Nores Day 2026 – a meeting place with value

Nores Day 2026, held at The Qube on April 14th, saw record-high participation. Over 80 suppliers exhibited at the fair, and the day was characterized by a clear focus on expertise, networking, and sustainability. Throughout the day and evening, members and suppliers gathered for inspiration, knowledge sharing, and a celebration of the industry's best achievements.

Nores aims to create the best meeting place for both members and suppliers, facilitating relationship building and professional development through forums, trade fairs, and social gatherings.

Strong professional program and new collaboration

This year's event was carried out in collaboration with the event agency Liwlig and the trade fair company Workman, who have helped elevate the quality of the execution.

Linnea Öström, Event Manager at Nores, says:

We are very pleased with the execution of Nores Day 2026. The collaboration with Liwlig and Workman has worked very well, and together we have managed to elevate the event in both quality and overall experience. It's particularly gratifying to see how both members and suppliers take ownership of the meeting place and contribute to creating the energy and value that characterize Nores Day.

The day began with a professional forum, led by host Anders Hoff, who guided the event through both the day and evening programs. External lectures by Anita Krohn Traaseth on leadership in challenging times and Thomas Engeset on the value of thinking differently were popular – with strong participation from both members and suppliers in a nearly full hall.

The internal member forum provided insight into Nores' status and development, presented by CEO Marianne Lund and Head of Member Relations Anja Loen.

One of the industry's most important meeting places

The Nores Fair gathered over 80 suppliers across 3000 square meters. The goal is to create the best possible meeting place for decision-makers from member companies, where they can experience, taste, and evaluate products and raw materials for future purchases.

This year's fair had an open and spacious feel, with suppliers putting great effort into presenting their concepts.

Strong focus on sustainability and record-high donation

An event of this size leaves a significant footprint, which Nores takes very seriously. Great emphasis was placed on waste sorting, dialogue with suppliers, and careful planning of raw material usage.

As part of the initiative to reduce food waste, the initiative «Edible – from fair to meal» was introduced in collaboration with Plateful, Matsentralen, and Matvett. Among other things, sausages made from surplus pork ribs were served here, while members were recruited for the project Cut Food Waste Catering.

After the fair concluded, suppliers had the opportunity to donate surplus food to Matsentralen. The result was very positive: a total of 445.7 kilos of food was saved and donated, corresponding to a donation rate of 97.8%.

Marie Kleppe, project manager at Matvett, is very pleased;

“When the industry unites around concrete measures to ensure resources aren't wasted, things happen. 445.7 kilos of food saved from a single fair is no accident, but the result of good planning and people who care. This is exactly the kind of collaboration KuttMatsvinn Servering wants to highlight.”

Anette Hagen, Head of Marketing and Communications at Plateful, is also pleased to have contributed to further raising awareness about food waste.

"Spisbar demonstrates what's possible when dedicated food savers come together to reduce food waste. The day's outcome is strong proof that collaboration and awareness yield concrete, measurable effects, both for the environment and society" says Hagen.

Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony

The evening concluded with a gala dinner and award ceremony, hosted by Anders Hoff. CEO Marianne Lund particularly thanked the suppliers for an inspiring fair and highlighted the strong relationships within the Nores network.

One of the highlights of Nores Day was, as usual, the presentation of this year's awards, which are highly coveted by both members and suppliers. Awards were presented in the categories: Stand of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Member of the Year, Food Supplier of the Year, Beverage Supplier of the Year, and Non-Food Supplier of the Year.

Nores Day 2026 Award Winners

Stand of the Year

Winner: Nortura Proff
Nominees: Tine, Servicegrossistene/Måkestad

The award is voted on by members during the fair, based on criteria such as creativity, sustainability, reusability, and engaged personnel. A prerequisite for winning is also having completed the "Cut Food Waste Fair" course.

Nortura Proff impressed with its "Chef's Table," where around 80 guests experienced a five-course menu.

Morten Østerøy, Chain Manager at Nortura Proff, says:

“Thank you very much – we are incredibly proud to be named Stand of the Year. Nores Day is one of our most important meeting places, and this recognition gives us extra motivation to continue developing and delivering quality and inspiration to our customers. For us, this is about more than just a stand. It's about creating culinary joy, showcasing the quality from Norwegian farmers, and inspiring our customers. This year, we hit the mark with a clear profile centered around Ungfe, Ungsau, Tronfjell, and Ajour. We had many great conversations with our customers and, as always, met many decision-makers at the Nores Fair. The Chef's Table was also very popular, with around 80 guests visiting. Here, Geir Magnus and Andrea delivered a fantastic 5-course menu. A big thank you also to Natalie, who served exquisite wines from Vinetum. This is a team effort, and our 10 employees did a fantastic job throughout the fair. Thanks to everyone who voted for us – it means a lot to the entire Nortura Proff team.”

Newcomer of the Year

Winner: Phoenix Gastropub, Trondheim
Other nominees: Hurdalsjøen Hotell, Borregaard Hovedgård

Reasoning:
This award was presented for the first time this year. Phoenix Gastropub has quickly established itself as a strong Nores member, demonstrating high loyalty to agreements – even in categories with strong local competition. They utilize a wide range of categories and actively use digital tools, including menu calculation in Buy at Nores.

