NÆRA™ Snacks & Responsible Food Iceland

Before EnWave, Naera Snacks was just a dream.

Doctors Holly and Hordur Kristinsson wanted to create something amazing: “Iceland in your mouth,” as Hordur put it – a healthy, delicious, and clean-tasting snack made from fresh, all-natural Icelandic ingredients. Was it possible? Could the delicate flavours of Icelandic skyr, fruit, and cheese translate into a shelf-stable puffed snack with just the right texture? Could they create a wholesome, high-quality fish snack (a key element of Icelandic snacking) with all of the fresh flavour, but none of the smell?

EnWave was the solution to make their dream a reality.

As food scientists, the Kristinssons knew that traditional drying methods such as air drying and freeze drying foods wouldn’t work, but they also knew of a better way: EnWave’s REV drying technology. So the adventure began. Holly and Hordur worked with EnWave food scientists at our R&D facility in Vancouver, Canada to test their ideas and develop a finished product that met the needs (and appetites) of hungry investors. “It was on our second visit that we really got sparks flying,” says Holly. “We really saw what we could produce and share with the world.”

“It was on our second visit that we really got sparks flying. We really saw what we could produce and share with the world.”

“We can make seafood snacks that have a wonderful, clean seafood flavour, but with no smell,” added Hordur. “We’re delivering such clean, deliciously tasting products in a form that nobody has ever tasted them in.” With their funding and formulas in place, Naera scaled up by adding a 10kW REV machine to their facility in Iceland, and production began in earnest.

Naera was born from fresh ingredients, and fresh thinking.

Today, Naera is an award-winning snack brand with four distinct products and more on the way, and the Kristinssons couldn’t be happier: “Adopting REV drying technology lets us create something special that no one else has imagined,” they said. “The whole process was amazing.” Skál, Holly and Hordur!