Fennoaqua’s Procurement Manager Marika Siivola and Procurement Coordinator Kai Kanervala ensure that production has enough raw materials, that they are of good quality and that their prices are competitive.

”Procurement sources raw materials according to the wishes of product development and possibly sales, based on our market survey and always taking into account the experiences from production. Procurement is responsible for negotiating contracts and prices, organising the timely delivery and ensuring the quality of the raw materials supplied. Lots of analyses are carried out according to a rigorous protocol. Most of the raw materials are kept in quarantine storage during the analyses before being used in production”, says Siivola.

Procurement maintains contacts with several different suppliers.

“Occasionally, one supplier may have problems supplying us with enough material. Then we need to have good relations with another supplier to find a substitute for the raw material in question”, says Kanervala.

Responsible sourcing policy at the heart of Fennoaqua

Responsible sourcing and procurement policies for suppliers and raw materials are essential to Fennoaqua. Supplier audits are increasingly focusing on sustainability.

“Whenever possible, the raw materials we source are certified. For example, all fish-based raw materials are made from sustainably fished fish. Soy-based raw materials are ProTerra-certified and responsibly produced. We only use non-GMO (non-genetically modified) raw materials. We conduct salmonella analyses frequently, as we have zero salmonella tolerance in Finland”, Siivola lists.

Procurement also plays a significant role in authorities’ annual audits and certification audits by third parties. For example, Fennoaqua has been awarded the Global GAP certification, which assures that our feeds are produced sustainably, considering worker, environmental, and animal welfare issues.

For the first time, Fennoaqua’s operations have been subject to carbon footprint calculations, which are heavily influenced by the raw materials used. The sustainability report calculates emissions and emission factors for feed production and raw materials.

“For example, where possible, we try to avoid sourcing raw materials from long distances if we can substitute them with raw materials available at a reasonable price from sources closer to us.”

You can read the Sustainability Report for 2023 here.

Marika Siivola is responsible for sourcing at Fennoaqua

Procurement Manager Marika Siivola says that a day at the procurement department involves purchases, monitoring market data, and problem-solving.

“We oversee everything related to raw materials, including coordination and communication. We maintain close contact daily with different parties, both within our organisation and outside – with raw material suppliers, transport providers, laboratories, samplers, and authorities. There’s hardly a day that goes exactly as I planned it in the morning – something always comes up”, Siivola laughs.

Siivola started at Fennoaqua in 2007, but before that, she had already spent a few summers in Raisio working various summer jobs.

“I came here straight from school, and this is where I put down my roots. I’ve always done procurement work in the feed business. I still find myself here after 17 years because I’ve always enjoyed my work and working with my colleagues,” says Siivola.

The scope of work in procurement is vast, varied and exciting, and Siivola’s responsibilities have changed many times over the years.

“I used to buy raw materials for several feed mills formerly owned by Raisio Group as part of its procurement team, but nowadays, I focus on raw material and packaging material procurement for the Fennoaqua fish feed mill with Kai. He joined our procurement team last autumn, which was an excellent decision. I think we have become quite the dynamic duo! Fennoaqua’s team has always been on top of its game, and we have an exceptionally good working atmosphere.”

Kai Kanervala manages the raw materials in addition to sourcing

Kai Kanervala’s title is Procurement Coordinator, but he also handles other matters related to raw materials.

“I place orders for raw and packaging materials and coordinate their delivery to the factory. I also deal with other things that have to do with raw materials or our warehouse staff, such as inventories and shift lists, and ensure that we have functional and safe tools. Marika does the contracts and negotiations with suppliers, as well as all the “boring” stuff like reporting and preparing for certifications.”

Kanervala’s normal working day consists mostly of spending time at the computer or on the phone, in meetings, and writing emails.

“We share the same office with our product development, so there are four of us here. The close cooperation works very well and helps us to get things done faster.”

Kanervala first came to Raisio in 2005.

“During summers and as a stand-in, I worked as a forklift driver, a bagger, and a loader operator for the now defunct farm feed production. I travelled the world for five years until 2016 when I signed a permanent contract working with raw materials. Our cooperation with Marika was already smooth back then, so when I was asked in the autumn of 2023 if I would like to join Marika in procurement, I didn’t need to think twice.”

Kanervala also thanks the cooperation with Alltech Coppens.

“It has been great to see how we have been able to help each other, for example, in terms of working methods. Through Alltech Coppens, we have learned more about raw materials, and research is ongoing. They also helped us when we changed our ERP system, as they were already familiar with the new system.”