Fazer and Rovio start strategic co-operation – aim at international markets

Fazer and Rovio Entertainment have signed a strategic co-operation agreement about the development and sales of Angry Birds branded confectionery. The new Angry Birds confectionery will be available in shops in June 2012. Fazer’s goal is, according to its strategy, to seek growth in international confectionery markets, too.

‘Consumers are increasingly interested in combining new taste sensations with entertainment. This creates new opportunities, and we have identified the joyful & playful field as one of the interesting avenues in our product development,’ says Pekka Rantala, Managing Director of Fazer Bakeries and Confectionery business area.

‘We have been looking for suitable new partners in pursuit of our international growth targets, and the internationally successful Rovio with its super-popular Angry Birds characters fully meets our criteria. Therefore, I am especially pleased to be able to announce that Fazer has entered into a strategic co-operation agreement with Rovio,’ says Pekka Rantala.

Fazer’s Angry Birds confectionery available in June

In terms of the new co-operation agreement, Fazer will launch new Angry Birds confectionery which will be seen in shops as soon as in June. The characters and flavours of the new confectionery will come from the Angry Birds world, and the birds’ characters will show and taste in the products. The products will be introduced in more detail in March.

The co-operation will also include wide-scale utilisation of the social media and surroundings of the Angry Birds game, of which Fazer has previous experience from the Tyrkisk Peber Volcano confectionery launch in autumn 2011.

‘We got very positive feedback from consumers during our previous shared campaign with Rovio, as well as wishes for new common products. The launch of the Angry Birds confectionery is our reply to consumers’ requests,’ says Pekka Rantala.

‘For Rovio, co-operation with Fazer is a natural continuation to our business. Both Fazer and Rovio are Finnish-born worldwide beloved brands. Rovio creates new ways to entertain, and Fazer new taste sensations,’ Harri Koponen, EVP Consumer Products of Rovio comments the commencing co-operation.

Rantala pilots Fazer’s confectionery to Asia

Pekka Rantala started as Managing Director of Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery business area on 1 September 2011. The strategic co-operation agreement with Rovio Entertainment now announced shows Rantala’s wide experience in leading international business, marketing and brand building. Before coming to Fazer, he was in charge of Nokia´s marketing worldwide.

Rantala feels Fazer has all it takes to reach worldwide success: strong brands, high-quality products and good innovations. Fazer’s confectionery is sold in 40 countries all over the world already. Fazer is the Scandinavian market leader in the successful travel trade business in air and ship traffic and airports. In Europe, Fazer holds the sixth position and globally, Fazer is ninth.

‘New partners and expansion to new markets are some of the prerequisites for international growth. In addition to Sweden, we focus on Denmark, Norway and Russia, and we are now headed for Asia. The growth of chocolate consumption in China is vast, and we will start test sales of our products there next summer. In Japan, we have started to build our presence at airports,’ says Rantala.

‘In addition to new geographical areas, we are constantly seeking new ways to utilise our confectionery brands on familiar markets. New partners allow us to get involved in new situations in the consumer’s everyday life, and we are able to offer them sensations which they have never experienced before. As market leader, it is our task to develop the market,’ he sums it up.

Additional information:       

Pekka Rantala, Managing Director, Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery, tel. +358 40 505 1970 (Thu Jan 12 2012 between 10.30 and 11.30 am.)
Ulrika Romantschuk, SVP, Communications and stakeholder relations, tel. +358 40 566 4246
Ville Heijari, VP Franchise Development, Rovio Entertainment, tel. +358 40 021 4526, media@rovio.com

Printable pictures are available in Fazer’s Image bank (no password needed) at

www.fazer.fi/kuvapankki. Select "Media" and "Angry Birds".

Pekka Rantala’s comment on video is available on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxJQhz5LbiU

Fazer Group
The origins of Fazer Group lie in a family company founded in 1891 when Karl Fazer opened his first café in Helsinki. Today the Group offers meals, bakery and confectionery products and operates in a total of eight countries. Its operations are based on passion for customer, quality excellence and team spirit. The Group operates in two business areas which are committed to creating taste sensations: Fazer Food Services and Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery. Fazer Group‘s turnover for 2010 was over 1.5 billion euros. The Group employed ca 16,500 people in 2010.

Fazer Food Services is a leading contract catering company in the Nordic countries, offering customers delicious food and tailor-made service solutions. Fazer Food Services has over 1,400 restaurants in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Russia.

Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery
Fazer is Finland's leading bakery company and one of the leading companies in the Baltic Sea region and Russia. Bakery products are manufactured in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia, where Fazer operates under the name Hlebny Dom. In confectionery business Fazer is Finland’s leading company and a strong player in the Baltic Sea region. The confectionery factories are located in Finland: in Vantaa (chocolate products), Lappeenranta (sugar confectionery) and Karkkila (chewing gum).

Rovio Entertainment
Rovio is an entertainment media company, and the creator of the globally successful Angry Birds franchise. Rovio was founded in 2003 as a mobile game development studio, and the company has developed several award-winning titles for various mobile platforms. In 2009, Rovio released Angry Birds, a casual puzzle game for touchscreen smartphones that became a worldwide phenomenon from 2010 onwards. The Angry Birds games have enjoyed continuing worldwide chart success, and the franchise has since expanded to a variety of new business areas. Rovio is rapidly expanding its activities in broadcast media, merchandising, publishing and services. Rovio's headquarters are located in Finland.