If you have visited the store’s cheese shelf recently, you may have noticed that there is no more Tine Norvegia Fyldig. The cheese was replaced by a new variety, called Norvegia Smaksrik.

A news that not everyone appreciates.

Not the same

Stian Indal Haugseth and his family are avid buyers of Norvegia Fyldig, and he had a nasty surprise when he discovered the cheese was expired. He is not particularly enthusiastic about newcomer Smaksrik.

– It tastes completely different. It’s drier and immediately has less flavor than Fyldig, he tells DinSide.

The aftertaste describes Haugseth as “tight and reminiscent of Jarlsberg”, and he is not a fan of Tine cheese.

big hysteria

Haugseth posted a message on Tin’s Facebook page where he comments on the change. There are also several people reacting to the fact that the full-bodied Norvegia version has been discontinued.

He thinks it is difficult to understand Tine’s comments that the change is an improvement and to meet the consumer’s desire for a cheese with more flavor and less fat.

– Something happens to the cheese when the fat percentage is reduced. It gets drier and not as good anymore. There was a lot more flavor in the old one. It’s almost become a hysteria in fat reduction – everything has to be cut, but when they reduce the fat percentage, it becomes more processed and it’s also not recommended, says a disappointed Norvegia eater.

The “scandalous cheese” is back

changed the cheese

Or should we say former Norvegia eaters.

Haugseth says Norvegia Fyldig was a cheese the whole family loved, so it was difficult to find an heir.

They tried Norvegia Vellagret, but that was a long time ago, whereas according to Haugseth, the competitor’s cheeses have the same problem as Smaksrik in that they are dry.

– We have now moved on to the Swedish gräddost. It has a higher fat percentage and there is more flavor.

– Very good rating

Tine confirms to DinSide that they have replaced Norvegia Fyldig with Smaksrik.

– Norvegia Smaksrik is stored longer to bring out the well-known and unique taste of Norvegia more, says Margrethe Holm Rogne, press officer at Tine.

She says Smaksrik scored very well in consumer tests, and significantly better than Norvegia Fyldig.

– According to sales figures, Norvegia Smaksrik also sells better than Norvegia Fyldig. And this trend is increasing week by week, she says.

– The consumer has wanted more taste and variety in the cheese category, and we want to give it to them. Many who previously bought Norvegia Fyldig now buy Norvegia Smaksrik.

When asked what Tine thought of the comments that Smaksrik is perceived as a bit dry and not as good as Fyldig, Rogne replied that they were two different cheeses with different characteristics.

– Norvegia Smaksrik keeps for several months longer than Fyldig, precisely so that the cheese develops more flavor. If Smaksrik is stored longer than today, the cheese will taste even better, she says and adds:

– It is natural that it acquires a different consistency when the cheese is stored longer, and Smaksrik can be perceived as drier than Fyldig and it breaks more easily, which is typical of better stored cheeses. Full-bodied has a smooth, soft consistency like Norvegia Original, as these have been stored for about the same amount of time.