Fazer’s Aito oat product family is made using the power of biogas

Fazer makes oat products at its facility in Koria in Finland, where the production lines run on biogas. For Fazer, responsibility is an essential part of the food company’s ambitious strategy towards 2030. The switch to biogas was easy, since the product manufacturing process is the same as that for products made using natural gas.

Fazer makes plant-based products at its production facility in Kouvola, Finland using the power of biogas. The company aims to be a leader, especially in plant-based products, starting with making ingredients and in the production process.

The Fazer Aito product family made using biogas includes plant-based oat drinks, cooking products i.e. oat products like creams, and oat-based gurts that can be spooned instead of yoghurts.

Climate change is a challenge that affects us all and reducing the climate burden in food production is of great significance.

“Use of biogas instead of natural gas has a major impact on carbon dioxide emissions. We want to act responsibly, and biogas is one way for us to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations,” says Susanna Kallio, Brand and Category Director at Fazer.

Responsible production process from start to finish

Use of biogas in making Aito products and cooperation with Gasum started before Fazer acquired Kaslink, a company making plant-based products, in 2019. Kaslink was a family-owned company that had been using the power of biogas to manufacture products under the Aito brand since 2016. Following corporate acquisitions, use of biogas in the manufacture of the product family has continued as this has been a natural direction for Fazer to follow.

Efforts are made to manufacture Aito products as sustainably as possible. The ingredients are sourced as locally as possible and, for example, the oats threshed on Finnish fields are ground into flour in Fazer’s own mills. Fazer Aito products are packaged using ecological, recyclable board, and the “Made with biogas” logo is printed on the side of each package.

Easy and affordable switch to biogas

Biogas can be used in all production facilities where gas is used as a source of energy. It was easy for Fazer’s production process in Koria to switch over to natural gas since using biogas is no different from the normal product manufacturing process. The switch was also cost effective.

“Whether we use natural gas or biogas, the products are manufactured in the same way. Since biogas flows along the same pipeline, no investments were needed in the switch from natural gas to biogas,” Kallio says.

Fazer utilizes the side streams originating in its production processes in different ways, depending on the nature of the side stream. The biodegradable sludges remaining from the production of Fazer Aito oat drink are delivered to Gasum, where they are processed into biogas and fertilizer, which is spread onto fields where oats are grown, for example. In addition, side streams from production at Fazer’s facilities in Koria are used as animal feed, for example.

Biogas is an important part of responsibility work

Fazer is working long-term to build a responsible future. One of the company’s main goals in responsibility is to halve emissions from the company’s operations. All the plant-based brand products currently manufactured in Koria are produced using biogas and going forward it is important for the company to manufacture a major share of its products using biogas.

“We are trying to find various solutions to minimize the carbon footprint of our operations. If we feel that scaling up the use biogas will further help, we will certainly consider it,” Kallio says.

Fazer wants to actively communicate with customers and consumers. The company openly talks about everything it has done for responsibility and boldly highlights biogas in its communications.

“Biogas is one of the big factors on the responsibility front. It is important not just for us ourselves but also for consumers, customers and image.”

Use of biogas has been easy and a natural step on our journey towards carbon neutrality.
“We sleep well at night when we consider we are making more responsible choices which support our goals and lighten our carbon footprint.”

6.7.2021