Lantmännen Unibake FIBAL Frozen reduces salt levels together with big fast-food chain

  |  Sustainability
1 min reading

In a joint effort, Lantmännen Unibake FIBAL Frozen and Hesburger have successfully launched improved fast-food hamburger buns with less salt. Since the lowering of salt content was not noticeable in the taste of the final product, the decision to proceed to buns containing less salt was easy.

Hesburger is a fast-food chain originally based in Turku, Finland. The restaurant chain operates in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, and Bulgaria. 

Less than a year ago, Lantmännen Unibake FIBAL Frozen approached Hesburger – one of their biggest customers in the region – and asked them if they wanted to join them in a common effort to reduce salt levels in their fast-food products. As we all know, too much salt has a negative impact on public health. Of course, Hesburger said yes. Hesburger is also working on their own sustainability agenda, so reducing salt levels in their hamburger buns fits perfectly with their ambitions.  

Lantmännen Unibake FIBAL Frozen and Hesburger decided to reduce the salt levels of the burger buns by 10 %. The estimate is that the total volume of products will contain approximately 2,200 kilograms less salt annually. 

“Hesburger launched the improved products in the beginning of 2024, and they received no negative feedback,” says Katja Häkkä, Innovation Manager at Lantmännen Unibake FIBAL Frozen.  

“We see that the final product still has as much taste as before because of all the other delicious ingredients in the burger. We are satisfied that the project was successful,” says Head of the Product Development and Quality at Hesburger, Satu Kanerva. 

A strong value proposition 
Prior to the decision to reduce salt levels, Lantmännen Unibake FIBAL Frozen did a lot of testing to make sure that the quality of the products was as good as originally. Hesburger did their own testing, and they were also happy with the results. Katja Häkkä adds that Lantmännen Unibake FIBAL Frozen has reduced salt levels in their own portfolio of fast-food products with similar success. 

“I think the timing is right for making these kinds of changes into our products. Companies who are willing to reduce salt and fat levels are working actively to improve public health,” Katja Häkkä ends. 

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See Hesburger’s sustainability page.