Fazer is one of the largest corporations in the Finnishfood industry. The company was founded by Karl Fazer in 1891, as a "French-Russian confectionery" in central Helsinki. Today, it employs over ten thousand people across Finland, Sweden, Russia, Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Japan. Its products are exported to almost 40 countries. Fazer's production is divided into five major areas:
Fazer Bakery: production of baked goods, such as breads, cakes and pastries
Fazer Confectionery: production of chocolates, sweets and biscuits
Fazer Lifestyle Foods: production of other food items
Fazer Food Services: operation of workplace and school cafeterias
Fazer Retail: operation of cafés and bakery shops
Fazer's most notable products include its classic Fazer Bluemilk chocolate, widely regarded as one of Finland's most respected brands and a part of Finnish cultural heritage and cuisine. Other well-known Fazer products include their salmiakki products, such as Fazer salmiakki, Tyrkisk Peber and salmiakki-flavoured Fazer Blue. Fazer has historically acquired several other companies, including the Finnish Chymos and the Danish Perelly. The confectionery line was merged with its Swedish competitor Cloetta in 2000, to become Cloetta Fazer, though the merger lasted only until 2008 before the two brands were separated back to independent companies. Later, Fazer Keksit was sold to Danone. It was renamed to LU Suomi, the entirety of which was bought back by Fazer in 2012 and now operates under Fazer Confectionery. , soon after opening in November 2016 November 2016 saw the opening of a Visitor Centre at their confectionery factory at Fazerintie in Vantaa. The avant-gardistbuilding, in the shape of two circles with a botanical garden at the centre of one of them, was designed by K2S Architects. The Visitor Centre also includes a café, congress wing and shop.
Fazer is the leading producer of chocolates, sweets and biscuits in Finland. The Confectionery division has production facilities in Vantaa, Lappeenranta and Karkkila.
Confectionery brands
Fazer Lifestyle Foods
The Lifestyle Foods division produces other food items, such as Froosh smoothies, Fazer Yosa oat products and non-dairy drinks as well as Frebaco and Fazer Alku oat-based breakfast foods. These are produced in Lahti, Lidköping and Kaarina.
Fazer Food Services
The Food Services division operates more than 1,000 restaurants across Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Most of these restaurants serve as workplace and school cafeterias.
Fazer Retail
The Retail division operates Fazer Cafés in Finland and Gateau bakery shops in Finland and Sweden. The flagship Fazer Café is on Kluuvikatu in Helsinki, opened in 1891. It is a rare example of Art Deco design in Finland.
