Nordic Nutrition: How Moonvalley Runs Organically

Disillusioned by the food supplement industry, three elite female athletes set out to create a company that would provide genuinely healthy nutrition options for athletes and active individuals alike. The result was Moonvalley. 

Disillusioned with the food supplement industry, a trio of elite female athletes took matters into their own hands and founded Moonvalley in 2017. This energy, snack, and nutrition is committed to organic products.

Today, founders Emelie Forsberg, Ida Nilsson, and Mimmi Kotka remain involved in both the ultra-running world and Moonvalley's success. Together, they are driven by their shared belief in the power of organic ingredients.

Aonach had the opportunity to talk with co-founder Mimmi about how they overcame early challenges, stayed true to their vision, and cater to anyone with an active lifestyle.

Developing Bars: A Balancing Act

“As a nutritionist, I see many sports nutrition products as just conveniently packed sugars to provide energy during a race quickly,” begins Mimmi with a laugh. “There’s a lot of overselling about the “magical” mechanics and metabolic effects, but fundamentally, food is food, and sugar is sugar.”

She emphasizes that the more processed a product is, the worse it is for our bodies. “While there are times when ingesting those foods is necessary, such as during intense training, many heavily marketed health products are essentially ‘Frankenfoods.’”

Moonvalley insists on organic ingredients that can be found in your cupboard or in a health food store. However, finding organically certified producers who meet their standards is tricky, leading to some ideas coming to fruition while others are abandoned.

“Once we have an idea of the flavor and type of a product, we discuss nutritional values. We talk about where we want to land in terms of macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and protein. We focus on balancing these elements, particularly in trying to increase the protein content in our protein bars.”

Great taste is also crucial. Many plant-based bars the founders tried tasted like cardboard or were too sweet. “We balance taste and texture, ensuring we don’t use preservatives while maintaining an acceptable shelf life. This process is like solving a puzzle, and it takes a long time to end up with a product we think is good.”

For instance, it took years to perfect their Organic Nuts & Dates Bar. “We never rush. If a product doesn't meet our standards, we don’t make it. Likewise, our Sports Drinks have no artificial flavors; we use organic freeze-dried berries and fruits instead. This decision has been contentious due to the significantly higher production costs.”

A Taste of the Nordics

Mimmi’s Finnish heritage and the team’s Swedish and Norwegian roots have influenced their approach to flavors. “We aim to highlight Nordic ingredients by using a lot of Nordic berries, like lingonberries, cranberries, blueberries, and raspberries, instead of acai or goji berries. Our fruits include apples, and we try to use nuts and seeds sourced from Northern Europe.”

The tradition of fika—sitting down for coffee and baked goods—is a big part of Moonvalley’s culture and has inspired the flavor profiles. “Cinnamon and cardamom evoke the pastries we grew up with. The nature lifestyle, foraging, and enjoying coffee outside are normal for those who grew up in Scandinavia.”

They have been sharing the Nordic lifestyle through global sales, initially driven by word of mouth. “Our community has been crucial, not just for promoting the products, but for fostering a sense of fun and enjoyment in the outdoors. We attended a great community event at UTMB. You can sometimes forget there's an actual community out there. As a bit of an introvert, seeing all those people show up in person was really meaningful.”

The trio has also worked with influencers and athletes, some of whom have become ambassadors. One of the most recent is Finnish long-distance runner Heli Sisto, who happily joined the team in the summer and loves everything about the Moonvalley brand.

She tells Aonach that the 100% organic products are suitable for training and everyday life: “For example, you can eat the bars during an ultrarun or just as a snack. The sports drinks are delicious and give you great energy when training. You can really taste the ingredients in the products, and they taste so good!”

Sticking to the Vision

Since their 2017 brainstorming session the night before the Grand Trail des Templiers, the oldest ultra race in France, the team’s enthusiasm has remained strong through the struggles of a pandemic and the challenges of starting a business from scratch. They have not compromised on their initial vision.

“Market forces can push you in various directions, but we've maintained our commitment to organically certified products, which limits our possibilities but aligns with our values. It still feels surreal every time we receive a new product shipment and think, ‘We made this, we're selling it, and our customers are buying it.’”

And the community is growing. “We are bridging the gap between professional athletes and active outdoor people who are interested in healthy food. Many people give our products to their kids because they provide good nutrition. While we started with a focus on active people, our market now includes anyone with an active lifestyle.”

As for Moonvalley’s future, Mimmi doesn’t list any grandiose goals. “We want to keep making fun products that we want to eat ourselves and widening the range. We’ll also keep sharing our message to get outside, take care of your body and soul, and focus on your health.”

Written by Asa Butcher

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If you are in Finland and your tastebuds are crying out to try one of Moonvalley’s many products, then head over to their section on the Aonach website. Try the Cardamom Bar, which Mimmi believes is their most under appreciated one.