Innovative, healthy and safe food and drink products for the international markets

The Food from Finland program started in 2014 and was funded by both the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. We worked in close cooperation with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Finnish Food Authority, Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation and several other operators in the sector.

The vision of Food from Finland program was: “We build upgraded, renewed Finnish food economy producing innovative, highly branded, sustainable, healthy and safe food and beverages to international markets”

Goals

The program focused on development and growth of the Finnish food industry as well as on export promotion with branded products and services offering high added value. We helped Finnish food industry companies in gaining access to the rapidly changing international food markets.

The main goals were

• Doubling the value of Finnish food exports to 3 billion euros by 2025
• Increasing the value added of exported Finnish food products
• Increasing the share of small companies operating in the international markets from 16% to 25%
• Increasing the know-how of food companies related to exports and internationalization
• Enhancing quality image of Finland and awareness of Finnish food products in the target markets
• Boosting cooperation and networking between the companies and other operators in the food sector
• Funding services for companies in the food sector
• Cooperation with universities and research organizations in Finland and abroad, especially in Asia
• Creating 5000 new jobs in the Finnish food sector.

Services

Food from Finland program offered versatile services linked to the themes of Business Finland and benefitting Finnish food companies in a completely new way. Program operations included supporting of food-sector ecosystems and food innovations especially aimed at consumers, expanding the know-how related to branding and international business operations, encouraging extensive cooperation and concrete export promotion activities in selected target markets. Export and internationalization services were tightly linked with Business Finland’s innovation funding.

• Implementing Finland country pavilions shared with several companies in the most important international food-industry trade fairs for professionals
• Meeting buyers both in the target markets and in Finland
• Networking events and training and coaching days
• Retail trade campaigns
• Media events and visits
• Funding: innovations, internationalization, enhancing know-how
• Cooperation with universities and research organizations in Finland and abroad, especially in Asia

Food from Finland also implemented targeted activities for selected product groups:

• Alcohols and other beverages
• Berries
• Oat products in cooperation with Oat Cluster and Nordic Oats project with Business Sweden.

The Food from Finland program was started in 2014 and it has been funded by both the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. We also worked in close cooperation with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Finnish Food Authority, Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation and several other operators in the sector.

Target groups

The program’s target group was Finnish food and beverage manufacturers with a preference given to healthy, safe and innovative products. The program also served service providers working in close cooperation with the Finnish food industry, as well as other interest groups and partners in the ecosystems of food industry.

Target countries

Primary target markets

• Nordic countries
• Germany, France
• East Asia: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea

Other target markets

• Other European countries
• Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
• South Africa
• Singapore
• United States

Results

All Food from Finland program target markets have been growing in Europe, Asia and USA. During Food from Finland program operations, despite the covid pandemic and war in Ukraine, the Finnish food and beverages export has been developing very positively and reached the all-time export value record of 2,3 billion euros in 2022 (+ 28% annual growth vs 2021).  

The total food and beverages export to other markets than Russia was 2,2 billion euros in 2022 versus 1,3 billion euros in 2014 (+ 70 % growth).

Food and beverages companies, who were official members of the program, increased their exports by 36,4 % during the second program period 2018 – 2022.  

Food from Finland program supported visibly the sustainability targets and actions of the Finnish food and beverages industry. The program itself executed several sustainable actions, such as operating carbon neutral exhibition stands, reducing the number of printed materials and giving sustainability a priority position in program communication. Sustainability theme was visibly included to 51,2% of the events.  

Food from Finland Heritage

The program worked with multiple partners to create new concepts and services for the food & beverage companies.  The following concepts and services will continue also after the program ends: 

• Finland Pavilions at selected trade fairs
  • Arto Varanki: arto.varanki (at) messeforum.fi
  • Jukka-Pekka Inkinen: jukka-pekka.inkinen (at) fennopromo.fi
    
    
• Finland Week campaigns in selected Edeka and Rewe stores in Germany
  • Johanna Pfeiffer: johanna.pfeiffer (at) finde-consulting.com
    
    
• Amazon FBA Light Program for Germany
  • Mika Krieger mika.krieger (at) teamblue.de
  • Markus Varsikko: markus (at) dashretail.eu
    
    
• Superyacht Foodie Program - Global
  • Titta Uoti-Väisänen: titta (at) tuvyc.com