Some careers you choose. Others unfold in ways you never expected. 

That’s been my story.

When I joined ESS-FOOD back in January 1998, I wasn’t planning on working with ducks. In fact, I didn’t even know I’d end up in trading at all. My background was in production where I worked with quality management and production processes in Arla Foods, and later on with sales of fish and shrimps in Royal Greenland.

It all started when my wife wanted to try living in Copenhagen. I wasn’t too eager at first, but I agreed - we could always move back. One day I came across a newspaper ad. No company name, just a short description: an international environment, food trading, based in Copenhagen. It sounded exciting, so I applied. A few weeks later, I was in.

The job was very different back then. ESS-FOOD had a cutting operation in the meatpacking district with 15-18 butchers, trucks, and vans. We would cut the meat and deliver it directly to customers. I  loved being close to the craft - seeing, touching, learning how products were made. Later, as the business changed and the cutting facility closed, the work shifted into pure trading.

That’s how I ended up with ducks. It was almost by chance. We had an English English duck supplier and their products landed on my desk, and suddenly it became my area. In the beginning, it wasn’t easy. One year we faced a huge unsold stock after Christmas - a real headache. But we solved it. And over time, ducks became my specialty.

What has kept me here for more than two decades isn’t the product itself, but the people. I have customers I’ve known for over 20 years. Relationships built on trust, respect, and long-term commitment. When you know someone that well, it’s not just business. You want to go the extra mile. That’s what motivates me.

I’m proud of having built partnerships that last. Suppliers and customers stay with us because they know we keep our word. And I never forget that without suppliers, there are no customers.

Of course, there have been challenges. In 2020, our English duck supplier shut down production. It could have been a crisis. Instead, we built new collaborations in Holland and Poland - and it worked. We came out stronger.

Today, what I bring to ESS-FOOD is experience and stability. Knowledge of both retail and foodservice customers. A network of long-term supplier relationships. It is important to learn younger colleagues that hard work and persistence really do pay off. I’m not the most outgoing person, but once trust is there, I open up. That’s how the strongest relationships are built.

The reason I’ve stayed so long? Freedom with responsibility. From the beginning, ESS-FOOD trusted me with big tasks. Not every company gives you that. And when you’re surrounded by skilled colleagues who grow with their responsibilities, it creates a unique culture. One of trust,
commitment, and shared purpose.

That’s why, after more than 25 years, I’m still here.