They already stand out as excellent ambassadors for Nores, with great dedication.

Phoenix Gastropub was very pleased to be the first recipient of this award and states the following:

«First and foremost; how incredibly fun! We are very honored to be named Newcomer of the Year in such a strong field with many of Norway's best professionals and the best establishments across the country.»

«For me, Nores has always been the natural choice when it comes to procurement, and with both membership growth and revenue growth, it's clear to me why many of the country's best restaurants and hotels stick together in Nores. Not only are there exceptionally good terms for purchasing goods and services, but the sharing of experience one gains by meeting colleagues from different backgrounds and locations adds significant value. I am very proud of the team here at Phoenix who deliver for our guests every single day, and I am very proud that we are co-owners in Nores.»

Henrik Dahl Jahnsen, General Manager

«Oh my goodness, how fun! This was very unexpected, but all the more pleasant! Even though I only joined team Phoenix in December, I've already grown really fond of the team and the concept, and I look forward to every day at work.»

Thea Johansen, Restaurant Manager

“What an honour! I love how convenient it is to do recipes and calculations in Nores, and that the prices are updated for every inventory. Compared to previous jobs I see how good the prices are, and I am stoked that we get this recognition of our hard work every day. Please come by and let me cook for you!”

Kristijonas Matorka, Head Chef

Member of the Year

Winner: Fretheim Hotel, Flåm
Other nominees: Gudvangen Fjordtell, Røros Hotell

The award has a long tradition at Nores, and this year's winner is a strong representative of this. Fretheim Hotel has been a member for many years and stands out with very high goal achievement, structured purchasing behavior, and strong utilization of membership benefits, including Best Buy and digital solutions.

Both management and employees demonstrate a high degree of commitment and adaptability.

Øivind Wigand, COO – Accommodation & Dining and Hotel Director at Fretheim Hotel, says the following about the award:

«On behalf of Fretheim Hotel and Norway's Best, we are grateful, humble, and proud to be awarded Member of the Year. It's always pleasant and inspiring to receive recognition for doing a good job. As a relatively small player, we at Fretheim Hotel are entirely dependent on good partners. Therefore, it's easy to say that we feel fortunate to be part of Nores. Because that's exactly what Nores is – a true win-win collaboration. We get good terms, suppliers get volume – and together we create value. I am genuinely grateful and very proud of my colleagues. They work hard every single day, with structure, loyalty, and a desire to constantly improve. So, this is entirely their achievement. Good suppliers are one thing, but without excellent help and support from Cecilie Framholt at Nores, I doubt we would have managed as well as we do. She is always available, always solution-oriented, and simply makes our daily lives easier and better. We truly appreciate that. We are proud to be co-owners of Nores and proud to be part of a large tourism group like Norway's Best. Recognitions like this help build a winning culture and push us to create even better value for everyone."

Food Supplier of the Year

Winner: Lerøy Sjømatgruppen
Other nominees: Asko Servering, Wulff & Co

Justification:
Lerøy Sjømatgruppen delivers high quality and strong customer experiences with a personal touch. They are described as professional, solution-oriented, and trustworthy, and stand out with their expertise, innovation, and excellent discussions regarding products and menus.

Elin Johnsen, Sales and Marketing Manager at Lerøy Sjømatgruppen, and Tom Nordby, General Manager of Lerøy Norge, say the following about the award:

«We are incredibly proud and grateful to be named Food Supplier of the Year. This award is a recognition of the work done by our ten local branches, where quality and dedication are delivered every day. It also means a great deal to us to receive this award specifically from you at Nores. You represent member companies with high expectations for quality and service, and precisely for this reason, this award makes us both humble and extra proud. A thousand thanks to Alexander and everyone at Nores for your trust – it means a lot to us!"

Beverage Supplier of the Year

Winner: Nova Beverage Group
Other nominees: Coca-Cola, Moestue Group

Reasoning:
A supplier that stands out with a broad portfolio, high service level, and the ability to understand customer needs. They provide quick responses, close follow-up, and go the extra mile for their customers.

Bo Christensen, Sales Manager Wine at Nova Beverage Group, says:

“We are both proud and humbled to have been named Beverage Supplier of the Year by Nores. A big thank you to all Nores’ members and to Nores central for a dynamic and excellent collaboration. We are very much looking forward to the continuation and the journey ahead!”

Non-Food Supplier of the Year

Winner: Ecolab
Other nominees: Culina, Gastronaut

Reasoning:
Ecolab distinguishes itself with high delivery quality, a strong service culture, and accessibility. They combine professional expertise with practical understanding and have been a loyal partner since Nores was established in 1968.

Henning Brun, Corporate Account Manager at Ecolab, says:

“Being named Supplier of the Year by Nores’ members is a great honor for us. We are very proud to be a partner for Nores and its members, and to work closely with so many unique businesses – all with different visions, goals, and needs. This award is a recognition we value highly. It confirms that the way we work – in close collaboration with the members – creates value. This motivates us to continue developing our partnership and to become even better in the future.”

Nores extends a big thank you to everyone who contributed to making Nores Day 2026 a fantastic success.

Next year, Nores Day will take place on April 20th, at Vestlia Resort in Geilo – we're already looking forward to it! See an overview of all our events here.

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Photo: Nores/Deilig Media