Premia to expand its dairy product range in Estonia with Väike Tom curd snacks

Food Union Group company Premia, the oldest and largest Estonian ice cream producer that marks its 65th anniversary this year, is venturing into the dairy market by launching curd snacks under its Väike Tom brand, so far known for its ice cream portfolio. This is one among many Food Union Group’s strategic steps to enter Estonian dairy market. The new curd snacks contain no preservatives, artificial colorants, vegetable fats or palm oil, and come packaged in environment-friendly packaging made by 50% of certified bio-based material.

“Little Tom’s (English for Väike Tom) thirst for adventure and cheerfulness characterize the essence of the curd snacks, which is why this blond boy, who has been entertaining, for more than 20 years now, children and adults who love ice cream, is now spearheading a completely new product category. The result is exactly what we wanted: a popular curd snack made from natural components, with a minimum number of ingredients and a pleasant, delicate texture,” Premia CEO Aivar Aus described the new snacks.

The cocoa-glazed Väike Tom curd snacks are available in four different flavors: curd snack with ice cream flavor, curd snack with banana flavor, vanilla curd snack with chocolate chips, and chocolate curd snack with chocolate chips. Premia uses natural flavors and additives to achieve a special taste, for instance, genuine banana additive and chocolate chips. The curd snacks are coated with cocoa glaze made of ingredients commonly used in home cooking, such as cocoa, butter and sugar.

The snacks’ packaging is made of an ISCC-certified material that is 50% bio-based. Since the packaging material is by 50% made of a renewable natural resource – waste from the wood processing industry, it is a more sustainable alternative to conventional packaging.

“This is one among many Food Union Group’s strategic steps to capitalize on Estonian dairy market. In Estonia, as in Latvia, the culture of consuming high-quality and fresh dairy products is widespread, and curd snacks are not new as a category. We are already leading the curd snack category with Kārums produce, while our Väike Tom products come in as a unique combination of clean recipes, excellent taste combinations and sustainable packaging in this saturated product category. We will not stop with it, soon we plan to delight Estonian consumers with other delicious and healthy dairy products,” Normunds Stanevics, Food Union Group CEO comments plans for expansion in the dairy market.

The new Väike Tom curd snacks are sold at COOP, Selver, Rimi, Maxima and Prisma stores across Estonia.

ABOUT PREMIA TKH

AS Premia Tallinna Külmhoone was established in 1956, in 2020 the company was a convincing leader on the Estonian ice cream market with a market share of 39%. Premia’s brands Eriti Rammus and Väike Tom are the top favorites with ice cream lovers in Estonia. The company is part of the international Food Union Group, which includes the leading ice cream and dairy producers in the Baltics, Denmark, Norway, Romania, Russia and Belarus.

ABOUT FOOD UNION

Food Union is currently the leading ice cream producer in the Baltics and Denmark, and the group holds a strong market position in Norway, Romania, Russia and Belarus. A leading, innovative consumer goods company, Food Union develops local brands and delivers delightful products in the premium snacking, ice-cream and dairy categories.

 Food Union is a dynamic player in the European dairy and ice cream sector. It paved the way by developing and focusing on the acquisition of leading national brands across Europe. The Group is made up of two of the largest dairy and ice-cream companies in Latvia – Rīgas piena kombināts and Valmieras piens. The Group also includes Estonia’s and Lithuania’s largest ice cream makers Premia TKH and Premia KPC, the leading Danish ice cream producer Premier Is and Danish doorstep-delivery ice cream company Hjem-Is Danmark, Norway’s ice cream company Isbjørn Is and doorstep-delivery ice cream company Den Norske Isbilen, Romanian ice cream maker Alpin 57 Lux, ice cream company Ingman Ice Cream in Belarus, and ice cream company Khladokombinat No.1 in Russia.

Food Union Group is backed by Hong Kong-based investment company Meridian Capital Limited, and one of Asia’s largest private capital firms, PAG.