FOODDUCK® spread dispensers have become an established part of school dining in Habo, southern Sweden. Encouraged by positive user experiences, the solution has gradually been introduced to more and more schools across the municipality. The municipality’s experiences are shared by Food Service Manager Lena Bergström and school kitchen staff.
Cleaner and more hygienic bread station starts here
Since introducing FOODDUCK® spread dispensers, the bread stations in Habo’s school restaurants have become significantly cleaner.
“The bread station is now much fresher – there are no messy margarine tubs or shared butter knives that become dirty almost immediately”, explain representatives from Habo’s food service department.
The cleanliness and hygiene challenges at a bread station often begin with something very simple: a shared tub of margarine and a shared butter knife. When the same knife is used by dozens or even hundreds of diners, it inevitably collects bread crumbs, dirt from hands, and even hair. The knife is repeatedly returned to the spread, transferring impurities directly into the product – and from there onto the next person’s slice of bread.
At the same time, a butter knife covered in spread easily leaves hands and tabletops messy. Especially with young children, this can lead to unhygienic habits: fingers are wiped on the table or clothing – or, in the worst case, licked clean. A single shared knife can quickly compromise the hygiene and cleanliness of the entire bread station.
With the FOODDUCK® spread dispenser, shared butter knives and messy margarine tubs are now a thing of the past in Habo. The result is a cleaner bread station and a consistently higher level of hygiene throughout meal service.
Same spread is suitable – and safe – for everyone
In addition to improving cleanliness and hygiene, the spread dispenser also enhances food safety. Traditionally, people with celiac disease or food allergies require separate margarine tubs to prevent cross-contamination. Even then, there is always a risk that someone accidentally uses the wrong tub.
“It’s fantastic that everyone can now use the same spread – from vegans to people with allergies.”
People following special diets can safely use the same dispenser, since the spread remains protected inside the device and never comes into contact with hands, butter knives, or bread. In addition, FOODDUCK® Margarine 60 used in the dispenser is a plant-based spread suitable for dairy-free, lactose-free, and vegan diets. It also carries the Finnish Heart Symbol and the Swedish Keyhole label, two well-recognized Nordic nutrition labels.
More control over consumption, one portion at a time
According to Habo’s food service staff, margarine tubs previously had to be discarded because they became contaminated or had been left out for too long. An open margarine tub is an unprotected food product that must be discarded after meal service. With FOODDUCK®, the spread can be used efficiently until the pouch is empty.
“We feel that slightly less spread is being consumed than before, and food waste has clearly decreased. At first, the children thought it was fun to play with the ducks, but once the novelty wore off, usage quickly became normal.”
The dispenser helps diners take an appropriate amount of spread. For most people, one portion is sufficient, preventing unnecessary overuse. This reduces food waste while also making consumption more predictable and easier to manage from a cost perspective.
Better dining experience
Both staff and students have responded very positively to the FOODDUCK® spread dispensers. The benefits are reflected in the overall dining experience.
“The feedback has been entirely positive. People find the dispenser more pleasant, more hygienic – and even fun to use.”
Kitchen staff also see the dispenser as a practical and seamless part of their daily work. Based on their experience, they have suggested a larger pouch size than the current 940-gram package and asked about adding a cooling function, as the spread may become slightly softer during meal service. However, the dispenser has been specifically designed for safe operation without active cooling, according to Sofia Haapasaari, Quality Manager at Foodduck Oy.
“From a product safety perspective, there is no risk if the spread softens at room temperature because it contains no dairy and remains protected from oxygen inside the sealed pouch. It cannot be compared to an open margarine tub that is constantly exposed to air and the surrounding environment. The solution has been laboratory tested, and the operating model has also been approved through health authority evaluations”, Haapasaari explains.
From one school to the entire municipality
The dispensers were first introduced in a single school in Habo, where practical experience quickly demonstrated the benefits of the solution. As improvements became evident in cleanliness, hygiene, and the overall flow of meal service, recommendations spread among food service staff and educators throughout the municipality. Thanks to these positive experiences, FOODDUCK® spread dispensers were gradually introduced into more and more schools in Habo.
Today, FOODDUCK® spread dispensers are used in all six school restaurants across Habo municipality.