History
Gustav Adolf and Einar Berggren started selling seafood from a boat at the quay in Sandefjord in 2011.
The boat used to moor where the statue of Fea Bolt now stands, near the premises that we occupy today.
Gustav Adolf and Einar had both worked at the shipyard Framnæs Mek. Værksted and on sailing ships, but they wanted to try their luck as fishmongers. In those days, buying and selling fish was a completely different story from what it is today. There were no terminals where the fish were landed, so the fishermen sold the fish themselves. The fish was often sold at sea, or in one of the many places where the fishermen stayed or went ashore. Generally speaking, the two brothers had the following division of labour: Einar was out at sea buying the seafood they needed, while Gustav Adolf worked at the quay, where he was in charge of sales and dealing with customers.
Gustav Adolf Berggren
Einar Berggren
Around 1920–1925, the brothers acquired a raft they used as their 'shop'. Two ferries were used until the modern Framnæs ferry was built: one took 70-75 passengers while the other took 30-35. This capacity proved to be too small and a raft carrying passengers had to be towed behind the ferry during rush hour. It bore the name 'Blå’en' ('Blue') and it was this raft that became the Berggren brother's 'shop' for a few years.
The Berggren brothers were the first fishmongers in Sandefjord to set up shop in premises on the quay. This was between 1925 and 1930.
Gustav Adolf died in 1932, and Einar took over the whole business. Since then Brødrene Berggren ('the Berggren bothers') have only been brothers in name.
In 1950, Thorbjørn Kristinius Berggren took over his father's firm and moved into new premises on the quay where the firm is currently located. At that time, there were three fishmongers in the building: Brødrene Bolt Hansen, Sandefjord Fiskeforretning and Brødrene Berggren. Thorbjørn died in 1958, just 51 years old. The business passed to his son Thor Berggren, who was only 23 years old at the time. In 1976, Bolt Hansen's business was wound up and the premises were let to Brødrene Berggren. In 1987, Thor Berggren bought the third fishmonger's business and took over the whole building, which now houses our fishmonger's shop.
In 1990, Brødrene Berggren bought the fish terminal in Sandefjord from Skagerakfisk S/L. This meant that all seafood caught off the coast near Sandefjord passed through our hands. Four years later, in 1994, Brødrene Berggren also took over the running of Hvasser Fiskemottak, the fish terminal in Hvasser. Taking over the two fish terminals meant that the firm had a good supply of raw materials and an opportunity to expand its seafood processing business. Because we needed more space, we signed a lease with Sandefjord municipality in 1992 for the 'production building' situated immediately behind the fishmonger's shop and fish terminal.
In 1997, Kjell Henry Olsen, Thor Berggren's son-in-law, took over as general manager. He had worked for the firm since 1984 and now became one of the owners. Thor Berggren retired in 2004. Since then, the firm has been owned by Trine Berggren Olsen and Kjell Henry Olsen.
The construction of a new fishery quay in Sandefjord was completed in 2005. This also speeded up the plans to build a new fish terminal and production plant next door to the fishmonger's shop. The building was completed in October 2010, just in time for our 100th anniversary! Today, the firm has around 1,400 square metres of floor space at its disposal and employs a staff almost 50.
The building also houses the seafood restaurant «Brygga 11», which is run by world champion chef Geir Skeie.