Valio opens snack plant in Finland
Finnish dairy Valio has opened what it says is “the world’s most modern snack plant” in Valio Riihimäki, Finland. In the first phase, the plant will manufacture products that are already familiar to Finnish consumers, such as the Valiojogurtti series. Once the plant becomes fully operational, consumers around the world will enjoy a wide range of snack products.
New types of recipes for snacks will be used in the plant, including ways to reduce sugar and the varying the protein and fat content of products. Vesa Kaunisto, chairman of the board at Valio, says, “We at Valio believe in the future of responsible dairy production and profitable milk processing. This snack plant makes us even more competitive, both in Finland and on the export market.”
Kaunisto adds that once the snack plant comes into operation, almost half of its production will be for the export market, for the time being largely Sweden and Denmark. “However, in the future we expect to expand to other countries.”
To achieve maximum energy efficiency, the plant makes use of the waste heat generated during manufacturing. In the new type of refrigerated warehouse, the products are cooled by the free cooling method, so that in colder weather the low outside temperature is used to make the process more energy-efficient. More than three-quarters of the thermal energy used at Valio Riihimäki comes from renewable fuel.
The plant is centrally located in Finland, thereby allowing both the milk collection plant and the finished products to be distributed and exported efficiently and with minimal impact on the environment, according to Valio.
