Gold from nature’s pantry: a diachronic study of Rubus chamaemorus L. (Rosaceae) in swedish gastronomy and economy

TL;DR

Cloudberries have been an important wild food in Sweden, but their availability is declining due to climate, fewer foragers, and rising prices.

Contribution

The study provides a historical ethnobiological analysis of cloudberry's cultural and economic role in Sweden over the past century.

Findings

Cloudberries are the third most important wild berry species in Sweden, with a rich cultural and economic history.

Commercial harvesting has shifted from local peasants to imported seasonal workers due to changing conditions.

Recent declines in local picking and berry availability have led to rising prices and potential return to subsistence use.

Abstract

Cloudberry, Rubus chamaemorus L. (Rosaceae), is traditionally harvested as food in northern Scandinavia. It is rich in vitamins C, A and E, and antioxidants. This berry has gained much cultural, economic, nutritional, social and symbolic importance in Sweden during the past century. Cloudberries are an important part of culinary heritage.

This qualitative diachronic study analyses historical data available in archives and published collections, fragmentary notes in literature and relevant modern data, using a historical ethnobiological approach.

Cloudberry is the third most important wild berry species gathered for human consumption in Sweden. The berries were earlier preserved in wooden barrels during the long circumpolar winter; now they are usually frozen or made into jam and other processed products and sold throughout the country. Difficult access to growth areas, weather fluctuations, timing of harvest and lack of gatherers make harvesting challenging. Commercial harvesting has gone from being a sideline income source for the northern peasants to engaging imported seasonal workers mainly from Southeast Asia.

This historical overview reveals that local berry picking is decreasing in recent decades. Fluctuations in local weather and lack of foragers influence the availability of cloudberry on the market. In 2025, there were neither enough workers nor berries, and the prices of cloudberry products have risen steeply. The cloudberry, which has enjoyed several decades of popularity both in haute cuisine and among ordinary consumers, will perhaps return to a local wild food gathered only for household needs.

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