An inventinve creator

Rolf Hansen, the founder of Drytech, was an inventive creator who constantly looked for new opportunities through his ideas. With a background and education in refrigeration technology, he ran a refrigeration company in Tromsø during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, where installing large cooling and freezing systems was an important part of the business.

An idea about using leftovers

In the early 80s, he came up with an idea based on using energy from refrigeration systems and fish trimmings from the fishing industry to make high-value products for the dried food industry. The goal was to use the entire raw material and the surplus energy from the freezing systems to develop new products. In other words, he was ahead of his time when it came to thinking about sustainable production.

The first attempts in the garage

He put this idea into practice by developing a drying process at home in his garage. At the time, he believed the technology could be used to dry marine products for the international food industry. The plan was to develop drying technology and dryers placed close to the raw material supply. The products were presented to major European food companies, and the response showed interest in further cooperation.

A new direction thanks to his wife

The strategy changed course one afternoon when his wife, Lill Hansen, challenged him to try drying a leftover stew from the weekend. The result was unexpected. The technology he had developed dried the food so gently that both flavour and texture returned when hot water was added. After about eight minutes, the meal was back to how it was before drying.

This discovery opened new possibilities. Rolf started looking for potential users who might be interested in the concept.

The Armed Forces join the picture

In the mid-80s, the Norwegian Armed Forces were searching for new concepts. He got in touch with their leadership, who showed strong interest. This led to a development agreement that provided both stability and confidence that the project could succeed.

With this foundation, Drytech was established in 1989. Rolf secured funding to build a pilot factory to bring the garage technology up to an industrial level. After about a year of construction and start-up, production began.

In 1992, a large field test was carried out on soldiers. The test was a success, and the Armed Forces entered into a supply agreement. This opened the door to investing in a full-scale production facility for freeze-dried meals in 1993.

From a garage idea to a large industrial company

The small idea that started in a garage has grown into a significant food company in Tromsø, with two factories and between 50 and 60 employees from various fields. Today, Drytech is a technology and production company delivering several million meals across Europe under the REAL brand. The markets cover both outdoor and leisure activities as well as military.

A fearless industrial builder in the north

Rolf Hansen was more than a founder. He was a fearless industrial builder with strong ambitions to establish an industrial company in Tromsø based on self-developed drying technology. His goal was to create high-value products, mainly from Norwegian raw materials, for both national and international markets, with the ambition of being a European leader in product quality.

The family and the company’s leadership still follow this vision today.