The market for milk-based desserts is undergoing a period of tough competition between different brands. New brands and flavour combinations appear on supermarket shelves every month. Valio, one of the Nordic countries' dairy giants, stands out clearly from the competition with its packaging choice. The company's Fanny line of custards is packaged in half-litre gable-top cartons from which the custard is easy to serve into dessert bowls.

Previously, Valio used 360 gram plastic cups for its Fanny custards, but then started to look for packaging that made serving easier. Families form the target group for Fanny products, and that's why the company attached prime importance to this feature. Concurrently with this endeavour, a successful packaging model was created for milk-based desserts.
"We have succeeded in establishing a market segment for the Fanny product family. Gable-top cartons stand out nicely on the refrigerated shelves from among the conventional cups. Many consumers choose the gable-top because it takes up less space in home fridge compared with the equivalent number of cups," says Product Manager Mari Meriluoto from Valio.
The company subjected the new packaging material to rigorous tests. The first criterion in the test measured how well the product keeps in the package and its longevity as regards microbiological hygiene. Once this was ensured, it was the turn of the product's organoleptic qualities to ensure that these are preserved. Fanny products have a shelf-life of five weeks, which means that the board must have excellent barrier properties.
Test results showed that the product keeps well without losing aroma and taste, convincing the company of the properties of Stora Enso's CTMP-based board with Ensobarr coating. Ensobarr has only three layers instead of the usual four or more used in conventional High Barrier coatings. This means lower gross weight and that the coating can be utilised more efficiently to comply with barrier requirements. The coating solution patented by Stora Enso also enabled Valio to cease the use of laminated board, in line with the company's environmental programme. Used gable-top cartons are recycled in Finland to make cores for the paper industry.
Valio is Finland's biggest dairy producer and also a significant player on the juice and water market. Fanny puddings come in three flavours: vanilla, chocolate and caramel. Valio's product range includes over 800 products. The Group's turnover in 1999 amounted to approximately EUR 1,26 billion, of which business abroad accounted for about 30%.

Caption:
Valio's Fanny is a custard similar to the Dutch vla products. The material used for the gable-top carton is Stora Enso's CTMP-based board with Ensobarr coating. This should provide barrier properties superior to conventional plastic coatings and comparable to foil laminates.

For further information, please contact:

Stora Enso Oyj
Marja Jukkara
Special Food Packaging Boards
FIN-55800 Imatra
FINLAND
Tel.: +358 2046 121
Fax: +358 2046 26774
E-mail: marja.jukkara@storaenso.com

Stora Enso UK Ltd
Mr Roy Bray
12th floor, Newland House
49 Mount Street
GB-Nottingham, NG1 6HE
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel.: +44 115 948 43 48
Fax: +44 115 948 43 28
E-mail: roy.bray@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Interamericas, Inc.
Mr Mikko Jaatinen
8750 Doral Boulevard
Suite 270
Miami, FL 33178
U.S.A
Tel.: +1 305 716 9799
Fax: +1 305 716 5441
E-mail: mikko.jaatinen@storaenso.com

Stora Enso North America Corp.
Mr Michael Walsh
Two Landmark Square
3rd Floor
Stamford, CT 06901-2792
U.S.A
Tel.: +1 203 356 2300
Fax: +1 203 356 2340
E-mail: MWalsh@storaensona.com

Stora Enso Australia Pty. Ltd.
Mr Juhani Ellenberg
Level 17, NCR House
8-20 Napier Street
AUS-North Sydney 2060
AUSTRALIA
Tel.: +61 2 9955 4855
Fax: +61 2 9955 7933
E-mail: juhani.ellenberg@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Italia
Renato Somekh
Via A. Volta, 16
1-20093 Cologno Monzese
ITALY
Tel.: +39 02 251 514 50
Fax: +39 02 251 514 59
E-mail: renato.somekh@storaenso.com

Stora Enso France
Alain Piattier / Maila Grastilleur
15/25 Blvd de l'Amiral-Bruix
F-75782 Paris Cedex 16
FRANCE
Tel.: +33 1 53 64 7900
Fax: +33 1 53 64 7990
E-mail: maila.grastilleur@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Nederland B.V.
Dhr J.W.F.Klarenbeek
Postbus 12386
NL-1100 AJ Amsterdam
THE NETHERLANDS
Tel.: +31 20 650 5555
Fax: +31 20 650 5622
E-mail: jan-willem.klarenbeek@storaenso.com
E-mail: tom.alfthan@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Scandinavia
Packaging Boards
Joakim Stockhaus
Kanikenäsbanken 10
S-652 26 Karlstad
SWEDEN
Tel.: +46 54 22 2700
Fax: +46 54 22 2720
E-mail: joakim.stockhaus@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Hellas
Angelo Evgenikos
33, Vas. Sofias Ave.
GR-10675 Athens
GREECE
Tel.: +30 1 723 9990
Fax: +30 1 723 5110
E-mail: sthellas@otenet.gr

Stora Enso Hungary
Peter Megyaszai
Váci Utca Center
Váci u. 81/7 em.
H-1386 Budapest
HUNGARY
Tel.: +36 1 485 6030
Fax: +36 1 266 3577
E-mail: peter.megyaszai@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Argentina
Eduardo Galindo
Lavalle 556 4°H
AR-1047 Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA
Tel.: +54 11 4 325 0195/0361
Fax: +54 11 4 394 8344
E-mail: eduardo.galindo@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Southern Africa
Mr Vesa Pärssinen
P.O.Box 12900
N1 City
7463 Cape Town
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel.: +27 21 595 0942
Fax: +27 21 595 1688
E-mail: vesa.parssinen@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Singapore Pte Ltd
M.D. Tom Alftan
360 Orchard Road #11-01 International Building
SG-Singapore 238869
SINGAPORE
Tel.: +65 235 3485
Fax: +65 737 4278
E-mail: tom.alfthan@storaenso.com

Stora Enso (Middle East)
Martti Harju
R/A 8 - HB1
Jebel ali Free Zone, Dubai
Mail: P.O.B. 61265
Dubai
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Tel.: +971 4 8836 819
Fax: +971 4 8836 826
E-mail: martti.harju@storaenso.com

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