"WE’RE A MAJOR PART OF THE FINNISH FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN WITH A GREAT IMPACT"

The journey of food from factories to Finnish consumers’ tables has many twists and turns, and the collaboration between Atria and S Group is one of the things that plays a significant role in the process. Atria is one of S Group’s largest suppliers, and our partnership is especially characterised by a consumer-oriented approach. Antti Oksa, SVP, Grocery Retail for S Group, explains what cooperation with Atria is all about.

 

Atria is a major supplier in Finland, particularly in terms of delivery volumes, product range and market influence. Atria and S Group have a long history of cooperation spanning decades, characterised in particular by a deep understanding of consumer needs and mutual trust. “To Atria’s credit, it must be said that the collaboration is fruitful and not limited to purely day-to-day matters. Our strategies are well aligned, and we share a solid foundation for systematic collaboration,” Antti explains.

 

From S Group’s perspective, the strengths of this partnership include not only trust and systematic planning but also Atria’s logistical capacity, extensive product selection and the ability to handle large delivery volumes. This is particularly important for meeting spikes in demand, such as during the Christmas holidays or the summer barbecue season.

 

Aligned sustainability goals

Sustainability is a key part of both Atria’s and S Group’s strategy, and Atria’s goal is to achieve a carbon-neutral food supply chain. This ambition also supports S Group’s goal of achieving a carbon-neutral value chain by 2050. In practice, this goal sets requirements for product manufacturing, logistics and consumption, among other things. Antti acknowledges that the carbon neutrality goal is ambitious, but it is a key priority for S Group, and the company is working determinedly to achieve it.

 

“With Atria, our combined impact is significant, and we play a major role in what people eat in Finland – especially when it comes to Atria’s own product categories. So we have a great deal of responsibility, but also opportunities,” Antti says.

 

Oksa points out that sustainability goals are advanced in everyday business through a diverse range of measures and effective collaboration. In S Group’s operations, in practical terms, sustainability means waste reduction, circular economy actions, and encouraging consumers and our own employees to act responsibly. Our commitment to sustainability is also reflected in our priorities when working with partners.

 

Offering domestically produced options is also an important value for S Group. From a sustainability perspective, locally sourced products reduce environmental impacts, promote animal welfare and ensure food safety. In addition, food from Finland is transparent, regulated and traceable. “Our co-op members are consumers and Finnish households for whom domestic origin is important,” Antti says.

 

A more sustainable food chain in the future

Our shared journey with Atria towards a more sustainable food supply chain will continue in the coming years. “Reliability is the foundation of partnerships like ours, and it’s important that it’s in order. Our cooperation has been consumer-oriented, data-based and systematic. It’s also been open and has involved a lot of interaction,” Antti says.

 

Oksa points out that priorities regarding sustainability topics evolve and adapt to changes in the operating environment. Achieving our ambitious goals will also require a great deal of innovation and development from both S Group and its partnerships.