Amiralsgatans Speceributik is a small specialist shop in the center of Malmo. The owners, a couple Jesper and Kathe follow strict guidelines regarding the produce they want to showcase on the shelves.
They are the ones contacting craftsmanship companies and flat out presenting their criteria. It’s always important to know company’s story and practices. They import the products themselves. It comes with higher cost but less environmental impact. The idea of cutting the middle man and focusing on only high quality sustainably produced foods helped them to create this colorful boutique. The supply chain they created ensures that the right people are getting paid the right amount of money for their work. In result the quality of the products is the highest one could imagine.
There you can find products like Vietnamese Red Boat fish sauce (probably the most sustainable fish sauce brand in the world), German mimi ferments soy sauce and miso (made 100% from local ingredients), Italian biodynamic olive oils and pastas, local vegetables, dried fruits, nuts and grains to name a few. The portfolio reflects Kathe’s experience living in many places in Europe.
No additives, proper packaging, usually family based companies with tradition that care about the environment, the way they treat their workers and put a love of love into their products – that’s what matters for Amiralsgatans Speceributik.
Part of the shop consists of home-made ferments under the brand Saltat Ferments – many different types of kraut and kimchi. All of them are produced with local and seasonal ingredients. The exception to locality are their preserved lemons from France that just melt in your mouth.
There is also a fridge with cheeses from a small-scale producer in Sweden. Kathe and Jesper decided to help “small fish” in an uneven battle with big company in the dairy industry where it’s not easy to strive due to the price of the milk and constant problems with the supply chains.
Amiralsgatan Speceributik (AS) opened in January before the pandemic. From the first day guys were ready to defend their shop and the prices. Surprisingly, it turned out the other way. People have been very positive often have been expressing how they misses a shop like this. Some of the products are very rare, impossible to buy in a regular supermarket or even other specialist stores.
Customers coming to AS can always count for a nice conversation and a recommendation on what to eat for dinner. I believe, we definitely got out smarter from this visit and so would every person visiting.
As Kathe said: “It’s not about making money as much as knowing about the producers and their stories. These products simply open up for interesting conversations with regular people. That’s what matters the most.”
Want to know about Kathe’s humble approach and the books that changed her perspective toward food and fermentation? Read the whole interview here.
