The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Helsinki offers several product development courses, including one by University Lecturer Sari Ollila, where students pitch their ideas to industry guests. This autumn, they will also present to Annika Ikonen, the founder of Friidu ice creams.
Sari Ollila has been teaching the ' course for about eight years, with the latest session this autumn. In addition to teaching, she is also leading a Master's programme aimed at strengthening food export and gastronomic expertise.
According to Ollila, the connection between export and product development is clear.
- Every export effort should start with understanding what sells in the market, how consumers want to buy products, in what form, what they look like, and which flavours appeal to them - and this varies by country, she emphasises.
Interestingly, the same product may not work everywhere; even between Finland and Sweden, for instance, Swedish consumers prefer frozen chicken or fish products, although fresh products are reportedly gaining popularity there too.
Ollila is constantly working on her own product development as well. However, a much-anticipated regular guest for the course is , a 100-year-old import company that does not have its own production facilities but is still involved in product development.
- This year, we welcomed new guest speakers from and Data Services. Each guest has an interesting career path in product development, with some also having experience in exports. Many of our guests are alumni of our university.
