In March, we stood in the Quảng Nam mountains of Vietnam, about 1,500 metres above sea level, among the cinnamon trees of the Tra Leng Co-op. This autumn, we followed that bark all the way to a bakery in Bromma where it ends up in some of Sweden's finest cinnamon buns.
Where it begins
Saigon cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi) grows in the highlands of Trà My. We call it Quảng Nam Cinnamon after the region it comes from. It's so prized here that it carries a protected designation of origin, much like Champagne. Locally it's known as Cao sơn ngọc quế: "jade cinnamon of the high mountains".
It's also one of the region's oldest traded treasures. Cinnamon from these mountains has been traded for nearly 2,000 years, since the days of the Champa kingdom. Under the Nguyễn dynasty it was sent to the imperial court as a yearly tribute and the cinnamon tree is engraved on one of the Nine Dynastic Urns in the imperial city of Huế.
The tree is native to the Truong Son forest and for the local communities around it, it has long been sacred. Growing it is an old craft, passed down through generations.
The harvest is patient work. A cut at the base of the tree lets the bark dry on the trunk for a couple of weeks before it's taken. That locks in the essential oils. The bark is then sun-dried and sorted by hand.
The result is a cinnamon that's spicy, sweet and intense, with notes of honey and caramel. It's bold enough to be the star of a bun, not just a background note.
Where it ends up
In Äppelviken, Bromma, you'll find Park Konditori, a craft bakery and lunch spot where the ingredients are organic, supplier relationships run deep and the room feels like home. In 2026, Park Konditori was named Bagarnas bageri and Josefin Bagarnas bagare: bakery and baker of the year, voted by fellow bakers.
"It was a huge honour, to say the least," Josefin says. "I have so many talented colleagues who impress and inspire me and knowing they gave their vote to me feels fantastic."
We spent an afternoon watching Josefin and her team bake and asked her about buns, balance and why origin matters.
A conversation with Josefin
What separates a truly great cinnamon bun from an okay one?
"A truly great bun is still delicious even when it isn't freshly baked and it has balance between sweetness, spice and salt."
Is there a part of baking you never tire of?
"After almost 20 years at the baking table, I still find almost all of it fun. But sourdough is still the most fun and the most challenging."
Cinnamon in the filling, the dough, or both?
"For me, the filling. There, the cinnamon marries the butter, the sugar and in our case, a little salt and turns wonderfully caramelly."
Why did you choose to work with our Saigon cinnamon?
"First and foremost because it's incredibly good! Sweet, punchy and with enormous flavour intensity, without being bitter or harsh. And I really like you, your company, your philosophy and the way you work. We want both a relationship and a shared vision with our suppliers."
What difference does it make in your bun?
"It's a source of pride just to be able to use such fine cinnamon. It's unique, and it gives a deeper, fuller flavour that balances beautifully with butter, sugar and cardamom."
How important is it to know where an ingredient comes from?
"Super important. Maybe even more so with ingredients from far away, like spices, coffee and chocolate. Those aren't producers we can easily visit ourselves, so we need good partners who can find them for us, ensure fair conditions for the growers and help us understand their work.
Our work in the bakery is refining wonderful raw ingredients. They come from passionate, hard-working people who, just like us, are proud of what they do. Meeting our customers gives us both an opportunity and a responsibility to explain the whole chain of work behind a product. And yes, more and more customers care about where their food comes from."
The most underrated spice in Swedish baking?
"Salt. There always needs to be a balance between sweet and salty and I often find it missing in Swedish sweet bakes, where it can become sweet on sweet."
Cinnamon buns have their own day. Which bake deserves one too?
"Sourdough bread. It should be celebrated every day!"
Josefin's tip for home bakers
Asked for just one piece of advice, Josefin didn't hesitate:
"Focus on your ingredients. That's the foundation of good bread and pastries."
Bake like Park Konditori this Kanelbullens dag:
- Put the cinnamon in the filling. Let it melt into the butter and sugar, where its flavour opens up. Cinnamon loves fat.
- Add a pinch of salt. It's the balance Josefin says most Swedish bakes are missing.
- Start with ingredients you know. Good buns begin long before the oven.
The people behind the bark
In Trà My, a cinnamon tree is more than a crop. It's the family's savings, kept for life's big moments: building a house, a wedding or a dowry. Many trees still carry the name of the person who planted them.
That's exactly what Josefin means when she talks about the people behind every ingredient. For ten years, we've worked directly with growers like the Tra Leng Co-op, because great baking starts long before the bakery. Seeing our cinnamon travel from the mountains of Quảng Nam to a baking table in Bromma is exactly why we do it.
Visit Park Konditori in Äppelviken, Bromma, and taste the difference for yourself.
