Fazer Puikula Ohut Ruis won the Finnish Food Innovation of the Year Award – novelty allows rye bread enjoyment also for sensitive stomachs
Fazer Puikula Ohut Ruis rye bread has won the Finnish Food Innovation of the Year Award, which was presented today at the Food Fair at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Center. The winning whole grain rye bread is a stomach friendly novelty which utilizes Fazer’s patented LOFOTM enzyme. The award jury especially appreciated the product’s innovativeness, health benefits, and suitability for those with sensitive stomachs.
Rye bread is a beloved national food in Finland, but many have to avoid it due to unpleasant digestive symptoms. Rye contains a high amount of fructans, which are among the most common and challenging FODMAP(1 carbohydrates causing digestive issues.
When baking Fazer Puikula Ohut Ruis, Fazer uses its patented LOFOTM enzyme, which breaks down the FODMAP carbohydrates during the baking process without affecting the bread’s taste or other quality attributes. This new rye bread is a disruptive innovation, as it contains 50% less FODMAP carbohydrates compared to conventional rye bread.
“This award is a great recognition of our innovation work, and we are very pleased to receive it. We listen to consumers carefully and continuously invest in our rye bread baking expertise. Up to 53% of Finns say that gut-friendliness guides their bread choices.(2 Puikula Ohut Ruis is the first gut-friendly rye bread that makes rye bread enjoyment possible for people with sensitive stomachs and those following a low-FODMAP diet,“ says Anna Kanerva, Marketing and Portfolio Director at Fazer Bakery Finland.
The novelty aligns well with the nutritional recommendations and the demand for fiber-rich breads that increase whole grain intake. In addition, Puikula Ohut Ruis contains calcium, which helps support normal digestive enzyme function as part of a balanced and varied diet and healthy lifestyle.
Fazer Puikula Ohut Ruis is baked in Lahti, the world’s largest rye bread bakery, from 100% Finnish grain. Authentic sourdough completes the flavor, and the product offers the nutritional benefits of rye in an easily tolerated form – preserving the unique status of rye bread in the Finnish dining table.
The Finnish Food Innovation of the Year Award is a food industry prize that highlights innovations and new ideas in the sector and encourages companies to develop solutions that make consumers’ every day and festive occasions easier. Fazer will donate the entire €10,000 prize to Hope ry in Lahti, supporting hobby and leisure activities for children and youth across the Päijät-Häme region.
Sources:
(1 Fazer Suuri leipätutkimus 2025
(2 FODMAP-ruokavalio - Fazer.fi
Images: https://fast.fazer.com/l/xk5SGxqj9C-2
More information:
Tarja Kuusela, Director, Communications, Fazer Bakery Finland, tarja.kuusela@fazer.com, tel. +358 040 587 6063
Fazer media phone service Mon–Fri 8 am–4 pm, tel. +358 40 668 2998, media@fazer.com
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 more than 130-year heritage, consumer first approach and innovations to create the sustainable food solutions of the future. With our dedicated team of almost 5,000 professionals, we focus on fast-moving consumer goods and our direct-to-consumer business in Northern Europe, and beyond with exports to more than 40 countries. Fazer’s operations comply with its Code of Conduct that is based on the Group’s values and the UN Global Compact. In 2025, Fazer Group had net sales of 1,200 million euros.
Northern Magic. Made Real.
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