The Brothers Ingemarsson
THE INGEMARSSON BROTHERS
We are the Ingemarsson brothers. Two rather ordinary farm boys who have been involved in poultry farming and running Bjärefågel for over 25 years.
When we grew up in the 1970s on our parents' farm outside Torekov, we raised pigs, among other animals. The animals received all the additives that animals commonly received at that time. Food was to be produced as efficiently as possible, and no one knew about antibiotic resistance or thought about climate impact. That's just how it was.
But the pig that we ourselves would eat in the family received no additives, because we didn't want that in our own food.
Therefore, the Bjäre chickens are raised on a vegetable-based maize feed, which is largely grown in southern Sweden. There is no coccidiostat or GMO in the feed. This is what Per-Olof Ingemarsson says about the start of Bjärefågel:
”When I'm asked whether the chicken or the egg came first, I answer that everything started with a baby: my wife's and my first child. He was so small and lovely, and real and important. When he eventually had to eat solid food, I didn't want to put anything into him that shouldn't be there. That made me think, which over time has resulted in our company Bjärefågel producing food that is loved by children, parents and quality-conscious chefs throughout the country.”
Bjärefågel started as a hobby project and in the beginning, we mostly sold to friends and acquaintances. But the rumour of our good chicken spread quickly and demand grew. We were, of course, encouraged by the interest and travelled to France to learn all about chicken farming. We investigated everything from hatching to feed and then decided to go home and develop a chicken that lived up to our high standards.
In order to succeed with the project, we gathered a group of experts, ranging from chefs to veterinarians and people from the Allergy Association. We put our heads together and tackled the task: we were going to develop a chicken that, in our opinion, was better than the French, but without compromising on the high standards we have in Sweden. Our focus has always been to produce a quality chicken with a focus on ethical animal husbandry and responsible production.
We are proud to be climate-certified as a poultry producer according to IP Chicken & Egg, climate option. The certification means that the farm is inspected by an independent inspection body and follows requirements relating to, among other things, energy use, feed choices, and efficient resource use. According to the calculations underpinning the climate certification, the requirements correspond to a reduced climate impact of approximately 20–25 percent compared to a non-certified farm. We are also certified by Svensk Fågel and follow their control and care programmes.
Furthermore, all our breeding takes place on a smaller scale on family farms, primarily on the Bjäre Peninsula and in southern Halland. Our chickens often live in converted pigsties, and the business breathes new life into the farms. We think that feels good too.
Delicious meals are being prepared everywhere with our Bjäre chicken. It's in demand from conscious consumers and in fine dining restaurants across the country – it's cooked in the kitchens of people who love good chicken. We are, of course, incredibly pleased but not particularly surprised, because we believe that care at every stage makes a difference.
Martin & Per-Olof Ingemarsson
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