Five groundbreaking innovations by the Finnish dairy pioneer Valio nominated in SIAL Innovation Selection 2016
Five dairy innovations by Valio, the Finnish dairy pioneer, have been selected for SIAL Innovation Selection 2016. The SIAL Innovation nomination committee names the most innovative products displayed in SIAL, the world’s largest food innovation exhibition. Valio’s ability to combine great taste with clever thinking in its concepts promoting wellbeing has raised international interest.
The nominated concepts and products that address emerging health and wellness trends across markets are: Valio lactose free, fully soluble milk powders, sodium reduced Valio ValSa® cheese and spread range, Valio Play® children’s yoghurts with less sugar and Valio Better™ light spread with plenty of quark. It is rare that five products are selected to SIAL Innovation Selection from one single company.
The products are on show at the SIAL fair in Paris, October 2016.
World-class concepts now available for consumers everywhere
In Finland, Valio is known for its high-quality consumer products as well as dairy technology innovations such as its blockbusting lactose-free product line.
“As Finland's largest food exporter, we sell products to more than 60 countries. And we are convinced we can go even further – we believe in the global demand for our innovations. Valio's 110 years of export experience, as well as its strong research and innovation portfolio presents a competitive advantage for the company and – accordingly – for its partners looking for growth in their dairy category. With our expertise, our partners will be able to listen to consumer needs. It will create value for our partners. In addition to our recent launch of the sodium reduced Valio ValSa® cheese and spread line, we also have some other amazing innovations in the pipeline,” says Paavo Salminen, Export Director for Valio.
An unprecedented milk salt innovation: 50% less salt with the same taste
The food industry has long been expected to provide solutions for reducing salt and its adverse health effects. With the new milk salt innovation from Valio, Valio ValSa®, the salt content of foods can be significantly reduced without compromising on taste.
Valio has launched the new sodium reduced Valio ValSa® spread and Maasdam type cheese line. These products contain 50% less salt than ordinary margarine spreads and cheeses, without compromising on taste.
Pioneering lactose free products
The demand for lactose free alternatives continues to grow rapidly as consumer awareness of lactose intolerance increases all around the world. Lactose free sales are predicted to grow by 75 percent in Europe between 2012 and 2016*.
As the world pioneer in lactose free technologies, Valio has now developed the first fully soluble entirely lactose free milk powders for consumers. Valio is first to produce soluble lactose free powders with the taste of real milk.
Responding to a global trend in gut health
Gut health is one of the biggest global trends related to wellbeing. The gut is referred to as the second brain because of its massive significance to people’s overall wellbeing.
Valio responds to the trend with its Valio Gefilus® products, which contain the world’s most researched lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, along with vitamins C and D as well as the mineral calcium. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is not only the world’s most researched lactic acid bacterium but also unique in the property of how it attaches to the gastrointestinal wall and stays there. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was discovered in 1985 and to date its qualities have been researched in more than 800 scientific studies globally.
Purity and goodness from unspoiled Nordic nature
In addition to the wellbeing concepts selected for the SIAL Innovation Selection, Valio offers a full range of dairy products from Finland with a pure origin.
“We at Valio have a passion for purity and goodness. The key ingredient of all our products is fresh Finnish milk, shown by statistics to be some of the cleanest in the EU. The arctic environment, clean air and water together with our traceable supply chain that is in our own hands from the farm to the store shelves bring Valio a competitive edge in international markets”, says Paavo Salminen.
Valio’s high-quality raw milk originates from Finnish family-owned farms, where all the cows are known by name. Valio farms are not permitted to use genetically modified ingredients in their dairy production. In fact, Valio products manufactured in Finland are GMO free.
*Source: Lactose-free dairy; New Nutrition Business 2012
Read more: www.valio.com
Watch a video telling the Valio story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nnJYOMv22k
Download pictures of Valio’s innovations: http://aineistopankki.valio.fi/?cart=3802-kkkckmhimh&l=FI
To find out more, please contact Paavo Salminen, Export Director, Valio Ltd, +358 10 381 2649. You’ll also find us at SIAL, stand 7C050.
Valio from Finland – the most innovative dairy in the world
Valio, offering the taste of Nordic nature since 1905, is the biggest dairy business and a brand leader in Finland as well as being a major player in the international dairy ingredients market. The company is owned by dairy cooperatives comprising some 6,000 dairy farmers. Valio holds wellbeing close at heart with world leading technology innovations, expertise and products made from clean Finnish milk. Valio’s product development follows in the footsteps of Nobel Prize winner A. I. Virtanen. Valio is Finland’s biggest food exporter and is seeking strong growth in international markets. Valio exports to some 60 countries and accounts for 30% of Finland’s total food exports. The company has subsidiaries in Russia, Sweden, Denmark, the Baltics, USA and China.