& PEOPLE MARJA BOTHNIA BERRIES
Nestled in the Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage area, Marja Bothnia Berries is renowned for honouring the authentic flavours of Nordic berries. From the tanginess of its Lingonberries to the rich sweetness of its bilberries, every Marja Bothnia berry is hand-picked with care and quickly frozen to retain its delicious flavour. Meanwhile, the company abides by its own sustainability commitments to avoid harming the environment within which its produce grows so fruitfully. Export Manager Matias Kantola explored this commitment further, during an in-depth interview with Imogen Ward.
When it comes to wild berries, Finland-based Marja Bothnia Berries is an expert. Proud to rely on 100% uncultivated produce, the greenthumbed supplier operates off foundations that consist of over 40 years’ experience in the berry business.
These strong foundations have ensured Marja Bothnia Berries prioritises ethics and customer relations above all else, and the company’s machinery-free picking is an excellent example of such. From the get-go,
the company has relied upon skilled pickers traversing various landscapes to carefully pick the ripest berries. From Sweden’s pine forests and lichen-covered heaths to Finland’s wetlands, all are left unharmed.
“We endeavour to care for the environment and leave nature as we found it,” explained Export Manager Matias Kantola. “That is why all our berries are picked by hand.”
The company’s pickers travel across the entirety of Finland and northern Sweden to gather the highest quality berries. A task
“In total, 90 per cent of our annual berry intake is harvested by pickers from Thailand,” explained Mr Kantola. “Although we don’t rely on machinery for picking, we eagerly adopt innovative solutions to make the process as comfortable as possible for our pickers.”
which is made easier thanks to the Everyman’s Rights that apply in Sweden and Finland.
“The beauty of the Everyman’s Rights is that anyone can become a picker,” said Mr Kantola. “It makes access to wild berries that much easier and also provides us with an additional unconventional source of produce. Any free picker can bring their harvested berries to one of our purchasing points situated across Finland, where they will be purchased and added to our harvest for that year.”
Picking with care
During the harvesting season, Marja Bothnia Berries relies on a workforce of experienced pickers who fly in from Thailand to get the job done. While working, these pickers receive support from the company, whose mission is to ensure the very best quality crops without compromising on employee wellbeing.
Marja Bothnia Berries has introduced longer picking tools to minimise the time pickers spend bending over, which in turn has impr-oved efficiency and reduced physical strain. The company also pays a fair wage, which covers the typical 60-day harvesting period and equates to more than the average annual wage in Thailand.
cannot work the entire season and have to return home,” continued Mr Kantola.
“We compensate these individuals, to ensure they still receive earnings across the entire period.”
In line with ISO 26000, these employment practices are an essential element of Marja Bothnia Berries’ dedication to social sustainability.
Bountiful wild berries
Thanks to the efforts of its local and seasonal workers, Marja Bothnia Berries offers six different types of berries, which are available in both conventional and organic forms – the latter of which are fully certified
by KRAV and LUOMU. The result is a portfolio of berries that also comply with FSSC 22000 certification.
The company abides by very specific picking guidelines to ensure its organic berries are correctly labelled as such; however, because of the wild growth of the produce, Marja Bothnia Berries can guarantee some of the cleanest berries on the market, regardless of their label. This is a big plus over other market alternatives which often rely on harmful pesticides, result in soil degradation and require significant irrigation to ensure successful crops.
“Due to their wild nature, our berries are not cultivated in any way or exposed to any form of chemical treatment,” revealed Mr Kantola.
“That is why, in my opinion, customers appreciate our berries.”
Once picked, the berries are then quickly transported by RH Trans Oy, Marja Bothnia Berries’ logistics subsidiary, to the parent company’s facilities. There, they are quick-frozen to preserve their flavour and nutritional value, before being cleaned according to customer call-offs with a capacity up to 5,000kg/hour.
This meticulous process is applied to many of the berry lines, including Lingonberries, the company’s most popular offering, which are harvested in August and September and account for a large portion of the company’s annual production. Similarly, another customer favourite is bilberries, picked in large amounts, and appreciated because of their delicious flavour and natural health benefits.
With additional options such as cloudberries and crowberries also on offer, Marja Bothnia Berries provides a diverse selection of delights, ensuring its wild-grown produce remain a top choice for healthconscious consumers.
A sustainable future
The company also produces a range of NFC juices and purees. These juices are manufactured using those berries that fall short of Marja Bothnia Berries’ stringent quality standards.
“This is an incredibly exciting venture that started full production this year,” said Mr Kantola. “It is a really important development for us as we seek to minimise our waste output as much as possible. With the implementation of this new line, our waste is now limited to forest material.”
This is not the only new development occurring at Marja Bothnia Berries’ facility in 2025; the company is also working to upgrade its packaging lines to further enhance its offering to the bakery sector. For example, adding in a range of 2.5kg options to its line of 10kg box and 25kg paper sacks.
“We operate several packing lines in our factory, including a 10-kilo box line specifically designed for smaller orders from bakeries and commercial kitchens,” explained Mr Kantola. “This year, we are focused on optimising this line to enhance production efficiency and provide our customers with the best possible service. We aim to have a large portion of
these upgrades complete before the end of the year.”
Already operating carbon neutral facilities, this upgrade is set to further improve Marja Bothnia Berries’ impact on the planet.
Some of the ways in which the company has achieved this crucial green status, includes proudly relying on 100% renewable energy. Not only does Marja Bothnia Berries have its own solar panels, but it also purchases wind powered green energy to cover the rest of its requirements.
As it continues to operate with a focus on sustainability, Marja Bothnia Berries intends to enhance this aspect of its operations even further in the future.
“We bring people and nature together; that is unlikely to change any time soon,” said Mr Kantola, in conclusion. “Although the future remains uncertain, we are continually dedicated to enhancing our production line with new technological advancements that further enhance our efficiency.
It is through this ongoing dedication to progress that we can ensure the highest quality berries with the smallest environmental footprint.”
