HKScan : launches Finnish poultry exports to Japan

HKScan Oyj Press Release Mar 9, 2017 11:50 AM

Export customers appreciate responsibly produced, high-quality, antibiotic-free meat

HKScan has received a permit to launch exports of poultry meat from Finland to Japan. Exports are scheduled to begin this spring. The launch of direct exports is a significant milestone in HKScan's efforts to expand its export business. HKScan already exports Finnish pork and Danish poultry meat to Japan.

HKScan will launch direct exports to Japan from its Finnish plant in Eura, which specializes in poultry products. HKScan is in the process of constructing a new, state-of-the-art poultry plant in the town of Rauma, which will harness the very latest production and environmental technology. Construction will be completed in spring and the plant is scheduled to be up and running by the end of the year. The new plant will enable HKScan to develop new, more innovative products both for its home and export markets.

HKScan is currently touring Japan and South Korea with a business delegation of the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment. The purpose of the delegation's visit is to introduce Finnish biotech and food companies to the Japanese and South Korean markets in a bid to promote Finnish trade with Asia. News of HKScan's export permit came from Japan this morning.

'Finnish politicians and authorities have done valuable work promoting export opportunities for the Finnish food industry - without their input, we would not have achieved this milestone,' says Jari Latvanen, President and CEO of HKScan Corporation.

'I would like to express special gratitude to Minister Kimmo Tiilikainen, to all the officials involved, and to everyone else who helped promote the export of high-quality Finnish foods to Japan. May we continue the excellent work we have been doing together.'

Finnish poultry meat is a unique export item by international standards. It is pure and responsibly produced without the use of any antibiotics. Animal welfare and environmental efficiency are prioritized at all stages of the production chain.

'Japanese consumers are extremely quality conscious. Our new export permit is the clearest possible indication of the high quality of Finnish meat. We can justifiably take pride in the superior expertise of our entire production chain, all the way from farm to fork.'

HKScan also exports high-quality Finnish pork to Japan. 'The pork we supply is of such high quality that our Japanese customers use it for making nama hamu, cured raw ham served in the same way as sushi,' says HKScan's head of exports Jukka Nikkinen.

For further information, please contact Jari Latvanen, CEO, HKScan Corporation

Kindly submit a call-back request via Marja-Leena Dahlskog, SVP Communciations, tel. +358 10 570 2142 firstname.lastname@hkscan.com

HKScan is the leading Nordic food company. We produce, market and sell high-quality, responsibly-produced pork, beef, poultry and lamb products, processed meats and convenience foods under strong brand names. Our customers are the retail, food service, industrial and export sectors, and our home markets comprise Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the Baltics. We export to close to 50 countries. In 2016, HKScan had net sales of nearly EUR 1.9 billion and some 7 300 employees.