FAQ

Questions :
Can freighting meat to Sweden from the other side of the world really be an environmentally friendly alternative?

Answers:
When considering the environmental impact, we need to calculate the total energy consumption involved in producing beef and transporting it to where it is eaten. Meat from South America comes out extremely well in studies of meat produced in various locations and eaten in Sweden. This is because the quantity of energy required to produce concentrated fodder and heat cow houses massively exceeds the energy consumption associated with environmentally friendly transport by boat. Irrespective of the system of production, beef cattle in Sweden have to be foddered for approx. 7 months a year, which entails significant energy consumption. The structure of Swedish production with relatively small farms often in remote locations results in a high transport distance per animal. In Brazil, the farms are so large that transport from farm to slaughterhouse is efficient. Naturkött® meat is transported to Sweden in large, modern container ships, ready packed. The energy consumption per kilo involved in this method of handling is extremely low. The extensive form of production practised in Uruguay and Brazil means that the animals are outside all year and eat only grass, never concentrated fodder.

Answers
Customer Service

Questions :
Why are your Naturkött® products not organic?

Answers:
Our meat is not organic for two reasons. We allow the pastures to be fertilised, primarily to provide an effective use of land, but also for the pasture to be good enough for the meat to satisfy our quality standards. An organic label also requires a great deal of bureaucracy, which we have considered unnecessary as our production is already conducted in a natural way.

Answers
Customer Service

Questions :
Can freighting meat to Sweden from the other side of the world really be an environmentally friendly alternative?

Answers:
When considering the environmental impact, we need to calculate the total energy consumption involved in producing beef and transporting it to where it is eaten. Meat from South America comes out extremely well in studies of meat produced in various locations and eaten in Sweden. This is because the quantity of energy required to produce concentrated fodder and heat cow houses massively exceeds the energy consumption associated with environmentally friendly transport by boat. Irrespective of the system of production, beef cattle in Sweden have to be foddered for approx. 7 months a year, which entails significant energy consumption. The structure of Swedish production with relatively small farms often in remote locations results in a high transport distance per animal. In Brazil, the farms are so large that transport from farm to slaughterhouse is efficient. NATURKÕTT® meat is transported to Sweden in large, modern container ships, ready packed. The energy consumption per kilo involved in this method of handling is extremely low. The extensive form of production practised in Uruguay and Brazil means that the animals are outside all year and where the main source of feed is grass, never concentrated fodder.

Answers
Customer Service

Questions :
How do NATURKÕTT® products impact on the rainforests?

Answers:
Beef production is falling throughout Europe, and we are no longer self-sufficient. At the same time, imports of high-quality beef from South America, and Brazil in particular, are increasing rapidly. Brazilian legislation stipulates that only 20% of the area of farms in the rainforest area (the Amazon Rainforest) may be used as arable/pasture land; 80% must be set aside for native species of trees. Land use in relation to forest is also strictly regulated in the rest of Brazil, which among other things has resulted in land that was being cultivated 50-100 years ago being reforested. We take care of our rainforest and have a strong sense of our environmental responsibility in Brazil. Representatives of the Brazilian meat industry often ask us how we look after our own forests in Sweden and the Nordic region, and this is a question that certainly gives food for thought. A majority of Brazil's meat production takes place in non-rainforest areas. In order to avoid contributing to destruction of the rainforest, North Trade does not purchase any meat that has been produced in these areas. We also conduct ongoing dialogue with our suppliers on this issue.

Answers
Customer Service

Questions :
Are Naturkött® products checked for antibiotics, fertiliser residues, etc.?

Answers:
Före vakuumförpackning kontrolleras köttet avseende pH, bakterieflora (TVC) och restprodukter av exempelvis antibiotika. Antibiotika används för övrigt mycket mer sparsamt än vad fallet är i mer intensiva uppfödningsformer, helt enkelt p.g.a. att djuren inte blir sjuka i samma omfattning i denna form av uppfödning där djuren inte på samma sätt blir utsatta för främmande bakteriekulturer. Dessutom har North Trade ett egenkontrollprogram som innebär att varje leverantörs varor vid ankomsten till Sverige stickprovsmässigt men regelbundet kontrolleras med avseende på salmonella, EHEC etc.

Answers
Customer Service