Gold&Green Foods

What Gold&Green Foods does

Gold&Green Foods operates as a plant-based food brand wholly owned by Valio Oy, Finland's largest dairy cooperative (founded 1905). The company was established in 2015 by founders Maija Itkonen, Reetta Kivelä and Zhongqing Jiang as Valio's strategic entry point into the plant-based protein category. Gold&Green produces a portfolio of meat-alternative products manufactured from Finnish-grown legumes (fava beans, peas) and oats using proprietary processing methods that deliver meat-like textures and flavor absorption. The product range spans ready meals (Tikka Masala, Thai Curry, Marry Me Pasta), core protein substitutes (Nyhtökaura pulled oats, Delikaura marinated proteins, Mureat ja mehevät suikaleet tender strips), a soy-free tofu (Härkäpapu-Kaura Tofu), and plant-based frankfurters (Vegenakki in Frankfurter and Chorizo variants). The Härkis fava-bean sub-brand was integrated into Gold&Green in 2025, consolidating Valio's plant-based portfolio.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer brand via Valio's established retail distribution network, with products available in Finnish grocery stores and supermarkets. Several products carry the Sydänmerkki (Finnish Heart Symbol) certification for better fat and salt profiles. The customer base targets two primary segments: health-conscious flexitarian consumers seeking meat substitutes within regular cooking routines, and Finnish home cooks prioritizing domestically sourced plant-based proteins. A secondary segment comprises foodservice operators in restaurants and institutional kitchens. Marketing leverages Valio's digital infrastructure including the valio.fi recipe platform, email newsletters (Viikkokirje weekly letter and Pullaposti baking letter), and social sharing capabilities across WhatsApp, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

The revenue model is retail product sales through Finnish grocery channels, with no publicly disclosed pricing or revenue figures. Geographic operations are confined to Finland (single-country market), and there is no public listing, venture capital involvement, or independent financial reporting. Headquarters are in Helsinki. The company benefits from Valio's parent-company advantages in distribution, procurement, manufacturing scale, and brand credibility, while assuming a focused niche role within Valio's broader dairy-centric portfolio.

Name

Gold&Green Foods

Legal name

Gold&Green (brand/trademark owned by Valio Oy)

Website

https://goldandgreenfoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gold&Green Foods is a plant-based food brand owned by Finnish dairy cooperative Valio Oy, producing ready meals, protein substitutes, soy-free tofu, and vegan sausages from Finnish-grown legumes and oats, distributed through Finnish retail grocery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Gold&Green generates revenue through the sale of plant-based food products including ready meals, protein substitutes (minced, shredded, strips), tofu, and frankfurters through retail grocery channels in Finland.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gold&Green Foods manufactures and sells plant-based food products under the Gold&Green brand, including ready meals (Tikka Masala, Thai Curry with rice), pulled oats (Nyhtökaura), marinated plant proteins (Delikaura), soy-free tofu made from fava beans and oats, pea-protein frankfurters and chorizo (Vegenakki), and meat-style strips. Products are formulated from Finnish-grown oats and legumes and are distributed through Valio's Finnish grocery retail network.

Product overview

Gold&Green is a plant-based food brand by Valio offering a comprehensive portfolio of ready meals, pulled oat products (Nyhtökaura), marinated plant proteins (Delikaura), fava bean-oat tofu alternatives, vegan sausages (Vegenakki), and versatile meat-style strips (Mureat ja mehevät suikaleet). The Härkis sub-brand, featuring fava bean-based products, is now integrated into the Gold&Green family. The brand focuses on Finnish domestic legumes and oats, with several products carrying the Heart Symbol (Sydänmerkki) certification for better nutritional choice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Härkis®: Plant-based protein products made from Finnish legumes and oats, including härkäpapumurska (fava bean crush), kaurajauhis (oat mince), and härkäpapusuikale (fava bean strips). Now integrated into Gold&Green family.
• Nyhtökaura®
• Delikaura®
• Vegenakki®

