A total of 57% of Fazer survey respondents know what the word ‘gurt’ means

In January, Fazer conducted a survey¹⁾ in its social media channels to chart how familiar respondents are with gurt-related terminology and what characteristics they find important in gurts. Of the survey respondents, 57% knew what the word ‘gurt’ means. Fazer is strongly focusing on developing its plant-based product selection and produces Fazer Aito gurts from Finnish oats in its Koria factory. 

Almost 1,000 people responded to the survey carried out in Fazer’s social media channels. The respondents were asked if they knew what gurt is. In addition, they were asked which characteristics of oat gurts they found the most important and in what kinds of situations they consume oat gurts. A little over half of the respondents knew the term ‘gurt’. Good taste and not adding sugar or artificial sweeteners to the products were the most important gurt characteristics according to the respondents. The respondents most often consumed oat gurts at breakfast or as snacks in the afternoon or evening. 

Gurts are continuously gaining in popularity 

Gurts are dairy-dree, completely plant-based products made by fermenting from Finnish oats and they can be used similarly to yoghurt. Oat gurts have established their position as breakfast and snack choices for those following a plant-based and dairy-free diet, and their popularity is constantly increasing also among those who usually consume dairy products.

“People often wish for the same kinds of taste and quality characteristics from plant-based and dairy-based products. Last autumn, our gurt selection expanded even further when we launched the new type of Fazer Aito oat gurt with an even softer, yoghurt-like structure. Listening to consumers’ wishes is important for us, and that is why our gurts are sweetened only with fruit and berries and contain no artificial sweeteners at all,” says Maija Hellman, Marketing Director of Fazer Lifestyle Foods’ Non-dairy Unit.

According to a survey ordered by Fazer²⁾, up to 88% of Finns use or have sometimes used plant-based products. The most important criteria for consuming them are the willingness to try something new and seek variation, trying to establish a diverse diet, and ethical reasons, including the products’ smaller environmental impacts. Of the respondents, 68% said that they use plant-based snack products, for example gurts, at least on a monthly basis.

The Fazer Aito product family includes both flavoured and natural oat gurts and snacks that can be enjoyed as such or topped with muesli or berries, for example. In a taste test³⁾, many of those trying oat gurts for the first time were surprised by their soft flavour and pleasant structure.

“We are already making more than ten oat-based gurts from Finnish oats at the Fazer factory in Koria, and the product family includes different options in terms of flavour, structure, and packaging size. Many will also be happy to hear that these new oat gurts contain plant-based protein, vitamins B2, B12, and D, as well as calcium,” continues Hellman.

¹⁾ Do you know what gurt is? - survey on Fazer’s Instagram on 9–10 January 2023. N=951.

²⁾ Nepa Shopper Study, December 2022, N=1,012 / N=888.

³⁾ Do you know what gurt is? Taste test, N=35

Images for editorial use:

https://fast.fazer.com/l/V2k5KFJR9Xkh or using the path https://www.fazergroup.com/fi/medialle Image bank ‒ Media_Press‒ Finland ‒ Mitä on gurtti?

Further information:
Reeta Kylänpää, Communications Manager, Fazer Lifestyle Foods, reeta.kylanpaa@fazer.com, tel. +358 400 270 559

Fazer serves the media by phone Mon–Fri from 8 am to 4 pm, tel. +358 ()040 6682 998 and at media@fazer.com.

Fazer Aito

Fazer Aito is a product family that makes it easy to replace dairy products with an oat-based alternative. The Fazer Aito product family has oat-based alternatives for drinks, snacks, baking and cooking. All Fazer Aito products are made from Finnish oats in Koria, Finland. www.fazeraito.fi

Fazer Group 

Fazer, The Food Experience Company, enables people to enjoy the best moments of their day. Our mission, Food with a purpose, builds on our strong 130-year heritage, consumer first approach and innovations to create the sustainable food solutions of the future. With our dedicated team of approximately 6,000 professionals, we focus on fast-moving consumer goods and our direct-to-consumer business in Northern Europe, and beyond with exports to some 40 different countries. Fazer’s operations comply with its Code of Conduct that is based on the Group’s values and the UN Global Compact. In 2021, Fazer Group had net sales of 1.1 billion euros.

Northern Magic. Made Real.

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