A symphony of sounds greets you as you enter the purple ward. Muffled puffs of steam and mechanical whirring indicate a high level of activity, and every so often there is the hissing sound of steam being released through vents. While many other departments at Steglinge are cool, this one is more tropical, with high humidity created by the steam from the autoclaves making you dream of a Mediterranean vacation.
Three autoclaves are lined up next to each other, and here at Steglinge's coking plant they are currently working in two shifts to cover both long-term and short-term needs. The potato season has been underway for several weeks and the new beetroot season is about to start.
"The potatoes feel stable initially and the beetroot has now had time to settle a little. You have to wait a bit with the beetroot after the new harvest to get the best possible results when boiling," says Saulius, head of the purple department.
Saulius has worked at Steglinge for over a decade, and has been the head of the Steglinge cookery department since its inception in 2019. And when he says the beets initially look good, he knows what he's talking about.
"The side roots of the beetroot can make peeling a little difficult. It can happen with our first beets, but this year it has looked better. The beets haven't had as much 'beard' this year, as we call it" laughs Saulius.
Beets come from the field, are tipped in, washed, sorted, peeled and cooked. All under one roof. Locally grown and sustainable in its purest form, while keeping transportation to a minimum.
Pre-cooking means longer shelf life and right now the planning is set to get in order but also build some stock.
"At the same time, we have to economize on the raw material. Not everything can be harvested at the same time and right now we are hoping for some rain, as the soils are not optimal for harvesting" explainsSaulius.
Steglinge pre-cooks potatoes and beets for restaurants, commercial kitchens, the public sector, grocery stores and food bags around Sweden, but also to our neighboring countries. The smallest packages are only a few hundred grams and the largest weigh several kilos. Various types of legumes are also pre-cooked here, as well as a potato and root vegetable mixture called Flexifärs.
While the autoclaves rumble on, Saulius distributes the day's production with a deft hand. It's rhythmic work, with each batch requiring precision and timing. The temperature, time and pressure must be right. Everything is set and checked.
"There's a lot to get right, but we have a strong team here. Everyone knows what it takes to get a high quality product out, every time," he says, nodding towards his colleagues who are moving between stations.
With fall around the corner and new harvests coming in, the purple department is in full swing. Not only are root vegetables cooked here - the meals of the future are also cooked here, with sustainability and taste in focus.
And while the steam continues to dance in the air, it is clear that the season has only just begun.
Are you curious about the Steglinge pre-cooked range? Are you interested in a tour of our cookery and other departments? Get in touch with us!
Lila department is one of several production departments at Steglinge. To read more about our work and our broad portfolio, click here.
