Villbrygg

Villbrygg was founded in 2018 by Cornelia Øiestad and Vanessa Krogh. The Norwegian producer crafts sparkling botanical brews built on Nordic wild plants and herbs, and previously ran its own urban cultivation project called Samlepunkt.^[1],[2]

Villbrygg was co-founded by Cornelia Øiestad and Vanessa Krogh.^[1]

Villbrygg's approach is built around Nordic wild plants and herbs sourced from organic and biodynamic agriculture. According to Villbrygg, the range uses only real ingredients — either organic or foraged — with no artificial additives or preservatives.^[1]

Nordic Tropics. Villbrygg coined the term "nordic tropics" to describe the exotic, almost-tropical flavours the producer finds in Norwegian nature. It builds these drinks from Nordic wild botanicals with exotic-seeming flavours — such as pineapple weed (tunbalderbrå), meadowsweet (mjødurt), and spruce shoots.^[3]

Recipes led by raw-material availability. Villbrygg develops its recipes according to the raw materials it can obtain, and product recipes evolve as the quantity and variety of obtainable ingredients change. When the producer runs out of certain ingredients, production of the drink that requires them must pause until the next harvest season. Many of the ingredients used are considered weeds and grow in abundance, which Villbrygg says minimises negative impact on the food system.^[2]

Villbrygg carries a portfolio of six flavours that change throughout the year, alongside limited editions based on available raw materials. The producer has developed two product categories within its non-alcoholic drinks: Nordic Tropics and Botanical Elixirs. A Sparkling Botanicals range is made from organic herbs, berries, and fruit with no added sugar and no artificial additives.^[1],[2]

Villbrygg builds its drinks from wild plants, herbs, and berries extracted through infusion and then transformed by fermentation. Each new recipe is preceded by hundreds of experiments to find the right balance of flavours and combination of herbs and ingredients.^[4]

Temperature-controlled steeping. Villbrygg makes its drinks by steeping herbs, berries, and wild plants at different durations and temperatures to reach the desired taste. The producer states that high heat brings out more bitterness while lower temperatures yield more delicate floral notes.^[5]

Seasonal sourcing & long-lead planning. Villbrygg sources all Norwegian ingredients by collecting them wild from Norwegian forests or harvesting them from farmer fields during a short window from May to September each year. Planning begins in the depths of winter, sometimes up to a year and a half before production, with the winter season used for product development and mapping out ingredients. The producer harvests, cleans, dries, and stores plants in a dark cool place, then reviews the gathered materials each autumn to determine production quantities and available flavour combinations. Because the Norwegian growing season is too short for year-round local supply, Villbrygg imports herbs for its canned drinks. To broaden access to organic and wild herbs, it plans crops with farmers, organizes foraging groups, and collaborates with urban gardens.^[5],[6]

According to Villbrygg, its drinks are served at more than 50 Michelin-starred restaurants across Norway, the USA, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria. Named venues include the Michelin-recognised Credo in Trondheim, Lysverket in Bergen, Statholdergaarden in Oslo, and Restaurant Iris at Salmon Eye in Rosendal. The producer also maintains retail distribution across Norway, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and the USA, and in Norway is stocked at Vinmonopolet locations, including online home delivery, and at Meny supermarkets.^[1],[7]