From Forest to Future: How Danish company Kaasgaards Is Innovating with Support from eRural project

Through its participation in the Interreg SR project eRural Resilience, Danish company Kaasgaards is strengthening its capacity to innovate, extend product value chains, and build international knowledge partnerships. The project supports rural entrepreneurs by connecting them with research institutions and expertise across Europe via expert-HUBs, helping small companies transform local natural resources into sustainable business opportunities. For Kaasgaards, this collaboration provides valuable insight into processing techniques, product development, and ways to increase the shelf life of birch sap.

• Kaasgaards is a newly established food company owned by Per Kaasgaard, specializing in the harvesting and processing of birch sap from trees in the area around Møgeltønder. The company is rooted in a philosophy of utilizing nature’s own resources responsibly while developing innovative bio-based products that reflect the local landscape. In addition to birch sap, Kaasgaards produces a range of fruit-based gels made from locally sourced ingredients such as sea buckthorn and quince. These are offered both in pure forms and in varieties infused with rum, creating distinctive flavor profiles suited for cheese boards, desserts, and specialty cuisine. The products are marketed to private customers, specialty retailers, and local restaurants seeking handcrafted foods with a clear origin and authentic story.

Fresh birch sap is at its most flavorful during the first five days after tapping and is naturally rich in vitamins and minerals. However, its short freshness window—and the fact that sap can only be harvested for a few months each year—poses a significant challenge. Extending shelf life without compromising quality is essential for making the product commercially viable on a larger scale.

To address this, Tønder Erhvervsråd invited Per Kaasgaard to join the eRural Resilience project, where he receives expert guidance and technical sparring from SEAMK – Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. The partnership is particularly valuable because Finland has a long tradition of birch sap production and therefore extensive experience in refining, preserving, and commercializing the product.

This cross-border knowledge exchange enables Kaasgaards to explore new processing methods, strengthen product stability, and unlock new market potential—demonstrating how rural businesses can combine local natural assets with international expertise to create sustainable, high-value food innovations.

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