Today’s Tri-State chefs and foodservice operators are looking to maximize outdoor dining and takeout and delivery revenues. The search to accomplishing that goal has focused on menu additions that can create signature items that are versatile and functional.
Many of those industry professionals have discovered that the Valio USA line of cheese can easily accomplish those goals. Since 1905, when 4,700 Finnish dairy farmers founded the dairy co-op that operates the brand, Valio has been one of the leading dairy companies in Europe.
An introduction to the structure of Valio USA’s ownership is crucial to understanding the consistent quality of the brand. “From the very beginning over 100 plus years ago, the farmers have owned the company,” noted Joseph Cecere, Director of Sales, Natural Channels and Foodservice Group of Finlandia Cheese. “We pay out all the profits to the farmers through regional dairy co-operatives. This is our way of making sure that we have access to locally produced food whose origin we know.”
For many US and North American operators, even with the challenge of the Pandemic, sustainability continues to be a priority. “It’s part of our DNA and our Nordic roots, I like to call it the evolution of sustainability,” Cecere continued. “For 7 years in a row, our company has been awarded the most sustainable company in Finland, which is one of the most sustainable countries in the world. Simple ingredients, clean food and no waste – get the most out of what you have. This is the Nordic way.”
With a goal of providing the World’s Finest Swiss and award-winning butter under the brand Finlandia, Valio USA is constantly looking at global and regional consumer trends and emerging categories to develop products that meet these needs. That legacy of unwavering attention to quality began with Nobel Prize winner A.I. Virtanen who was the leader of Valio’s R&D laboratory. “Our mission is to increase people’s wellbeing through innovations, and we have a proud foundation for reaching and exceeding those targets,” the New Jersey based executive continued.
Valio USA with the Finlandia brand has deep roots in the US marketplace. “We actually started in foodservice in the 1950’s and quickly became a staple in the NY delis. That footprint quickly expanded into supermarkets, cheese shops and restaurants throughout the Northeast.”
A key to Valio’s long term success has been its ongoing ability and agility in listening and responding to the needs of its customer base. Most recently, this has included an entry into the fast-growing plant-based cheese marketplace. Cecere continued: “It was a natural evolution for the company. Valio is based in sustainability and not wasting any resources, which is why we have always emphasized a strong R&D department. We turned to our award-winning R&D department to look at the future and develop a product line that fits with our culture and is on trend – plant based was the solution.”
Valio USA’s entry into the plant-based marketplace proved to be a logical adjunct to the company’s operations. Valio has a long history of producing non-dairy products, like juices, vegan foods etc. and using Nordic grains in production.
Once again, Finlandia’s ability to capture the imagination of its diverse customer base came to the forefront with the naming of the new plant-based product. “When we first started doing consumer testing with our products, consumer feedback kept coming back with ‘odd but good’, ‘this is oddly good’, etc.,” Cecere noted. “We think the name Oddlygood™ captures perfectly the brand spirit.”
Among the challenges in launching the Oddlygood™ brand has been the need to create a healthier product with a flavor popping taste profile. “That’s always a key issue with Vegan items is the taste. It also needs to be functional (meltability, for example) and if possible, provide the vitamins and nutrients that vegans need,” Cecere explained. “At the end of the day, it has to be usable and provide a good taste. I think that is something we have focused on from a product standpoint and we have delivered a cheese product that hits all these notes. Iodine, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D.”
Once again with the Oddlygood™ line, Valio USA is offering packaging that reflects the needs of its foodservice customer base. The product is being offered in foodservice friendly packaging, with a convenient Loaf’s ready to shred. It is also being offered in, shredded 2.2 lb. Bags and pre-sliced bulk packs.
The challenges of COVID-19 and previous economic downturns have always benefitted the pizza industry. Once again in 2020, both independent and national chain pizza outlets have seen tremendous growth based on a consumer base that simply needs to inject the normalcy through comfort food that pizza brings to consumers. With that has come the emergence of a vegan pizza marketplace that need a plant-based cheese that would melt with the same profile as traditional mozzarella.
The Oddlygood™ line solves both a flavor pile and P&L issue. “Mozzarella melts, so it stands to reason that vegan cheese needs to melt but they don’t until we brought our solution to the marketplace. This forces the pizza operator to add more cheese to compensate for this, costing them profit. And it doesn’t look appealing at all. We use shea and coconut, which has a creamier texture and feel and melts. You use less product, creating more yield and profits for the pizza operator. We call it the perfect takeout pizza cheese,” Cecere added.
Finlandia’s rollout of Oddlygood™ has been a success as noted operators including Mario’s Pizza in Niagara Falls, NY are using the line on their menu. Cecere concluded: “We are convinced with early returns that operators will be able to both expand their customer base and increase revenues by offering to substitute vegan Cheese on any Pizza for an upcharge.”
Metro New York operators can sample the line by contacting their local distributor. As always, Finlandia is looking to help restaurants and pizzerias with a product that was developed for them, generates incremental profits and fit consumer trends. Oddlygood™ is in the process of creating foodservice specific “How To” videos of our products and creating an Ambassador Program which will showcase restaurants and chefs that use the product and will be featured on the web and through social media.
For more information on Oddlygood, visit their website, or the Valio Group website.
