We are Valio
The most innovative dairy and food company in the world
Valio, offering the taste of Nordic nature since 1905, is a brand leader in Finland and a major player in the international dairy ingredients market. Our product development follows in the footsteps of Nobel Prize winner A. I. Virtanen, and the company holds over 300 patents in 50 countries.
Valio has net sales of EUR 2.3 billion and is Finland’s biggest food exporter. Our products are found in some 50 countries and account for 25% of Finland’s total food exports. We have subsidiaries in Sweden, the Baltics, USA and China. Valio employs a total of 25,000 people at dairy farms and 4,000 professionals at Valio.
Farmer owned
MILK OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY
Finnish milk is among the cleanest milk in the world thanks to healthy cows. The superior quality of Valio milk is ensured by expert milk producers supported by first-class advisory services.
Valio milk ranks among the cleanest in the world, and we have zero tolerance for antibiotic residue in milk. Finnish cows are already the healthiest in the European Union, which is why, for example, we use antibiotics very little compared to other EU countries.
The recognized technology leader
In the 1990s Valio’s dedicated R&D team developed patented Zero Lactose™ technology that has been licensed around the world since 2003. Valio was the first in the world to launch a totally lactose free milk with the real taste of milk, and is the market leader in Europe.
Operations around the world
Where do Valio products come from
Valio operates its own plants in Finland and Estonia. In addition to Estonia, Valio has subsidiaries in Sweden, China, and the United States. All of the milk used to make our products in Finland is sourced from Valio’s Finnish owner-entrepreneur farms. In Estonia, we source our milk from our partnered producers, whose quality we monitor continuously.
In Finland, Valio’s milk is collected from the farms of our Finnish owner-entrepreneurs, and if there are any issues, the milk is traceable all the way to the farm. All the products made for sale in Finland and for export out of Finland are made from Finnish milk at our 12 production plants.
Where are they exported to
We export our products to roughly 60 countries. We sell milk and whey powders as well as butter for the food and baby food industries. Valio’s exports account for one fourth of Finland’s food product exports. Nearly 100% of the milk product exports from Finland are Valio’s.
Sustainability
Food consumption and food production have globally significant impacts on the environment, society, animals and people’s lives. We want to do our part in solving global challenges. Responsibility for the environment, the economy, people and society is embedded in everything we do. Valio’s cornerstones of sustainability are the cooperative approach, animal welfare and sustainable milk production.
Sustainability management
A cooperative approach and Valio’s shared values, mission and vision are the cornerstones of our operations. Valio’s Code of Conduct and other policies guide our operations.
We want to be a frontrunner in promoting wellbeing and sustainable lifestyles, in advancing the target of a carbon-neutral milk chain and in safeguarding the vitality of nature. Our owners are Finnish dairy farms and we always pay out our profits to the farms.
Sustainable dairy production
We are aware of our environmental and climate impacts, and it is our responsibility to reduce them. We are reducing emissions, growing carbon sinks, working to increase biodiversity and creating circular economy solutions.
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the foundation of our operations. We take care of the health of animals, the opportunity for species-specific behaviour, a good environment, and nutritional quality. At Valio dairy farms, taking care of animals is much more than work, it’s a lifestyle.