Fazer: adjusts operations at Vantaa bakery

Helsinki / FI. (fg) The collaboration negotiations at Fazer’s Vantaa bakery has ended. Fazer will make structural and operational changes at the Vantaa bakery, due to a need to adjust operations to the changing market situation and secure the competitiveness of the bakery business in the future as well. The changes will lead to the discontinuation of 40 positions, Finland’s Fazer Group said in a news release.

«The market situation continues to be even more challenging than predicted, and there has been a significant change in consumer behaviour. We must constantly develop our operations to be able to secure our future competitiveness», says Managing Director of Fazer Bakery Finland Markus Hellström in this release.

Bread consumption is declining in Finland. Out of total consumption, the share of bakeoff goods is growing and the share of pre-packed bakery products is declining. The share of import has grown significantly.

Production volumes have gone down at the Vantaa bakery and, consequently, there is less work in the bakery. Fazer will make structural and operational changes to adjust operations at the Vantaa bakery. The changes will lead to the discontinuation of 40 positions. In connection to this, 16 persons have announced their will to retirement. Initially, Fazer had estimated a need to terminate 45 work assignments, at the most. The collaboration negotiations concerned 270 employees.

«We will support those whom the termination of employment affect. We want to further their chances of finding new employment, even at the moment Fazer has open positions in its bakeries and in the other companies in the Group. We will also liaise with the local employment administrations», says Markus Hellström.

Fazer’s bakeries are located in Vantaa, Järvenpää, Lahti, Lappeenranta and Oulu. In addition, Fazer has 43 in-store bakery shops where bakers bake bread every day. Over ninety-five percent of Fazer’s bakery products sold in Finland is produced in Finland. Fazer employs 6’300 people in Finland, of whom 1’500 work for Fazer Bakery.

The first time Fazer Group announced its intention to adjust operations at Vantaa bakery was in bakenet:eu on April 24 (Image: Fazer Group).