Adding some “Oumph!” To Global Sustainability
Oumph! was founded in 2015 by Swedish Chef Anders “The Duck” Linden. Linden has been a chef since the 1980s and is known for his creative flare and innovative style of work. He was determined to create food that was environmentally friendly while maintaining rich in taste.
In 1995, Linden began experimenting in his restaurants with plant-based foods. At the time, he felt completely isolated and alone in this field. By 2004, he started his first plant-based brand, “Go Green”, and people thought he was crazy. Because he felt isolated in this field, he did not have a mentor to turn to which pushed Linden to become his own mentor and inspire himself to give more to the world. As he says, “giving is living.”
Oumph! is a 100% plant based product made with soya beans and different spices that comes in different shapes and consistencies. Oumph! is a great alternative to meat because it is rich in protein and fibers as well as low in calories. It is also a source of folic acid and iron. Studies have proven that soy can improve heart and bone health. There are many ways to cook and flavor Oumph!. It can be cooked, grilled, or fried depending on individual preference. Linden suggests that you continue to make your favorite recipes, but instead try using a new source of protein that is healthy, easy to cook, tasty, and sustainable.
The raw materials are produced in Holland and the texture and taste is refined in the Swedish town Stora Levene, Västra Götaland. In 2016, Oumph! was awarded ‘Food Product of the Year’ by the Swedish Grocers Federation. In Sweden, Oumph! has increased the flow of consumers to plant-based products. From 2015-2016, they were able to increase the category growth in retail by 24%. In 2019, they were first place in three categories of the World Food Innovation Awards, best food service/catering product, best plant-based product and best street food brand!
Change- “In a Cool but Serious Way”
Through the creation of Oumph! in 2015, Linden vigorously continued his journey working towards a plant-based shift in this world. They are utilizing the earth, creativity, and capital funding all in sustainable way to facilitate a successful entrepreneurship venture. Linden passionately explained why he believes we need change globally stating, “By 2050 the human population will reach 11 billion. If we continue on the same path, we will not have enough animals to support the population. Today, humans consume 70 billion animals every year and that is not sustainable. We would like to change this in a cool but serious way.”
Linden was motivated to start a sustainable company because he wanted to show love to not only people through his food, but the world. By running a sustainable business, he can inspire others and himself to take better care of the one planet we were given. Interacting and helping humans gives Linden the push to continue to strive for change. He is passionate about his business and making himself feel alive through his efforts to change our world. A key to success for Linden is to find out where his limits are and continue to push them everyday.
Of course, Linden has faced challenges throughout his endeavors. He told me his hardest challenges have been his doubts, timing to launch products, and his impatience. He explained, “There are no shortcuts in life. Be ready to work hard. Do not try to make yourself perfect everyday just try to make yourself awesome every day. You need to believe in what you do even if you cry sometimes. Do not be afraid of your mistakes, embrace them.”
Food for Progress
Most importantly, Oumph! is unbelievably easy on the planet. At Oumph! they believe in a global perspective and a local presence driving the development of sustainable food. That is why they named it Oumph!. Linden began this journey to create an alternative that the world needs. He wanted to create a product that was tasty and chefs would love, without compromising the earth.
This is why Food for Progress was a perfect partner for Oumph!. Food for Progress is compassionate about changing the food logic globally. They are working to accomplish this by co-creating, developing, and producing food that is within our planetary boundaries. They want to create healthy and tasty food that everyone on the planet can eat forever.
Although Oumph! is not currently available for retail purchase in the U.S., it was featured at Disneyland’s Food and Wine Festival in 2018 and other holiday festivals in 2019 as well as national restaurant shows across the United States. Oumph! is available for purchase in Europe in 400 Tesco stores, all Whole Foods Markets in the UK and all over the Nordic region in thousands of stores and a variety of restaurants. As Oumph! continues to rapidly expand with new products and locations, keep an eye out for their launch in a store or restaurant near you!
Linden wants to continue to inspire change in our world through creating innovative and sustainable food that everyone enjoys.
“I challenge myself everyday to be a little more awesome than I was yesterday”- Anders Linden.
For more information on Oumph! check out their website: https://oumph.us or https://oumph.uk
Check out their Facebook page for updates on shows near you: https://www.facebook.com/pg/OumphUSA/posts/
Follow Oumph! on Instagram: @oumphusa and @eat_oumph
To learn more about new products follow Oumph! on Twitter: @eat_oumph
Written by Kylee Shipley. Kylee is a senior Management major at The University of North Carolina at Asheville.
Author: KyleeShipley
Born and raised in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, I am now a Senior at the University of North Carolina Asheville studying Management with a focus in marketing. I am passionate about finding a career in social media marketing where I can increase brand awareness and increase engagement through the content I create.
