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Food Industry:
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK - FOOD INDUSTRY
The task of the Finnish food industry is to produce top-quality,
safe food for Finnish consumers. The safety of the food is
a matter shared by the entire food chain.
The Finnish food industry has progressed well in many respects.
In 2001 the sector’s turnover increased by some 5%, and
the average profitability of companies in the field also showed
a clear increase. The most important country for Finnish food
exports was Russia, which took some 20%. More than 40% of
exports went to EU countries. The third-most significant region
was the United States, which accounted for 10% of exports.
Imports of foods remained fairly stable in terms of their
value.
Consumers are interested in the connection between food and
health. It has been estimated that in the next decade European
consumers will be basing the purchase of a third of their
food on various health perspectives. The Finnish food industry
has succeeded in developing functional foods, research into
which is top class in Finland.
Companies’ competitiveness has clearly improved. The
Finnish food basket compares well internationally in terms
of the price, particularly when the various levels of value
added tax are eliminated. This speaks well for the efficiency
of the entire Finnish food chain. The good progress made by
the food industry shows that the most difficult years of adjusting
to the EU market are over and the companies’ position
has stabilized. The main success factor in the food industry
in the future will continue to be the production of high-quality,
safe food that suits the Finnish palate.
Published
2003
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