When it was announced in early 2013 that the Skedvi Bröd crispbread bakery would close its doors, it looked like over 90 years of baking craftsmanship would be lost forever. Yet the impassioned support of the local community and others has helped ensure that the historic bakery’s woodfire ovens are burning brightly once more. The local area around Stora Skedvi, in Dalarna, has a strong tradition of artisanal food producers, but arguably none as iconic as Skedvi Bröd. The crispbread bakery has been at the heart of the village since the 1920s, and generations of master bakers have established its name as a familiar and trusted staple at Swedish tables.

Determined not to take the closure lying down, within months of the bakery’s closure, two entrepreneurs had vowed to buy the building and start up production once again, with the local community soon rallying around. Through a crowdfunding project, 733 people together donated 600,000 Swedish kronor to fund the building of new ovens, while a number of private companies also chipped in, in some cases carrying out building work for free or donating materials. It seemed that no one was left unmoved by the bakery’s plight — not even A-list celebrities. “The team behind the re-opening had been casting around for suitable potential investors, and one day they were approached by Benny Andersson of ABBA,” Adeström-Jonsson explains. “He had eaten a lot of the crispbread during his childhood and thought it was wrong that the bakery had been closed, so he got in touch, saying that he’d like to help.”

On 4 December 2014, the first official bread cake was baked at Skedvibröd AB in Stora Skedvi. Benny took part in both the inauguration and baking. He was introduced to the assembled crowds, said a few words then put on a white overall and was shown how to put the bread into the oven and then take it out.  He looked very pleased with the result.  He then joined two musicians with his accordion.

NOTE: There appears to be no sound on the second video.
 

Scan Magazine
Skedvi Bröd
 

Thanks to Chris Williams c/o ABBAtalk
YouTube links c/o abba registro and Jörgen Steen