100 Days as Norilia’s CEO: “We will continue developing Norilia in Norway and internationally"

When Roar Furuhaug talks about resource utilization, he speaks not only with passion, but with deep professional insight and conviction.

On April 1, 2025, Roar Furuhaug assumed the role of CEO at Norilia. With a master’s degree in Food Science from NMBU and over 20 years of experience in the Norwegian food industry, he brings both in-depth expertise and a holistic view of the value chain.

“I’ve worked ‘from stall to table’, and I speak fluent farmerish, bakerish, and butcherian,” he says.

In recent years, Furuhaug led Arne B. Corneliussen AS, a supplier and manufacturer for the meat and seafood industry. His background also includes roles in product development, sales, and export with companies such as Orkla Food Ingredients, Norfoods (Caldic), and Haugen-Gruppen. His career started during his studies, first at DeLaval’s Norwegian office in Ski and later at the international headquarters in Stockholm.

Joining Norilia felt like both a natural and strategic move.

“When I saw the job posting, I immediately thought: this is me. I’m passionate about creating value from the entire animal — and at Norilia, I get to do that every single day.”

Furuhaug highlights Norilia as a company built on deep expertise, strong values, and a clear purpose.

“It’s a fantastic team here — full of integrity and a genuine commitment to elevating our plus-products. You can feel it throughout the whole organization, from the factory floor to top management.”

Furuhaug believes Norilia’s role in the value chain is more relevant than ever, as sustainability increasingly centers on full resource utilization and maximizing value creation.

“If we choose to eat meat, we owe it to the animal to use every part of it. That’s good ethics — and true sustainability in action. It’s also the essence of our slogan, which I really appreciate: Pure nature refined.”

So what does he believe more people should understand about Norilia’s work with plus-products?

“Norilia creates value from approximately one-third of Nortura’s biomass including organ meat, bones, hides, wool, natural casings, and eggshells. My predecessor, Morten Sollerud, actually coined the term ‘plus-products’. It’s not waste, it's raw material with value. Often with unique properties for food, health, or industry.”

“We need to find ways to preserve even more of these plus-products, explore their optimal applications, and increase volumes.”

To succeed in this, the entire value chain must be aligned, Furuhaug emphasizes.

“We have a strong focus on sustainability and animal welfare. For example, it's crucial that farmers understand how animal care directly impacts the value Norilia can create.When we sell Norwegian cattle hides to the luxury market, top animal welfare is a must. Every link in the chain matters.”

Looking ahead, Furuhaug is full of energy:

“To reach our goals, we need more partners and customers who see the value in clean raw materials and innovative processing. We will continue to develop Norilia as a driving force for sustainability and bio-based value creation — both in Norway and internationally.”