Fazer: centralises artisanal bakery production

Helsinki / FI. (fg) Finland’s Fazer Group is strengthening its competitiveness in the growing artisanal bread market and centralising the production of its artisanal bakeries into one bakery in Sörnäinen, Helsinki. Operations in the Järvenpää bakery will be discontinued in spring 2017. The plan does not involve any need for personnel reductions.

Fazer purchased the Keisari artisanal bakery operating in the Helsinki area in June 2016. The acquisition is part of the execution of Fazer’s strategy to grow in the artisanal bakery business and, with the acquisition, Fazer tripled the number of its artisanal bakery shops in the Finnish capital area from five to fifteen.

Fazer will now centralise the baking of its artisanal bakeries into one bakery in Sörnäinen, Helsinki. This solution will increase operational efficiency and enable future growth. Production will be shifted from Järvenpää in stages during spring 2017.

«Hand-made artisanal bread is a strong consumer trend worldwide. People are fascinated by the wide range of flavours, delicious scents and visually attractive products. We see great potential in artisanal bread. Our target is to improve our profitability and strengthen our competitiveness in the growing artisanal bakery market», says Managing Director of the Fazer Bakery Business Area Petri Kujala.

Collaboration negotiations regarding joining the operations and production were held in the productions of Fazer’s Järvenpää bakery and Leipomo Keisari’s Sörnäinen bakery. The negotiations involved 51 people, in total. Combining the productions does not ensue a need to reduce headcounts. The negotiations did not affect those working in the bakery shops.

Fazer employs 6’700 people in Finland, of whom 1’500 in the bakery business. Fazer has four large-scale bakeries in Finland in Vantaa, Lahti, Lappeenranta and Oulu. The artisanal bakeries are located in Helsinki and Järvenpää. In addition, Fazer has over 40 in-shop bakeries all over Finland.