Fazer makes a major switch to biogas - Alku porridges now made cleanly with biogas

Gasum and the food company Fazer have entered into an agreement on the supply of biogas for Fazer’s Lahti mill. From now on the Alku porridges manufactured in the mill will be made with clean Finnish biogas. In addition, the Fazer Visitor Centre to be completed soon will be heated with biogas produced from food waste.

”We seek to be a forerunner in responsibility in all of our operations. The use of biogas to produce our Alku porridges in the Lahti mill is a good example of how we can promote this objective,” says Nina Elomaa, Corporate Responsibility Director from Fazer.

The mill’s annual need for biogas is around 375 MWh. Biogas is used to generate the steam used in the production of Alku porridges. Environmentally friendly biogas will help reduce Fazer’s annual emissions by an amount corresponding to the emissions from driving a car for 600,000 km.

The biogas will be supplied to the Fazer mill by Lahti Energia, an energy company with a strong focus on eco-efficiency and renewable energy sources in its production. The biogas component of the steam that will be supplied to Fazer as a service is among Lahti Energia’s first biogas deliveries.

”The introduction of biogas is a natural continuation of the long history of cooperation between Lahti Energia and Fazer in the creation of tailored energy solutions,” says Matti Wallin, Sales and Development Manager from Lahti Energia.

Uses of biogas range from porridge to heat generation

As well as in the manufacture of Alku porridges, Fazer will also use biogas at the new Visitor Centre in Vaarala, Vantaa. Heating for the Visitor Centre to be opened in October will be produced from waste generated in Fazer's production that is recycled into biogas.

Gasum seeks to increase the amount of food produced with biogas in Finland through its operations. This makes it easier for consumers to make increasingly environmentally friendly choices.

”It’s great to see a brand as well-known as Fazer to make a major switch to biogas. Fazer is one of the most responsible companies in Finland, and biogas is one way for it to demonstrate this responsibility in practice. This also shows how broad the range of uses for biogas is,” Jani Arala, Senior Manager, Sales, Biogas Business, from Gasum.

Gasum biogas is a Finnish biofuel always made from fully renewable raw materials that is injected into the gas network from Espoo, Kouvola and Lahti, and from this summer onwards also from the new Riihimäki biogas facility. Biogas is a versatile energy source sold to industry, service providers, heat and power production, homes and restaurants using gas cookers, and for use as a road vehicle fuel.

For further information please contact:

Jani Arala, Senior Manager, Sales, Biogas Solutions, Gasum Ltd
Phone: +358 44 054 8583, firstname.surname(a)gasum.fi

Nina Elomaa, Corporate Responsibility Director, Fazer Group
Phone: +358 45 354 8611, firstname.surname(a)fazer.com

Matti Wallin, Sales and Development Manager, Lahti Energia
Phone: +358 44 723 5782, firstname.surname(a)lahtienergia.fi