Dairy and beverages

Valio supplies pure and natural dairy ingredients that meet the highest standards

7.6.2021

Valio provides year-round, high-quality ingredients for various applications such as special nutrition, bakery, baby food and confectionary. These ingredients are produced in the Nordic climates of Finland and distributed globally.

According to the World Health Organization, the air in Finland is the cleanest in the world. Along with Valio’s heritage in dairy technology, such factors make Finland the perfect spot for the production of natural milk and the development of pure dairy ingredients.

Warm summers & cold winters radically reduce the need for pesticides

Valio’s high-quality ingredients originate from the countryside of Finland, which offers the perfect infrastructure for the sustainable production of milk. Valio sources its milk from 5,500 dairy farmers, who deliver purity and freshness by taking good care of the healthiest cows in Europe. Finland is one of the few countries almost free of serious and contagious animal diseases.

Located close to the Arctic Circle as well as subject to the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, Finland benefits from mild summers, suitable for pastoral land, and cold winters that hinder the development of plant-based diseases and pests. The cold winters in Finland act as a natural pesticide, meaning the need for such chemicals is much lower than the EU average. In 2012, a per-hectare average of 0.67kg of chemical-based pesticides were used.

Full traceability of dairy ingredients; complete records, from farm to shelf

Valio offers a complete record of production, allowing customers to trace their milk, from farm to shelf. The use of genetically modified (GMO) feed is not permitted at Valio farms. Valio has also entirely discontinued the use of soy in feed for cattle and young cattle. This reduces the environmental impact of milk production compared to production using soy-containing feed.

Fresh milk is collected from our own farmers all year round every other day. When milk is collected, comprehensive quality checks are carried out before a driver accepts a shipment. The driver conducts a sensory evaluation and either approves or rejects the raw milk.

During the evaluation, the temperature of the milk is checked and recorded. A sample is collected from each farm and used for pricing and other control analyses. In instances where samples contain antibiotics, we can trace the sample to the very farm it was taken from.

When producing dairy ingredients, we use the latest processes and technologies. The strict monitoring of quality and food safety is always in place. Valio’s production plants operate according to the requirements of ISO22000 as well as the technical specification ISO22002 and regularly renew their food safety certificates. In distribution, Valio operates a controlled supply chain and guarantees an unbroken cold chain for cold products.

On-time, high-quality ingredients throughout the year:

GMO-free* products starting from feed
Clean milk from the country with the cleanest air in the world
No antibiotics used for disease prevention
No residue of contaminants – extensive annual survey of residues conducted by Valio and the authorities
High performance in traceability
Stable production and high-quality throughout the year

*ref Reg. (EC) No 1829/2003 and No 1830/2003