FDBusiness.com

Viking Malt Group, which supplies malt to breweries, has decided to make a strategic investment of about €90 million at Lahti in Finland by building a new malting house. The project is part of the long-term growth strategy of Viking Malt and is one of the biggest investments in the Finnish food and beverage industry and in Lahti region during the past 10 years. The production capacity will be in the region of 85,000 tons per year. The plan is that the new malting house will start its operation in 2023.

Viking Malt sells its products globally to the food, beverage and brewing industries. The company has a long history and it currently guided by the 5th generation of the same family. The key to success has always been to focus on high quality and to be open to innovation and new technology. There has been a production site in the same location for over 130 years but this will change, and current malting house will relocate. The new, modern and innovative plant will be built in Lahti. It will enable Viking Malt to produce a variety of new products on top of the current selection.

Viking Malt Group has production in five countries – in addition to Finland there is a plant also in Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania as well as two plants in Poland. The production capacity is 600 000 t/a and the turnover of the group is approximately €250 million and the company employs some 250 people. Viking Malt is the largest malting company in Scandinavia, 5th largest in Europe and 9th in the world. It is the leading company in specialty malt in the global market. Viking Malt Group is owned by Polttimo (62.5 %) and Svenska Lantmännen (37.5 %).