Valio invests €30m in cheese maturation warehouse

Valio is investing around €30 million in a new cheese maturation warehouse at its Joensuu production plant in Finland.

Expected to be completed by the end of 2027, the investment covers the construction of the production plant’s maturation warehouse expansion and automation of its operations. Additionally, the old maturation warehouse will be renovated to accommodate the production lines being relocated from its Vantaa production plant to Joensuu. Cheese slicing and grating, as well as processed cheese production, are also being relocated to the Joensuu plant.

The goal of this investment is to consolidate Valio's entire cheese production process under one roof at the Joensuu plant by 2027. 

The new maturation warehouse is currently being constructed adjacent to the existing Joensuu production plant. It will be equipped with advanced automation technology to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs. The upgrade also aims to optimise the use of all cheese processing by-products.

Currently producing one-third of all Valio cheeses, the Joensuu production plant receives milk from 800 dairy farms located mainly in North Karelia, a region in eastern Finland. The plant’s annual production volume is approximately 25 million kg of cheese blocks, consumer packaged cheeses, cream cheeses and milk powders. In the future, processed cheese will also be produced at the plant.