A vision of local quality, a strong environmental commitment, and a desire to give guests an experience of authentic Western Norway. No wonder De Bergenske entered into a collaboration with Fitjar Islands.
Lovely soaps in glass bottles are neatly arranged in the bathrooms at De Bergenske's hotels. The bottles read "Fitjar Islands – Fjellheim". The local manufacturer's soaps with the scent of juniper berries and freshly cut timber are a fresh and delicious breath of western Norwegian wilderness, inspired by the island of Fitjar's beautiful mountains.
The soaps are made by Fitjar Islands – a local business named after its location on Fitjar, on the west coast of Norway, where all of its R&D and production operations are based.
The small company is committed to making authentic, natural products through traditional manufacturing techniques. Its fragrances are inspired by the landscape that is all around the company, with names borrowed from the region around Fitjar, including Fjellheim, Folgefonn, and Slåtterøy.
In the bathroom at Bergen Børs Hotel.
Fitjar Islands is a perfect fit
When De Bergenske discovered Fitjar Islands' philosophy and products, it was a perfect fit, and the consequent collaboration has been a resounding success.
"We wanted a local company that delivered high quality Norwegian products, preferably from Western Norway. Fitjar Islands fulfilled all of this and more," says Kjetil Smørås, director of the hotel chain De Bergenske.
Just like the De Bergenske hotel family, Fitjar Islands has a focus on high quality and traditions that are close to home.
"Fjellheim is a soap that fits De Bergenske's identity in every way. The scent reminds us of nature and Western Norway, and tourism is often about just that – a fascination for nature. We want guests to experience something different when they come to our hotels and venues. It's then nice to be able to offer products that provide an experience of authentic Western Norway," says Smørås.
"The guests are very enthusiastic about the soap, and many say it helps round out our local identity. They really like the fragrance, and many buy some soap to take home, as we also sell it at reception."
Bathroom at the cozy Heimen Hotel.
Guests want to buy Norwegian products
The company itself has also noticed that both Norwegians and foreign visitors have fallen for Fitjar Islands's products.
"Customers love the products and are hooked from the first time they try them. Every week, we get praise from customers all over the world. The same applies to De Bergenske's guests: we get emails from all over the world from guests who have stayed at their hotels, and who afterwards regret not buying some of our products to take back home," says Monica Sanchez in Fitjar Islands.
"In fact, our customers are so passionate about our products that one even said, 'pasta is to Italy as Fitjar Islands soap is to Norway'," smiles Sanchez.
Fits De Bergenske's enviromental strategy
Not only are the products fragrant, authentic, and pure — they are also a more environmentally friendly alternative in many ways.
"We use only mild, natural ingredients that are good for both the skin and the environment. They contain no microplastics, parabens, mineral oils, or synthetic perfumes. We use recyclable glass and paper as much as possible. In addition, local production means we reduce our transport footprint. The refill solution also reduces the amount of packaging and waste," says Sanchez.
Smørås also points this out as one of the reasons for their collaboration with Fitjar Islands.
"We have replaced all disposable packaging for soap products with glass bottles. Reducing the use of plastic is part of our environmental strategy," says Smørås.
Praises De Bergenske
Sanchez can't praise De Bergenske and Smørås enough for their successful collaboration.
"De Bergenske is fantastic on every level, and it's a real pleasure to work with the hotel family. As a small company, the collaboration with De Bergenske has made it possible for hundreds of people to discover and fall in love with our products, and helped us reach a level of stability that it's crucial to have in the start-up phase," says Sanchez, who also praises hotelier Smørås:
"For me, Kjetil Smørås is a visionary who understands that developing solid local collaborations is extremely important – not only as a marketing tool for his own benefit, but also to make an important difference in the Norwegian economy and develop a much-needed alternative within this segment. It is primarily well-established, medium and large companies that can make this difference by partnering with start-ups and playing an important role in the company's first year of growth. The choice that De Bergenske made with us, and not least with several of their other suppliers, is a testament to the good values De Bergenske stands for, and the important and valuable culture they have built over the years."
