Orkla to Move Panda Chocolate Production from Finland to Estonia by 2030
Orkla will phase out Panda chocolate production in Vaajakoski between 2027 and 2030 and transfer it to the group’s Kalev facilities in Estonia. The Finnish plant will retain liquorice and dragee production, while Fazer and Brunberg are maintaining their domestic manufacturing operations.
Production to move in phases through 2030
Orkla will end chocolate production at its Panda factory in Vaajakoski, Jyväskylä, and transfer the work to the group’s Kalev factories in Estonia. According to Helsingin Sanomat, the change will take place gradually between 2027 and 2030, closing a chapter that began when chocolate manufacturing started at Vaajakoski in 1929.
The Vaajakoski site will remain in operation but will specialize in liquorice and dragees. Orkla Finland chief executive Jutta Karppi said the decision was part of a broader effort to develop Orkla Snacks’ confectionery production network. The company assessed technical, commercial and geopolitical factors before choosing the new arrangement. Orkla is a Norwegian group, while Panda is one of its Finnish confectionery businesses.
Negotiations cover 147 employees
Change negotiations affecting 147 employees are due to begin on 1 September. Karppi said the long implementation period means there will be no immediate personnel effects and that the negotiations will seek to minimize the eventual impact. The first products will move to Estonia before the full closure of the chocolate lines, while products including Christmas boxed chocolates will continue to be made in Vaajakoski during the four-year transition.
Chief shop steward Esa Väyrynen told Helsingin Sanomat that the announcement had shocked some employees. The factory has workers with long careers at the site, including temporary personnel who have returned for seasonal work over several decades. Väyrynen said the plant’s experienced workforce would now have to direct its skills and commitment toward liquorice production. Orkla has also stressed that Panda products should retain their established taste and appearance after manufacturing moves to Estonia, a key issue for a brand closely associated with Finland.
Finnish rivals maintain domestic production
Panda’s departure will leave Finnish chocolate manufacturing in the hands of fewer companies, but Yle reported that Fazer and Brunberg have no plans to follow production abroad. Fazer, the leader in Finland’s chocolate and confectionery market, currently makes more than 13 million chocolate bars annually at its Vantaa factory. It is also investing about €400 million in a new chocolate factory in Lahti, designed partly to support export growth. Some production will remain in Vantaa after the new plant is completed.
Fazer executive Carolina Bade told Yle that the chocolate market looks considerably better this year and that consumption has clearly recovered in Finland. Profitability nevertheless remains exposed to cocoa and other raw-material costs. Future cocoa prices are difficult to predict because weather conditions, including El Niño, may affect the next harvest. Fazer considers taste and quality more important purchasing criteria than country of manufacture. Brunberg, meanwhile, has operated in Porvoo for 155 years and regards its Finnish family-business origin as an important part of the brand. The company produces lactose-free milk chocolate bars, gluten-free products, vegan chocolate and sugar-free chocolate. Brunberg recorded revenue of €13.8 million in 2025 and employed 71 people.
