Portrait of Jukka Kajan

Jukka Kajan, Executive Director of Plant Based Food Finland, Image supplied.

Interviews

Plant Based Food Finland: “We Seek to Create a More Level Playing Field With Traditional Food Products”

Jukka Kajan is the Executive Director of Plant Based Food Finland. In his current role, he leverages his extensive network and industry expertise, gained from a career in stakeholder relations and public affairs for food companies, as well as consulting on the dynamics of the plant-based food value chain. He is driven by the impact that plant-based foods and novel foodtech can have in building a more sustainable future. We spoke with Jukka Kajan about the organization’s mission to support and accelerate the growth of the plant-based food sector in Finland. In this interview, he shares insights into the country’s thriving plant-based industry, key market trends, and the challenges shaping its future. We also discuss Finland’s role as a leader in oat-based innovation, the policy changes …

more

Jukka Kajan of Plant Based Foods Finland

Jukka Kajan. © Plant Based Foods Finland

People

Plant Based Foods Finland Appoints First Executive Director to Strengthen Advocacy Efforts

Industry association Plant Based Foods Finland (Pro Vege in Finnish) has appointed its first executive director, Jukka Kajan. Previously, Kajan has worked as a food industry consultant and Public Affairs Manager at Raisio Group. Niklas Kaskeala, Chairman of the Board at Plant Based Foods Finland, says Kajan’s leadership will help to strengthen the association’s advocacy efforts. “We look forward to Nordic and European cooperation led by Jukka, who brings extensive knowledge of plant-based food value chains and is a well-connected and active advocate for food system transformation,” he says. In its first year, Plant Based Foods Finland has amassed 27 members, including all major retail chains in the country and participants from the restaurant sector, research institutions, and cellular agriculture. Kajan describes the number of …

more

Niklas Kaskeala, chairman of Plant Based Foods Finland. Image supplied.

Company News

Oatly Manager Chairs New ‘Plant Based Foods Finland’ Business Group Targeting Plant-Based Market Growth

A new business association, Plant Based Foods Finland (Pro Vege in Finnish), has been established to help increase the share of plant-based foods in the Finnish food system. Among the association’s 18 founding members are the country’s three largest supermarket chains — Kesko, SOK, and Lidl Finland — said to account for 92% of the food retail market. Several restaurants and plant-based companies are also included; the full list is Food Farm, Kotipizza Group, Lipasu, MeEat Food Tech, Mö Foods, Nordic Umami Company, Oatly, Oy Soya Ab, Porlammi Dairy, Raisio, Tmi Jukka Kajan, Virna Food Radecon, Vöner, WWF Finland and Ylva Palvelut. Ambitious plans, mission-aligned partners Plant Based Foods Finland will work to make plant-based foods attractive to as many people as possible, with a …

more