Fazer opens its 100th shop-in-shop bakery in Finland and employs now more than 550 artisan bakers in grocery stores
On Tuesday, Fazer opened its hundredth shop-in-shop bakery in K-Supermarket Hyrrä, located in Tuusula. Although they operate inside grocery stores, Fazer Shop-in-Shop bakeries are separate bakeries where artisan bakers craft bread by hand almost every day. Fazer Shop-in-Shop bakeries are a unique concept in Finland, and they currently employ more than 550 artisan bakers.
Fresh handmade bread is gaining in popularity in Finland. In addition to a weekend treat, it is also becoming more common as an everyday staple. The artisan and sourdough bread trends are also reflected in Fazer’s shop-in-shop bakery business, which has been growing significantly during the past years. In 2019, Fazer opened 21 new shop-in-shop bakeries in different parts of Finland. Now, the company has reached an important milestone with the opening of its hundredth bakery.
“Many people are delighted when Fazer’s shop-in-shop bakery opens inside their regular grocery store. Who wouldn’t like to buy bread from a store that resembles a charming boulangerie in France? Picking up a freshly baked bread packed in a paper bag and placing it in your shopping basket is one of life’s small pleasures. The bread is as fresh and locally baked as it can get: the distance from the baker’s table to the shopping basket is only a couple of metres. The dough is made from scratch in our bakeries, and the flour comes from Fazer’s own mill in Lahti,” says Markus Hellström, Managing Director at Fazer Bakery Finland.
A growing number of Finnish artisan bakers
As Fazer’s shop-in-shop bakeries become more popular, the number of artisan bakers in Finland is also growing. One shop-in-shop bakery typically employs three to five bakers; however, the largest ones employ as many as 10-15 artisan bakers. As bakers were in short supply, Fazer launched a new artisan baker school in early 2018 to offer an apprenticeship-based programme in collaboration with a couple of different educational institutions. The third class of baker-confectioners began their studies this year.
“We wanted to make sure there are enough competent bakers for our shop-in-shop bakeries, so we started the artisan baker school. The baker’s professional skills are enormously important, as everything we do is centred on taste, quality and freshness. It’s important to keep the artisan baker’s profession going strong in Finland,” Hellström continues.
Media contacts:
Anniina Niemistö, Director, Communications, Fazer Bakery Finland, anniina.niemisto@fazer.com, tel. +358 40 674 4672
Media enquiries: tel. +358 40 6682 998, Mon–Fri from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., email media@fazer.com
Fazer Shop-in-Shop bakeries
Fazer Shop-in-Shop bakeries offer artisan bread which is baked on the spot, using Finnish flour ground at Fazer’s own mill. The shop-in-shop bakeries are easily identified by the name Fazer Leipurit, and they are separate bakeries located inside grocery stores. Fazer currently operates 100 shop-in-shop bakeries all over Finland, employing approximately 600 people.
Fazer Group
Fazer, The Food Experience Company, enables people to enjoy the best moments of their day. In 1891, the young Karl Fazer opened his first café with a mission to make food with a purpose – and a passion to create moments of joy for all the people around him. Shaping the next tastes, traditions and food experiences, Fazer is going Towards Perfect Days. Fazer wants people to experience the Northern Magic it creates and builds on its strong heritage, consumer first approach and innovations to create the sustainable food solutions of the future. The Group focuses on fast-moving consumer goods, operates in eight countries and exports to around 40 countries. In 2019, Fazer Group had net sales of 1.1 billion euros and almost 9,000 employees. Fazer’s operations comply with ethical principles that are based on the Group’s values and the UN Global Compact.
Northern Magic. Made Real.
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