Fazer

Fazer(Finnish pronunciation:[ˈfɑtser],Finland Swedish pronunciation:[ˈfat͡sær]) is one of the largest corporations in theFinnishfoodindustry. The company was founded byKarl Fazerin 1891, as a "French-Russian confectionery" in centralHelsinki.Today, it employs over 6,000 people across Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Norway and Poland.Its products are exported to more than 40 countries.
Fazer acquired Swedish confectionery companyMazettiin 1975, Mazetti started several product lines which are now iconic to Fazer, includingDumleand Tutti Frutti.
Fazer formed a partnership withUnited Biscuitsin its Fazer Keksit (which made biscuits) and UB owned 70 per cent of it until 2000.
Fazer has historically acquired several other companies, including the FinnishChymosand the Danish Perelly. The confectionery line was merged with itsSwedishcompetitorCloettain 2000, to becomeCloetta Fazer, though the merger lasted only until 2008 before the two brands were separated back to independent companies.Later, Fazer Keksit was sold toDanone. It was renamed to LU Suomi, the entirety of which was bought back by Fazer in 2012 fromKraft Foods Inc.(nowMondelez International) and now operates under Fazer Confectionery.
November 2016 saw the opening of a 5,000-square-metre (54,000 sq ft) Visitor Centre at their confectionery factory at Fazerintie inVantaa. Theavant-gardistbuilding, in the shape of two circles with a botanical garden at the centre of one of them, was designed by K2S Architects. The Visitor Centre also includes a café, congress wing and shop.
In the summer of 2019, Fazer bought the Finnish company Kaslink Foods, which specializes in plant-based foods. According to Fazer, it sought a stronger focus on consumer products through the acquisition and saw growth opportunities, especially in the oat-based products that Kaslink manufactures.Just a few days earlier, Fazer had announced that it would sell its Fazer Food Services restaurant operations to the British Compass Group as part of the company's strategy focused on consumer products.
Following the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Fazer sold its Russian business to bakery firm Kolomenskij.
Fazer Group includes communications, legal, HR, finance and treasury, risk management, security, investment management, corporate planning, property management and internal audit. Shared services include IT, accounting and human resources.
Fazer operates through three Business Areas. The business areas are Fazer Bakeries, Fazer Confectionery and Fazer Lifestyle Foods.
Fazer's most notable products include its classicFazer Blue(Fazerin sininen) milk chocolate, widely regarded as one of Finland's most respected brands and a part ofFinnish cultural heritage and cuisine.Other well-known Fazer products include theirsalmiakkiproducts, such as Fazer salmiakki,Tyrkisk Peberand salmiakki-flavoured Fazer Blue.
Fazer operates 9 large-scale bakeries across Finland, Sweden and the Baltics and exports its bakery products to 21 countries. In addition to these, Fazer operates 136 small-scale in-store bakeries in large Finnish supermarkets.In 2018, Fazer'scricketbread won the Bronze Lion in the Sustainable Development Goals section of theCannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Fazer's bakery brands include Oululainen, Skogaholm, Druva and Gardesis. Fazer produces its biscuits in Vantaa, and its biscuit brands in Finland include Jyväshyvä, Domino, Jaffa, Fasupala, Carneval, Suklaalehti, Muro and Hangon. Fazer's Lappeenranta bakery produces Karelian pies. Fazer's Karelian pies are Rukiinen piirakka, Rukiinen Imatran Riisipirakka, Vuoksen piirakka, Rukiinen Perunapiirakka and Rukiinen Porkkanapiirakka. In April 2016, Fazer was reported to have bought back the Domino, Jaffa and Fanipala brands.
Fazer is the leading producer of chocolates, sweets and biscuits in Finland with a market share of 30-40%. The Confectionery division has production facilities inVantaaandLappeenranta. Confectionery is sold in more than 40 countries.
Fazer's confectionery factories in Finland are located in Lappeenranta (sugar confectionery) and Vantaa (chocolates). The company produces 25,000 tonnes of chocolate per year. It became a member of the World Cocoa Organization in 2005.
Fazer Retail operates Fazer Cafés in Finland and Gateau bakery shops in Finland and Sweden. The flagship Fazer Café is on Kluuvikatu in Helsinki, opened in 1891. It is a rare example ofArt Decodesign in Finland.
Confectionery brands
The Lifestyle Foods division produces other food items, such as Froosh smoothies, Fazer Aito oat products and non-dairy drinks as well as Frebaco and Fazer Alku oat-based breakfast foods. These are produced inLahti,Lidköpingand Koria.