Fazer has begun to bake new Fazer Leipurit Saaristolaisleipä, its Finnish Archipelago Bread in its shop-in-shop bakeries as of 15 June. Wheat and rye used in the bread are grown by the company’s contract farmers, taking part in Fazer’s Grain vision programme who grow grains sustainably according to the programme’s principles.
”The new Fazer Leipurit Saaristolaisleipä is an ode to Finnish rye, wheat and malt – and especially an ode to farmers. We know the grain’s exact origin as we have separated the grains from these specific farms in the grinding process. Normally grains from various farms are mixed in silos, which gives the grain uniform quality,” explained Tero Hirvi, Director, Grain Logistics and Purchasing at Fazer Mills.
The connection between the Finnish national feeling and Finnish bread is particularly strong, 88% of Finns say they highly value farmers’ work and 81% say that Finnish bread should be made up of domestic ingredients. By introducing the Fazer Leipurit Saaristolaisleipä, the company has said it wants to highlight the work of the contract farmers and their contributions to sustainable farming.
The wheat, for example, used in the bread is grown in Jussi Joutsiniemi’s farm in Kangasala, rye in Kari Mutkala’s farm in Koski TL and malt rye in Matti Keltto’s farm in Lapua. The wheat and rye are grown according to principles set out in the Fazer Grain vision programme which aims to develop cultivation methods that are more environmentally friendly.
“As Fazer’s contract farmer I have access to many important tools that help in farming as sustainably as possible and bringing the Grain vision alive with daily choices,” said Jussi Joutsiniemi.
Saaristolaisleipä is baked in every Fazer shop-in-shop bakery by hand from the scratch. Stickers on the bread packaging provide information on the farmers and their farms. Additionally, by scanning the QR code on the packaging, people can find out more facts about the Fazer Grain vision programme.
“Fazer has worked closely with farmers already for five decades. Our common goal is to ensure that there will be enough pure and high-quality domestic grain in the future, too. The Grain vision requires long-term cooperation,” added Hirvi.
The Fazer Leipurit Saaristolaisleipä was created in Fazer Bakery’s internal innovation challenge. The bread was made available in all 132 Fazer shop-in-shop bakeries in Finland as of 15 June 2023.
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