Products and services

• Gold&Green Tikka Masala ja riisi (Plant-based Tikka Masala with rice) Plant-based ready meal featuring Gold&Green protein in a creamy Tikka Masala sauce served with rice. Aimed at consumers seeking convenient, flavorful weeknight dinners. Carries the Sydänmerkki (Heart Symbol) certification.
• Gold&Green Thai Curry ja riisi (Plant-based Thai Curry with rice) Plant-based ready meal featuring Gold&Green protein in a warming Thai Curry sauce served with rice. Targeted at consumers wanting a quick, flavorful plant-based dinner. Carries the Sydänmerkki (Heart Symbol) certification.
• Gold&Green Nyhtökaura (Pulled Oats) Classic plant-based cooking product made from oats and legumes, with a texture that browns on the pan and absorbs flavors. Contains fiber, iron, and protein. Awarded the Sydänmerkki (Heart Symbol). Designed as a direct meat substitute in home recipes.
• Gold&Green Nyhtökaura Mexico Mexican-spiced variant of the classic pulled oat product, pre-seasoned for use in tacos, wraps, and Mexican-style dishes.
• Gold&Green Nyhtökaura Tomaatti Tomato-flavored variant of the classic pulled oat product, pre-seasoned for Italian-style and Mediterranean dishes.
• Gold&Green Delikaura Pre-marinated convenient plant protein with intense flavors and a soft texture. Suitable for woks, toasts, salads, and tacos. Contains fiber, iron, and low saturated fat. Targeted at consumers wanting quick, flavorful plant-based meals.
• Gold&Green Härkäpapu-Kaura Tofu (Fava Bean-Oat Tofu) A novel tofu made from fava beans and oats, containing no soy. Ready-to-use without pressing or drying. Provides 14g of plant protein per 100g. Targeted at consumers seeking a soy-free plant-protein alternative for Asian-style and everyday cooking.
• Gold&Green Vegenakki Frankfurter Artisan-style plant-based frankfurter made from pea protein. Gluten-free, high in protein, with soft fat and an edible plant-based casing. Awarded the Sydänmerkki (Heart Symbol).
• Gold&Green Vegenakki Chorizo Plant-based chorizo-style sausage made from pea protein with artisan character. Targeted at consumers wanting flavorful plant-based alternatives for pizza, tapas, and Mediterranean dishes.
• Gold&Green Mureat ja mehevät suikaleet — Paprika (Tender & Juicy Strips, Paprika) Plant-based strips with paprika seasoning, designed to be used like chicken strips for quick, delicious home cooking.
• Gold&Green Mureat ja mehevät suikaleet — Valkosipuli (Tender & Juicy Strips, Garlic) Plant-based strips with garlic seasoning, designed to be used like chicken strips for quick weeknight cooking.
• Gold&Green Mureat ja mehevät suikaleet — Original (Tender & Juicy Strips, Original) Original unflavored plant-based strips intended as a versatile chicken-strip substitute for salads, stir-fries, and pasta.
• Gold&Green Härkis (fava bean crush, oat mince, fava bean strips, fava bean crumble) Fava-bean-based product line including härkäpapumurska (fava bean crush), kaurajauhis (oat mince), härkäpapusuikale (fava bean strips), and härkäpapumuru (fava bean crumble), now integrated under the Gold&Green brand. Targeted at consumers wanting domestic legume-based protein alternatives.
• Valio Gold&Green Marry Me Pasta Plant-based pasta ready meal featuring Gold&Green products in a creamy sauce.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple products carry the Sydänmerkki (Heart Symbol) certification, indicating heart-healthy formulation per Finnish nutritional standards.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Beyond Meat: US-listed plant-based meat alternatives company selling burgers, strips, and sausages globally. Directly comparable as a branded plant-based protein manufacturer targeting retail and foodservice, though at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Oatly: Swedish-origin oat-based food and beverage company. Highly comparable as a Nordic plant-based brand built around oats with strong retail presence across Europe, though Oatly focuses on dairy alternatives rather than meat analogues.
• Impossible Foods: US-based plant-based meat company (burgers, sausages, chicken) expanding into European retail. Directly comparable product portfolio (meat alternatives with soy/legume protein) and similar retail GTM motion.
• Quorn: UK-based mycoprotein-based meat alternative brand with broad retail penetration in Europe. Comparable as a packaged plant-based protein manufacturer selling to mainstream grocery consumers.
• Rügenwalder Mühle: German meat processor that pivoted to plant-based alternatives (vegan sausages, cold cuts, minced). Comparable as a European meat-replacement manufacturer that transitioned heritage food credentials into the plant-based category.

Regional players

• HKScan: Nordic meat company (Kariniemen, Scan, Rakvere brands) that has launched plant-based ranges. Comparable as a Northern European incumbent food manufacturer diversifying into plant-based protein for the same regional retail customers.
• Paulig: Finnish family-owned food company (coffee, World Foods, snacks) that has expanded into plant-based foods. Comparable as a fellow Finnish-origin branded food company competing for the same Finnish consumer and grocery shelf space.

Others

• Valio Oy: Parent company of Gold&Green. Included as the parent/strategic operator providing distribution, manufacturing, and brand infrastructure — relevant for understanding the structural support and constraints on Gold&Green's growth path.

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Garden Gourmet: Nestlé's plant-based brand offering burgers, grounds, and tenders across European retail. Comparable plant-based protein portfolio and mass-market grocery GTM, but operating as part of Nestlé's broader CPG portfolio.

Emerging players

• Plenty Reasons: Nordic emerging plant-based protein company (originally Finnish-developed) producing meat alternatives from sustainable ingredients. Comparable as a smaller regional plant-based protein brand targeting similar health-conscious Nordic consumers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/goldngreenfoods
• Facebookfacebook.com/goldandgreen2020

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gold&Green Foods