The KOK-experience is suppost to be an experience suited for everyone. Our most important tasks is to make everyone happy. We hope to bring people thought sensation experience where water, cold, varm and pure happiness melts together.
KOK is about creating city life, outdoor experience all year around, no matter the season. Our ambition is to become a nationwide network of independent owners who operate the KOK-concept and bring an already popular activity to their hometown.
KOK was founded by Kristin Lorange in 2017 and she included Paal Mangerud on the team. With Kristin’s background as a commercial pilot and Paal’s experience over many years in politics, culture and nightlife, it was a good basis for creating an exciting business with a solid rig.
Kristin got the inspiration on a team-building trip in Stockholm’s archipelago with her current job and a group of swimming-loving pilots. It was the first time she had experienced the “floating sauna” concept, and although she didn’t like either saunas or cold water, the combination was hugely exciting. Kristin decided that this intoxicating joy should be experienced by more people.
The pilot profession was Kristin’s childhood dream, but after 13 years as a commercial pilot, she had a desire to start for herself and build an organization based on values that there could clearly be a little more of in society. Sustainability, community, diversity and closeness to nature, to name a few. After the trip to Stockholm, a new dream was born; to take the sauna concept to Oslo so that the capital’s residents could experience the same intoxicating pleasure she had experienced in Sweden.
The first sauna boat was launched at Langkaia in February 2018. At the time, Kristin was pregnant with her son Nordahl and worked full-time as a pilot until the fifth month, at the same time as she built the small business that has now become KOK Oslo. It was tough at the start, and people were skeptical of both the concept and the area. At that time, Bjørvika was a shady part of the city that few visited, even less to get out into the black, dark harbor basin in midwinter.
In 2019, Kristin decided to bet everything on KOK. Going from a secure position as a pilot with a good salary to an uncertain entrepreneurial life felt like a big risk. Fortunately, she has never regretted it. There are few female pilots in Norway, but also too few female entrepreneurs! By following her new dream, Kristin will continue to make a difference and inspire others to believe in themselves.
In the transition to 2020, KOK separated operations in KOK Oslo from concept owner and franchisor KOK Norge. The company now has 9 saunas in Oslo, and the KOK concept is now planning to expand to the country’s largest cities.
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