From a hobby to a business, Iris and Eivind have turned their passion for chocolate into a successful enterprise. They are the founders of Jentene på Tunet, a company that produces Sjokoladefryd, a brand of handmade chocolates that are sold all over Norway. “We put so much time and love into our craft, so we believe there is a bit of happiness in every piece.”
The story of Jentene på Tunet began in 2009, when Iris and Eivind moved to Selbu and bought Selbutunet, a small hospitality venue by the river. Iris, who is a trained chef and dietitian, started making chocolates for guests and events in her spare time, while Eivind ran a mechanical company. They received rave reviews from their customers, and decided to expand their team and production in 2015. Today, they have 18 full-time employees and nearly 2,000 square metres of production space.
Jentene på Tunet stands out from other chocolate companies by their focus on taste, creativity, and quality. They only use the best ingredients from quality-conscious suppliers, and they create unique pieces of chocolate that delight the eye, the nose, and the palate. “One key challenge for many companies when they grow like we have in the past few years is to not fall for the temptation to go industrial, thereby compromising on ingredients and flavour in favour of quantity,” Eivind says.
Sjokoladefryd has become a popular brand in Norway, with more than 500 outlets ranging from village shops to high-end restaurants. The chocolates have even been gifted by prime minister Erna Solberg to foreign heads of state. With such a huge success and massive growth, Iris and Eivind are now looking to enter the international market – Sweden and the UK are two potential candidates. They also want to offer chocolate workshops to companies and groups of guests at their new facilities in Selbu.
Iris and Eivind attribute the success of Jentene på Tunet to the hard work and dedication of their team. They are humbled by the praise and publicity they have received, and they are grateful that more people are appreciating high quality chocolate, especially Sjokoladefryd. Despite their widespread success and bright future, Iris and Eivind remain most proud of their small farm shop in Selbu where guests can sample and buy their products, and even get a tour of the factory if they’re lucky.
