‘Consumers, our customers and personnel have all participated in building Fazer's success for 120 years. For this reason, we would now like to thank them and share our anniversary with everybody’, says President of Fazer Group Karsten Slotte.
Fazer still is a family-owned company which creates taste sensations in the spirit of Karl Fazer; excellent quality and responsibility being the corner stones of its operation. Fazer's uniqueness is based on successful brands, a good employer image and a strong market position, also internationally.
‘I am proud to represent the fourth generation of such a wonderful company. Today, the company is in good hands and has continuity’, says Majlen Fazer.
There are many ways to participate in the anniversary throughout the year. In Finland, the celebration will be started off with three different schemes. You can be part of the anniversary at fazer.fi/120.
120 heroes
Fazer is sharing its 120th anniversary with all Finns and, therefore, will each month be looking for 120 people, or heroes, celebrating their birthday. The public can use the anniversary web site to suggest people they know whose birthday is during that month. Fazer will select 120 birthday boys and girls from among the suggestions and send them tasty congratulations.
Anniversary bread competition
Fazer has long traditions in looking for new ideas. Karl Fazer himself constantly sought inspiration for new products among the world's trends. On Fazer's anniversary, all home bakers can take part in the festivities by coming up with the best bread recipe. Starting this autumn, bread will be baked using the winner recipe in Fazer's local bakeries all over the country. The baker who creates the tastiest bread will get an opportunity to travel abroad in search of new ideas in the spirit of Karl Fazer. The anniversary bread competition will start on 17 February at the anniversary web site.
Tales of tastes - digital collective history
Tales of tastes is the first history of a company to be written together with Finns. It invites all visitors to share their memories of Fazer, their stories and photos from different decades. At the history site, you can also travel back in time to old advertisements and nostalgic products. Memories can be sent in starting from 28 January using the Facebook form found at Facebook.com/fazersuomi. The site itself will open in March.
Fazer’s rooster comes back to honour the anniversary
The symbol of Fazer’s 120th anniversary is Fazer’s traditional rooster figure dating back to 1948. The rooster is a symbol of tradition, quality and vigilance and was used in Fazer’s marketing communication and products till the 1980's.
By Western tradition, the rooster represents vigilance and wisdom. In the Middle Ages, it could be seen on the title list of a primer - it would encourage children to learn by hiding something tasty under their pillow. Today, to rooster decorates, for example, Fazer’s Sacher cake.
In honour of the anniversary, the rooster will tour Helsinki on Fazer's anniversary tram. Fazer used the trams of Helsinki for advertising as early as in 1896.
Additional information
Ulrika Romantschuk, Director, communications and stakeholder relations, tel. +358 40 566 4246 Nina Törhönen, Manager, stakeholder relations, tel. +35840 509 3792
Requests for interviews
Satu Ikäheimo, Communications manager, tel. +358 50 380 4996
Picture material
www.fazer.fi/kuvapankki select ”press”, ”Fazer 120 years”
Fazer Group
The origins of Fazer Group lie in a family company founded in 1891 when Karl Fazer opened his first café in Helsinki. Today the Group offers meals, bakery and confectionery products and operates in a total of eight countries. Its operations are based on passion for customer, quality excellence and team spirit. The Group operates in two business areas which are committed to creating taste sensations: Fazer Food Services and Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery. Fazer Group‘s turnover for 2009 was over 1.4 billion euros. The Group employed ca 17,000 people in 2009.
Fazer Food Services is a leading contract catering company in the Nordic and the Baltic countries, offering customers delicious food and tailor-made service solutions. Fazer Food Services has almost 1,400 restaurants in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Russia.
Fazer Bakeries & Confectionery
Fazer is Finland's leading bakery company and one of the leading companies in the Baltic Sea region and Russia. Bakery products are manufactured in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and in Russia, where Fazer operates under the name Hlebny Dom. In confectionery business Fazer is Finland’s leading company and a strong player in the Baltic Sea region. The confectionery factories are located in Finland: in Vantaa (chocolate products), Lappeenranta (sugar confectionery) and Karkkila (chewing gum).