Finnish dairy Valio today (27 August) outlined the impact on jobs at four of its sites as a result of Russia’s ban on EU dairy products.

The firm said negotiations, which ended today, were held with 800 staff.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

At the Lappeenranta offices, 13 staff have been laid off, while seven fixed-term roles will not be extended.

At Valio’s Vantaa cheese factory, 21 staff will lose their jobs. Another 47 temporary contracts will not be extended. Six staff are due to retire next month.

Valio’s Seinajoki plant, which produces butter, will not lay off any of the 380 staff but 50 temporary contracts will not be extended.

Some 16 jobs will also be axed at the company’s Haapaveden factory, which produces the Premier Oltermanni cheeses. A further 22 fixed-term contracts will also be terminated.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Valio said it would “re-evaluate the situation” when the Russian import restrictions “are removed”.

Last week Moscow announced an easing of the ban, which now excludes lactose-free milk, a move welcomed by Valio. Other products excluded from the ban included salmon and trout hatchlings, potato and onion seeds, plus sugar maize hybrid and peas for planting.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact