Finland seeks Swedish-style branding to boost food exports

Finland needs more creative food branding if it wants to create international hit products, experts told Yle. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is updating the country’s food image and looking for ways to stand out from competing countries.

Finnish food communication relies too heavily on facts, said Annaleena Soult, a senior specialist at the ministry. Sweden, by contrast, has mastered the art of branding, she said.

Soult pointed to the international success of Swedish sweets. A Swedish candy brand also sells large quantities of Finnish confectionery in international markets. Another successful concept is fika, the Swedish coffee and socialising tradition, which is used effectively in marketing.

The ministry has launched a project to update Finland’s food image. Together with companies and other stakeholders, it is seeking a new central message for Finnish food. The aim is to identify two or three options that would distinguish Finland from the other Nordic countries and Estonia in international markets.

“The arguments are almost the same everywhere, but our communication lacks flavour and imagination,” Soult said.

A background report found that Finland’s peer countries largely share the same strengths, but communicate them more creatively. In addition to its existing strengths, Finland needs a distinctive and fresh message that generates interest, the report concluded.

Existing strengths remain

The project is not intended to abandon Finland’s traditional strengths, including cleanliness, safety, traceability and quality. Instead, the country is looking for an additional message that would make Finnish food more appealing.

The branding work is linked to the government’s goal of doubling food exports by 2031.

Finns are not naturally as sales or marketing-oriented as people in some competing countries, said Mikaela Sohlberg, food export training coordinator at Ruokatieto, an organisation focused on food information.

Finland’s national brand has significant potential, but it requires further development, Sohlberg said. She hopes the work on the country’s image will move from general claims to verifiable evidence of superiority.

There are already concrete examples. Valio’s Finlandia butter was recently included among the best butters in a New York Times review.

Sohlberg said the demonstrable qualities of Finnish production and nature could provide an even stronger competitive advantage. She considers animal welfare and sustainability particularly important arguments.

Finnish business culture also differs from that of competing countries. According to a study by Kasvuryhmä, a Finnish growth-focused business network, Finnish companies tend to maintain their existing operations rather than pursue growth and differentiation.

“We easily hire people, for example, to maintain what we have rather than to grow or differentiate ourselves,” Sohlberg said.

Companies expanding internationally need different kinds of employees, she said. Pioneers in international trade differ from the staff traditionally hired by companies: their role is to build growth, see things differently, seize opportunities and listen to customers.

Long-term commitment needed

A lack of long-term planning is the biggest obstacle to the growth of Finnish food exports, Sohlberg said.

Building a successful export story will require sustained commitment. Structures need to be developed consistently rather than changed with every government term, she said.

The problem affects both companies and political decision-making. Investments in the food sector are long-term, and companies need to see consistency in decisions by both the government and businesses before they are willing to make them.

Building successful food exports also requires a strong foundation because international expansion is expensive, Sohlberg said. Examples already exist in Finland: Snellman Petfood has built its export story alongside stable business operations, while bakery Rosten’s seeded crispbreads are another example.