Messages

Fresh Air. Clean Water. Pure Food.

Clean environment and diverse pure flavours are the cornerstone of our highly innovative food industry.

• The sea, forests, and fields have kept Estonians well-fed throughout our history. To celebrate our unspoiled environment without compromising its future, Estonia is fully committed to sustainability. Our four distinct seasons provide a variety of challenges and opportunities; they have also taught our food producers to react and adapt.
• This historic need for adaptability and ingenuity has pushed our food industry to embrace innovation through scientific advancements (TFTAK) and modern technologies (YOOK, Haage), making production and logistics as efficient, automated, and high-quality as possible with minimal environmental impact. Estonia is the home to a growing number of novel food startups (Gelatex, ÄIO, Shroomwell).
• Nordic in outlook and boasting a largely unspoiled and biodiverse environment, Estonia has one of the lowest population densities in Europe: there are 3.51 hectares of land per inhabitant, about half of the land is forested, and almost a quarter of our farmland is organic. This, combined with stringent regulations and focus on ingredient traceability, results in food and produce of the highest quality.

Supportive facts:

• 28% of Estonia’s area is under protection: Estonia is striving to increase it.
• Only seven countries in the world meet WHO air quality standard, Estonia is among them.
• More than half (51%) of land is covered in forests in Estonia.
• 23% of farmland is organic in Estonia.

Sector strengths:

• Clean resources
• Sustainable food production
• Smart and adaptable producers
• High quality standards
• 100+ export markets
• Innovations and scientific advancements

Clean environment, pure produce

We provide pure ingredients from a clean environment for exceptional food.

• The quality of Estonian food relies on clean resources. We have one of the purest air qualities in the world, with 51% of the land covered by forests and nearly a quarter of our farmland being organic.
• Our food producers ensure that the origin of the ingredients is traceable, because the quality of food is always based on carefully selected produce: 100% antibiotic-free raw milk, no use of growth promotors, meat from animals fed on local feeds, and grain grown in nearby fields.
• Food production in Estonia is highly regulated, requiring manufacturers to adhere to industry standards and certifications.
• Estonia was also the first Baltic country to secure a spot in the prestigious MICHELIN Guide.

Sustainable tastes better

Sustainability is not an option, it’s a necessity for food production.

• We are committed to sustainable food production through indoor farming (Shroomwell, Natural Chaga), zero-waste practices (TFTAK & Siidrikoda case study, Kadarbik, Loov Organic, Shroomwell), not using growth promotors, traceability of ingredients, freeze-dried manufacturing technologies (Saidafarm, Chocolala), the circular economy (Siidrikoda, Öun Drinks), and AI in farming (eAgronom, Beewise). This commitment across the entire food value chain is a priority for Estonia to celebrate our abundant, unspoiled environment without compromising its future.
• We have also made the ethical treatment of animals and fish a priority.
• With 23% of our farmland organic, among the highest in Europe, and continuous new product development in collaboration with research centres, we truly believe that sustainable tastes better.

Novel food hub

Behind our healthy and safe food is a boldly innovative industry.

• Estonia is a smart choice for food innovation partnerships (TFTAK, BioCC), where the time-to-quality ratio is very high. From novel food startups (ÄIO, Gelatex, Shroomwell, Thormi) to close cooperation with academia, we are designing the future of food. All our main food producers boast state-of-the-art labs for product development and quality assurance (bigger producers Valio, Tere, Maag Food; a small producer Vinckymon).
• Our clean environment and ingredient traceability guarantee food safety, scientific advancements increase health benefits of our food products (Siidrikoda & TFTAK smoothie, YOOK oat drink).
• Our dairy industry excels in exports, driven by collaboration with scientific institutions to develop healthier products, such as bio-enriched yoghurts. (Tere hiFiber yoghurt, Tere Deary, Valio’s product series). We export our clean Nordic flavours to more than 100 markets around the world.