New Fazer Aito oat drink cartons will be available in stores at the turn of the year

Fazer Aito oat drink and Barista are getting new, handier and almost fully plant-based packaging. The carton’s screw cap is made from a sugar cane-based material. The use of fossil plastic has been reduced to one third of the current Fazer Aito Barista packaging and the carbon footprint has decreased by more than 20%*. Of the new packaging, 70% is cardboard and 17% is sugar cane-based plastic. In total, 87% of the packaging is renewable and plant-based.

Kaslink Aito is now Fazer Aito

Fazer is a pioneer in oat products and invests heavily in oats in several product categories. The demand for oat drinks is increasing both in Finland and at the export markets. In 2020, the Kaslink Aito brand was changed to the Fazer Aito brand in the packaging. The rolling change of branding in packaging materials will be ready during December.

“Rebranding all Aito products was a big project and concerned the entire assortment, from oat drinks to oat-based gurts and cooking products. Consumers have found the products well even after the renewal as it was carried out in a subtle manner, and we kept the same colours and other familiar elements,” explains Brand and Category Director Susanna Kallio from Fazer.

Investments in the Koria factory respond to the increasing consumer demand

The new Fazer Aito oat drink cartons are packaged at Fazer’s Koria factory’s new packaging line which was taken in use in November as planned. The investment is part of Fazer’s heavy focus on the development of oat-based products. In June, Fazer announced that it would invest more than ten million euros in the Koria Factory. The packaging line is part of this investment programme.

The installation and implementation of the new line was carried out without delays despite the prevailing exceptional situation. The packaging investment is a response to the increasing demand of oat drink products. Consumers’ purchase decisions are influenced by environmental values and user-friendliness. These demands can now be met.

“We have been looking forward to starting the line; it’s great to be able to offer renewed and greener packaging to consumers. The rounded shape is more pleasant to use than the previous brick model of Fazer Aito Barista. The screw cap is easier to open, it does not spill when you pour, and the packaging is easier to flatten out for recycling purposes. The new shape of the one-litre carton also serves our café and restaurant customers better. The bottom of the packaging is smaller, so it takes up less space on the counter,” Susanna Kallio adds.

The non-perishable Fazer Aito oat drinks help reduce waste

Retail shops store oat drinks both refrigerated and at room temperature. The packaging renewal concerns the one-litre Fazer Aito oat drinks that are kept in room temperature.

“The refrigerated oat drinks are a newer product on the market; we introduced the first refrigerated Aito products in 2017. The packaging that is stored at room temperature remains popular as its saves cold storage space at home and in professional kitchens. The particularly long shelf life of these products also helps reduce food waste in situations in which consumption varies,” Kallio says. The new Fazer Aito packaging will arrive in stores in December and January. The first product introduced in new format will be the one-litre Fazer Aito Barista oat drink.
*Source: Tetra Pak/Carbon Trust, Carbon footprint report

Fazer Koria factory in brief

Fazer’s Koria factory is located in the Kymenlaakso region and was founded in 2001. The Koria factory was previously known as Kaslink, and it was merged with Fazer in August 2019. The modern production facility by Kymijoki river in Kouvola utilises renewable energy. The factory has 170 employees.

Additional information

Susanna Kallio, Brand and Category Director, Fazer Lifestyle Foods susanna.kallio@fazer.com, tel. +358 (0)40 546 2885

Susanna Brummer, Brand Communications Manager, Fazer Lifestyle Foods susanna.brummer@fazer.com, tel. +358 (0)40 742 9495

The Fazer media phone line is open Mon–Fri from 8 am to 4 pm, tel. +358 (0)40 6682 998 and at media@fazer.com

 Images for editorial use: https://www.fazergroup.com/fi/medialle

Kuvapankki - Media_Press - Finland - Fazer Aito uudet kaurajuomapakkaukset 2021

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 with Finnish oats that burden the environment as little as possible. www.fazeraito.fi

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.