Fazer Leipurit reduces bread waste and encourages a change of mindset in the whole food chain

Fazer's in-store bakery business has taken a huge leap in growth, and the number of bakeries throughout Finland has tripled to 120 in just five years. Now the company is seeking to reduce food waste at its in-store bakeries by optimising bakery volumes and assortment to an even greater extent. Reducing food waste is one of the most efficient ways of mitigating the environmental effects of food. Fazer Leipurit has set a goal of having all the bread baked in artisan bakeries sold by the end of each day.

A critical review of our ways of working encourages the whole food chain to adopt a new mindset.

“Reducing in-store bread waste calls for a new way of thinking. Our aim is, even more strongly than before, to make sure that every loaf of our bread has found its way into a customer's hands by the end of each day. That is why we challenge the idea of having the same assortment available all day and ask whether it could vary,” says Marika Hagelberg, Vice President Retail Solutions at Fazer Bakery.

“We Finns are used to having the same abundant bread assortment in grocery stores every day, whereas elsewhere in Europe it is normal for local bakeries to have day-to-day variation. Fazer Leipurit is a local bakery inside the store, and our bread is the freshest on the shelf. Even if the store has run out of a customer's favourite bread, there are always good freshly baked options available.”

This idea will also be more prominent in Fazer Leipurit store communications in the future.

Finns have fallen in love with artisan bread. “Artisan bread has firmly become a part of Finnish bread culture. We want to increase the appreciation of freshly baked bread and promote a new way of thinking throughout the food chain. We must produce food in more sustainable ways and also pay more attention to production volumes to avoid waste.”

Artisan bread made by hand from Finnish flour

The bread made by Fazer's artisan bakers is crafted from start to finish on the spot from Finnish flour ground at Fazer's own mill. After a long resting period, the dough is baked into crusty bread. If bread is left on the shelves, all the work put into making it, all the way from primary production, goes to waste. Making use of a higher share of all food would mean less emissions caused by food production.

“Reducing food waste is one of Fazer's sustainability goals, and this need is becoming even more pronounced now that the value of raw materials and energy is higher than ever before,” Hagelberg says.

“By making sure that not a crumb goes to waste we show bakers the respect they deserve. Artisan bakers use as much of their skill and time and valuable raw materials on those loaves of bread that do not get eaten as on those that do.”

One way Fazer Leipurit reduces food waste is by optimising bakery volumes based on data and the bakers’ knowledge on the customers. 

In grocery stores Fazer has, since 2018, offered customers overnight products, packed in Hävikkitalkoot (“Waste Bee”) bags, at an affordable price. Depending on the product and on store policy bread is also given to charity. Bread that is unfit for human consumption is used as animal feed or for biofuel or recycled as biowaste. Fazer as a company is committed to reducing food waste by 50% by 2030 compared to 2020.

The art of crafting artisan bread

• The bread made by Fazer's artisan bakers at our in-store bakeries is hand crafted from start to finish on the spot from Finnish flour ground at Fazer's own mill in Lahti, Finland.
• During a long resting period, the bread dough develops a rich taste through fermentation.
• After the loaves have been formed by hand, they are baked boldly, meaning long enough in enough heat, giving them a crispy crust.
• Finally, the loaves are cooled properly before they are taken to the shelf. Careful cooling ensures that the crust stays crispy.
• Because the baking process has many phases from start to finish, including a long resting period, it takes some time for the bakers to prepare a new batch of bread to fill the shelves.

Further information:

Tarja Kuusela, Communications Director, Fazer Bakery Finland
tarja.kuusela@fazer.com, tel. +358 40 587 6063

Fazer Leipurit

Fazer's in-store bakeries offer artisan bread that is baked on the spot, using Finnish flour ground at Fazer's mill. The in-store bakeries are easily identified by the name Fazer Leipurit. They are separate bakeries located inside stores. Fazer has more than 120 in-store bakeries throughout Finland that employ around 700 artisan bakers. Fazer opened 17 new in-store bakeries in 2021 and has plans to open several new in-store bakeries this year as well.

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 professionals, we focus on fast-moving consumer goods and our direct-to-consumer business in the Nordics, Baltics, 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 and employed approximately 8,000 people.

Northern Magic. Made Real.