This post is an informative journalistic coverage of a PR event with editorial & reportage elements that do not aim to promote any business, organisation, product or service.
Today - on the day of publication- I am a member of Ruokatoimittajat ry (Finnish Food Writers' Association), and attended this PR event as a food writer (not as an influencer).
26 March 2025 - Porkkala, kirkkonummi
I'm passionate about learning more about industrial operations directly on-site and today - as part of the annual meeting of the Finnish Food Writers' Association (Ruokatoimittajat ry)-, my fellow journalists and I had the chance to visit Suomen Sokeri Oy’s sugar refinery in Porkkala.
This facility -part of the Nordzucker Group-, plays a major role in sugar production, with the capacity of processing 200,000 tons of granulated sugar annually. Beyond granulated sugar products, they also produce liquid sugar, syrup, molasses, and specialty blends for both industrial and consumer use. While introducing us to the refinery's history, operation and safety rules, Retail Sales and Marketing Manager, Inari Kettula also shared that the Porkkala plant also has its own port, power plant, and wastewater treatment to ensure, the refinery operates as a self-sufficient hub of sugar production.
Sugar is derived from two main sources: sugar beet and sugar cane. I learned that to make 1 kg sugar, we need about 7 sugar beet plants! It was fascinating to see how it turns from raw material into the products we use every day. We were able to see most of the following steps as part of the guided tour, led by Head of Factory, Jari Marjamäki.
The sugar beet process:
- Beets are cleaned and sliced into thin cossettes.
- Hot water (~70 °C) extracts the sugar, creating raw juice (~18%).
- The non-sugar substances in the raw juice are separated through purification.
- The clarified juice is evaporated into a thick juice (~67%).
- Crystallisation occurs through boiling and by the addition of fine granuled (seed crystals) - forming a thick pulp (magma) which is a mixture of white crystals of the desired size and golden yellow residual syrup.
- Sugar crystals are separated from molasses via centrifugal force, dried, cooled and stored in sugar silos.
- Finally, the sugar products are packed and ready for industry or consumer use.
While both sugar beet and cane plants produce the same end product, their largely automated processing methods slightly differ. When it comes to the sugar cane process, the primary difference is in the extraction phase: the cane stalks are cleaned and pressed to extract raw juice.
The production and recycling processes are overseen by highly-trained professionals of the refinery's Control Center, whom are specifically trained for this complex task by Nordzucker.
The 145 workers of the Porkkala refinery prepare and/or pack over 150 different products for domestic use and export:
- industrial products: granulated sugar, liquid sugar, special produsts, products tailored to customers, blends
- consumer products: table sugar, fine grain sugar, preserving sugars, sugar cubes, fair trade cane sugar, special sugars for baking and cooking
Naturally, the production area had a strict no recording policy, so I cannot illustrate the process with my own photos this time - but I highly recommend checking out this informative video & PDF leaflet on Nordzucker's website - it will walk you through the key steps of sugar production.
Visiting the Porkkala refinery made me appreciate the complexity behind a simple ingredient we use every day. Whether in industrial production or our kitchens, sugar goes through a fascinating journey before reaching us.
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Enifer - the new tenant of Suomen Sokeri
Today, we also had the opportunity to be introduced to a rising star within Finland's innovative technologies.
Enifer is a Finnish biotech startup, revitalising the PEKILO process - a method originally developed in Finland in the 1970's- to produce sustainable mycoprotein ingredients. Their flagship product, PEKILO, is a fungi-based protein containing up to 50% protein and 35% fiber, with a balanced amino acid profile.
Initially, the company is targeting the animal feed sector, offering their mycoprotein products for aquafeed and pet food, providing nutritious and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional protein sources.
After securing its 33 million euro funding, Enifer became the new tenant of Suomen Sokeri and started the construction of they first factory in Porkkala, aiming to produce ~3000 tons of protein per year.
On top of this achievement, they also submitted a Novel Food application to the European Union, US and Singapore, aiming to certify PEKILO for human consumption. The company highlights several benefits as a food ingredient:
- dry, powder-like ingredient with long shelf life
- two-in-one usability as complete protein and fibre source
- neutral taste and colour
- suitable for gluten free & vegetarian diets
In humanity's constant search for sustainable protein sources, it's great to discover mycoprotein as a new and versatile food ingredient option. After a successfully passing the on-going novel-food application process, PEKILO will have a great potential to be utilised in meet imitates, dairy alternatives, extruded cereals, bread, pasta, sweet baked goods, spoonable desserts and smoothies. We had the chance to taste the future in the form of the PEKILO vegeball and chocolate cake.
This initiative underscores Enifer's commitment to enhancing global protein production through Finnish innovation.
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
I had the pleasure to attend this PR event and learn more about domestic sugar production vis this memorable first-hand experience.
Thank you so much to Tero Tanner (Managing Director), Inari Kettula (Retail Sales and Marketing Manager), Jari Marjamäki (Head of Factory) and Tiina Palomäki (from Consumer Service) for inviting me to this event.
I also appreciate the opportunity to meet and learn directly from Enifer's co-founders, Simo Ellilä (CEO) & Joosu Kuivanen (COO), Elisa Arte (Head of Food R&D), and Henna Paasovaara (Coordinator of People, Culture & Communications) who represented their company and mission at Porkkala today.
Association news
Today's events also provided a beautiful location and a great opportunity for the annual meeting of Ruokatoimittajat ry (Finnish Food Writers' Association). Since I was approved as a new member about a year ago, this was the first time I was able to join this formal occasion. We summarised last year's achievements, outlined future agenda and thanked our previous President of the Association, Kati Pohja, for her valuable work during the past years, while welcoming her successor, Mariaana Nelimarkka.
DISCLOSURE
The organiser has not set any special criteria and has not initiated any financial/alternative compensation that would require the creation of any written or visual content related to this PR event nor the promotion of any products/services in exchange for attendance - but I decided to share my experience anyway as I think you'd enjoy exclusive insights from my recent gastro adventure. Any PR products/samples/food, drink/services/raffle prizes handed out by the organisers, other participants or exhibitors (if applicable) were not a form of compensation, nor part of an exchange agreement.
