Health at the heart of Raisio business mission

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Raisio is a Finnish food company founded in 1939 specializing in healthy, responsibly produced food products and ingredients. With a strong focus on well-being and taste, company’s expertise lies in high-quality oat ingredients, their premium oat brand, Elovena^®, and scientifically proven efficacy of cholesterol-lowering brand, Benecol^®. The company has been a pioneer in gluten-free oats for over two decades and supplies gluten-free oat ingredients to food manufacturers.

Today Raisio Group believes that healthier choices should be an easy, enjoyable part of daily routines, recognizing that food plays a central role in both individual health and the health of our planet. Thus, their new sustainability program “Transformative Power of Food 2026–2030” brings this ambition into action.

With diesel vehicles accounting for 30% to 50% of greenhouse emissions at a mine site, replacing them with a battery-electric fleet is a sure way to drastically reduce overall CO₂ emissions, but how else can mines benefit from this technology?

Leading underground manufacturers Normet believe the answer lies with SmartDrive. This architecture for battery electric vehicles (BEV) was developed in collaboration with customers, building on feedback, predicting future trends, and assessing the limitations of diesel engines, and comes with a wealth of benefits for operators.

The program is built around three impact themes: Sustainable Farming, Smart Use of Resources, and Health Through Food. Together, these key areas guide Raisio’s work towards a transparent and responsible value chain—one that creates value not only for consumers, but also for farmers, customers, and the wider society. Saara Kurkilahti, Raisio’s Sustainability Development Manager, emphasizes the company’s commitment to responsibility: “By integrating responsible practices into every stage of our operations, we aim to ensure that better food choices are accessible, scalable, and impactful.”

Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and obesity continue to rise, posing serious challenges for both public and private sectors. These issues are not isolated—they are deeply connected to everyday eating habits and the nutritional quality of widely available foods. This is where food companies have a critical role to play.

For Raisio, the answer lies in everyday food solutions that combine scientifically proven health benefits with great taste. Consumers should not have to choose between what is good for them and what they enjoy. This belief drives their approach to product development, where nutritional functionality, sensory experience, and convenience go hand in hand.

Currently, to keep the air as clean as possible, mines invest a lot of money in the infrastructure for ventilation systems and the energy required to run them. With battery electric vehicles, considerably less ventilation is required with cleaner air and lower temperatures.

“The millions of dollars that they need to spend on creating exhaust shafts is dramatically changed,” Ryan explains. “We’re often asked if it is a lost cause for customers that are currently running diesel to switch to BEV. I would say no, because usually the trend is that our customers are going deeper.

“If they decide to adopt BEV equipment such as SmartDrive, as they go deeper, they will still see the benefits with regards to the ventilation requirements. In some cases, we’re already seeing that because they can save money on infrastructure, energy, ventilation, and operations that we once considered to be too expensive become viable again.”

As lifestyles become more dynamic, traditional meal patterns evolve. Many consumers now rely on smaller, more frequent eating occasions throughout the day. This shift places greater importance on the nutritional quality of snacks, which can either support or undermine overall health. Raisio sees healthy snacking not as a compromise, but as a powerful tool for positive change. By reimagining snacks as nutrient-dense, satisfying, and accessible options, consumers can make better choices effortlessly. This is especially important in addressing challenges such as heart diseases, where small, consistent improvements in diet can have long-term benefits. 

Grown in the Northern climate, Finnish oats are known for their high quality. They are naturally rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and support heart health*. In addition, oats provide slow-releasing energy, helping to maintain satiety and stable blood sugar levels—key factors in weight management and overall wellbeing. The value of oats extends beyond their nutritional profile. As a plant-based ingredient they align with general nutritional recommendations and growing demand for healthy food solutions. Their versatility also enables a wide range of product innovations, from convenient snack bars to oat-based dairy alternatives, all designed to fit seamlessly into modern lifestyles.

Raisio continuously invests in research and product development to maximize the potential of oats, ensuring that our products deliver consistent quality, great taste and proven functionality. Raisio partners with over 700 local contract farmers who provide insights and expertise for high-quality ingredients for increasing transparency of climate targets. “We are equally committed to mitigating climate change and reducing emissions throughout our value chain, by setting short-term emission reduction targets in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)**.” Kurkilahti adds.

Consumers are increasingly seeking transparency, functionality, and authenticity, while policymakers and industry leaders are calling for a systemic change. In this context, the role of companies like Raisio is clear: to lead by example and to turn commitments into tangible outcomes. Company is committed to developing products that meet evolving consumer expectations while maintaining high standards for quality and compliance. Ultimately, lasting change does not come from radical shifts alone—it comes from everyday choices made better.

* EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. EFSA Journal 2010;8(12):1885. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to oat beta-glucan and lowering blood cholesterol and reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

​​​​​​​** Raisio Sustainability Report 2025 p. 123-125