Valio said its aim to be a more comprehensive partner to restaurant and coffee shop professionals is behind its acquisition of Heinon Tukku Oy, one of Finland’s biggest wholesalers serving professional kitchens.
It has cash & carry outlets in Helsinki and Vantaa, alongside delivery wholesale units in Espoo and Kuopio. The company is a supplier of a total of about 30,000 products. Fresh foods account for most of the products, as well as industrial products like beverages, frozen products, and cooking utensils and tableware.
About 340 employees will transfer to Valio through the acquisition. The acquisition will create for Valio a new business unit, which will be headed by Tuomas Sorri. Sorri is currently senior vice president of Valio Food Solutions, which serves professional kitchens and the food industry. Valio executive board member Elli Siltala will have the overall responsibility of the business unit.
In the future, Valio will be a single-source supplier of everything a professional kitchen needs, from a selection of raw materials, support in product development and creating meal and snack concepts.
“People’s habits are changing as the world changes – including where and how we eat. We grab a snack on the go, we eat or have coffee away from home, and we pick up a chef-made meal to bring home. The coronavirus temporarily forced customers out of restaurants, but once we beat the pandemic people will again go out to meet up with friends around good food. Professional kitchens have been Valio’s customers for decades. We want to be an even better partner for them in the future,” said Valio CEO Annikka Hurme.
Sorri said Valio and Heinon Tukku complement each other.
“Heinon Tukku has a portfolio of thousands of products – from fresh vegetables to napkins – and its customers are restaurants and coffee shops particularly in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Valio brings the country’s most extensive distribution network and particularly public sector customers,” Sorri said.
“We deliver orders on time directly to restaurants, coffee shops, filling stations, and employee restaurants from Hanko to Utsjoki. Together we will be a more comprehensive partner to those restaurant industry players for whom quality, Finnish origin, a deep understanding of customer needs, and delivery reliability are key factors.”
Petri Heino, CEO of Tukkuheino Oy, the parent company of Heinon Tukku, said, “Valio will be a good owner for Heinon Tukku. The strengths of the parties in this acquisition complement each other, and there aren’t many overlapping functions. Valio is a valued and responsible Finnish player and a familiar company; we have collaborated with Valio for more than 100 years.”
The transaction is subject to approval by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.