Hi all,

Time for me (Hugo) to share my latest experience with you! Since last time I’ve left Finland and Agro Oy, had a nice summer vacation and then moved to Copenhagen to join UBI (Unibake International). A few weeks into this project and it feels as if I’m beginning to get my speed up with the project and getting to know the city. Actually, have already bought a bike and weared it out, had it repaired and collected it, so it feels as if I’m a true Copenhagian already!

My project at Agro Oy was to look into the seed business and where to produce and pack it. Now at UBI, my project is also focusing at seeds but this time seeds that go on top of the Danish rye bread, and not seeds that are sown in the Finnish fields. More specific, my project is part of Unibakes overall procurement strategy and in order to align the Nuts & Seeds category with that strategy some analysis needs to be made – that’s where I come into the equation! So far that has led to some deep dive in spend data and to reach out to colleagues and suppliers. Also, especially in the role as a trainee rotating within the group, it is really interesting looking from a “helicopter view” identifying other parts in the Lantmännen Group were we procure similar products and where we could find potential synergies.

But, even if the office is great there’s also a lot going on in the rest of the city. For example, this week a big running event took place where pretty much all companies from CPH participate. A great event where you team up with 4 other colleagues and run a relay (5×5 km), and then hang out by the tent with the rest of your colleagues, grill some burgers and drink some Tuborg while cheering at the passing runners. Fun thing!

Finally, even if it’s still the beginning of this fourth period, it is quickly approaching the end of this trainee program. Thinking back to a year ago when starting this program I really thought I would have figured out what I wanted to do by now, but after three great projects and one going in the same directions, i must say it will be difficult to decide!

Well, next time we meet we’ll know, exciting!

Until then,

Hugo

Hi again everyone!!

Since last time I’ve been to really interesting and exiting events! Last week I participated at Handelsrådets workshop about innovation in retail, where people both from the industry, the government and academia joined to discuss the future within retail. The dynamic group really generated good and interesting discussions with many different perspectives – it’s really interesting to be a part of discussions where the competences are so different. The discussed topic’s was about a seamless commerce, sustainability and also the need of raising the importance of retail in our society. The trade sector accounts for 11% of Sweden’s GDP and 1 of 5 young and foreign born get their first job within the retail sector, which means that this sector is an important employer in social perspective. This can give us an issue when the new digital technologies are introduced to our market, what will the first jobs be then?

The day after I joined Matdagen 2019 which is a day hosted by Livsmedelsföretagen who is a branch organization for the food industry in Sweden. The focus area for this year’s event was public health. What can the industry do to contribute to good healthy lifestyles, spread evidence-based knowledge about food and health, create more food joy and simply help people feel better?

One exciting thing during the day was the award of the prize “Food Exporter of the Year” where Viking Malt was the winners who is partly owned by Lantmännen. Viking Malt has an export share of 80 % and annually exports 600 000 ton Swedish malt to breweries and distilleries worldwide.

In between the exiting events I’m still mapping up the value chain for oats – it is incredible how much you can do with oats and how many health benefits there are with oats.

Have a great week everyone and until next post, eat some oats – it’s good for you!

Best Regards,
Moa

PS. Did you know that the Food industry is the third biggest industry in Sweden?

Hello  everyone!

Since last time I have finished my last project for Swecon Baltics where I made a suggestion of a process of how to work with prizing of spare parts. I learned plenty during my time there, both about different way of working with prizing, the difficulties of having the right price when you hare hundreds of thousands different spare parts, and also the cultural differences between the three countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In other words – a great project!

Now I’m sitting at the strategic department in Stockholm HQ where I currently look at the value chain of oats within Lantmännen. Plenty is happening within oats in the food industry so it’s a very hot topic here at Lantmännen. So far, I‘ve had the great opportunity to attend external meetings which have given me insight in how to work with strategic questions, also on how decisions are made. As the business plans for the different businesses in Lantmännen are set during this time of the year, I also learn about that process – really interesting!

Last evening there was an Afterwork at the HQ office with a music quiz – great fun it was!

Until next time!

/Moa