Ingka Centres reinvents the food court recipe with Saluhall - a sustainable dining culture hub inspired by principles of Nordic cuisine

• Food culture hub inspired by sustainable living principles to unlock growth for future urban Meeting Places

• Saluhall will feature artisanal local food companies championing plant-based cuisine and a cookery school with a strong community focus

• Saluhall’s menu will be 80 percent plant-based at launch with the ambition to evolve to 100 percent, zero waste to landfill and zero single-plastic usage

29 November 2022: Ingka Centres, part of the Ingka Group (which includes IKEA Retail and Ingka Investments), today unveiled its new global food and beverage concept, Saluhall. Named after the Scandinavian-style ‘Market Hall’, Saluhall will reinvent the traditional shopping centre food offer with a Scandinavian twist, bringing delicious, predominantly plant-based cuisine to a global audience whilst being kind to the planet. It will be Ingka Centres’ first food offer to be entirely beef-free, appealing to a global audience and reducing climate footprint. The launch of the Saluhall concept at international retail property event MAPIC, builds upon Ingka Centres’ recent track record of innovative investments in sustainability hubs and city centre meeting places. Innovations piloted across Ingka Centres in the last two years have included the Circuit sustainability concept and Hej!Workshop co-working space in Sweden, Light by Livat work-live units in China.

Ingka Centres’ Commercial and Digital Director, Jens Nielsen, commented: “We are excited to be unveiling Saluhall, our bold and fresh Nordic take on the food hall concept. Our food offering has long been a key element of our meeting places, and with Saluhall we will go beyond dining to inspire the many people with more sustainable food choices, like plant-based dishes”.

“We developed the Saluhall concept to be a joyful community experience. As people come back together and enjoy spending time with each other, the demand for food halls is on the rise again. The flexibility of Saluhall offers people the freedom they look for, and the ability to experience life together. We want it to be about a whole lot more than what’s on the menu - a modern and original twist on the traditional food hall; providing local communities with a place to meet, while eating delicious food and socialising together in an even more inclusive and sustainable way.”

Saluhall will operate as an ethos as well as a physical space, with all vendors required to subscribe to a manifesto and guiding principles that favour plant-based options, regenerative agriculture, seasonal and local ingredients. The menu will be 80 percent plant-based at launch with the ambition to evolve to 100 percent, and zero waste to landfill and zero single-plastic usage.  Saluhall will also be Ingka Centres’ first food hall concept that will not sell beef. The principles reflect the explosive growth and influences of the sustainable Scandinavian dining scene over the past two decades, making quality food that is kinder to people and the planet more available for everyday visitors to Meeting Places. Stéphane Keulian, F&B Concept Development Leader, added: “Saluhall revolves around food and drink, but it is a lot more than eating and drinking. It is inspired by the New Nordic Food Manifesto movement that began nearly twenty years ago. Through lectures, cooking experiences and a cookery school, Saluhall will be a natural location that brings people and local businesses together. And we are not doing this alone. We are teaming up and connecting with other visionary minds who are eager to reinvent the traditional food court idea and bring a taste of local culture to Saluhall. More news to come!”

Each Saluhall will reflect the four cornerstones of Nordic street food - bakery, beer, burgers and ice-cream, updating them to match local tastes and modern sensibilities. From oat-milk ice-cream to plant burgers, the space will be operated as a distinct street food market within each meeting place, offering seasonal, ethical, sustainable and high-quality produce at accessible everyday prices. The on-site cookery school will be open to all, and its kitchens will be available for neighbours to use after hours. At the end of every day our surplus food will be delivered to local people who need it.