Why us
A seafaring nation
The Faroe Islands is an archipelago of 18 small islands in the remote North Atlantic with a population of about 52.000 people. The Islands are breathtakingly beautiful with steep cliffs, tall green mountains and long narrow fjords. But with this beauty also come long, cold, stormy winters which make agriculture difficult.
These circumstances made life difficult for our ancestors, and one could wonder, why people would settle, let alone survive on such remote, small, weather battered islands. The answer is the ocean. This harsh and cold North Atlantic climate may not be ideal for humans, but it is perfect for fish. What we lack in land, we make up for in our vast surrounding life brimming ocean.
For a millennium the Faroese people have relied upon the seas for food and survival. Through the years and generations Faroese fishermen have passed on their deep knowledge and profound respect for the sea and its resources to the point, that it’s become an integral part of our culture and very existence.
Times and technology may have changed, we have moved on from traditional Faroese rowing boats and smacks to modern trawlers and purse seiners, but the traditions that our fishing industry is based on remain the same. Varðin is carrying on this proud seafaring tradition on into the 21st century.
In the heart of the North Atlantic
The Faroe Islands lie in the remote North Atlantic Ocean with no other country in sight. In fact, you need to travel about 600 km to reach the nearest country. Basically, all commodities must be imported to the Faroe Islands. Well, everything except for fish, which is our primary export. Needless to say, we place great value on our main source of income and treat it with utmost care and respect.
The Faroe Islands is the intersecting point, where the Gulf stream meets the cold currents from the Arctic Ocean. The merger of hot and cold water creates a temperate ocean environment ideal for pelagic fish. Furthermore, the continues stream of water flowing through the Faroe Islands produce the cleanest and most nutritious ocean on the planet. As a result, many of the best fishing grounds in the North Atlantic closely surround the Faroe Islands.
Closer to the catch, closer to shore, closer to quality
Being perfectly located in relation to North Atlantic fishing grounds has huge benefits for us at Varðin. It’s only a matter of hours, from the time our ships catch the fish, until it’s processed at our advanced pelagic processing plant, Varðin Pelagic. This ensures perfect quality and freshness.
Rising to logistical challenges
Being situated in the remote North Atlantic has huge advantages, when it comes to catching and processing fish. Although, it is not without logistical challenges. Therefore, we have strategical placed storages in various European countries to optimize time management and product placement. We have storages in countries such as Holland, Poland and Lithuania.