Valio is shutting down its newly acquired plant-based factory and relocating production to its state-of-the-art facility in Joensuu

The major Finnish dairy and food company Valio has decided to move production from its Kauhava factory—which it acquired from Raisio Plc in March 2025—to Joensuu. According to the current plan, the Kauhava facility will close at the earliest by the end of the year. The move aims to make production more efficient, profitable, and flexible. The Kauhava plant, which produces products made from fava beans, currently employs 11 people.

• With this move, we continue to enhance efficiency and flexibility in line with our strategy. In Joensuu, we have strong expertise in plant-based products, which we can now leverage even more effectively. Production from the Vantaa facility will also gradually be transferred here, allowing us to consolidate knowledge, equipment, and create synergies—including with the production from Kauhava, says Juha Penttilä, Director of Production and Logistics at Valio.

Over the past ten years, Valio has invested several million euros into the Joensuu facility, which now accounts for around one-third of the company’s total cheese production—approximately 25 million kilos per year. This includes cheese blocks, consumer-packaged cheeses, and cream cheeses such as Valio Polar®, Valio Salaneuvos®, and Valio Viola®. The factory also produces milk powder and employs around 200 people. Later this year, it will take over production of sliced cheese from Vantaa, followed by grated cheese, MiFU®, and Oddlygood® Veggie products.

• Efficient and competitive operations are crucial for our owners—the Finnish dairy farmers—and for ensuring stable, local food production. It also contributes to creating jobs and sustaining livelihoods across Finland, concludes Juha Penttilä.

Read the full press release here.

Photo: Valio