besta's website, www.bb.is (asta (at) bb.is)}