Directory

Heinän puutarha in Salo is Finland's largest chilli producer. A family business in operation since 1999, Heinän today grows over 50 different varieties of chilis, ranging from the very mild to extremely hot – as well as varieties of bell peppers. On site the chilis are dried, processed and made into premium spice mixes and a number of others spicy products such as their signature chili chocolate.

Paihalas is a brewery and blender, located in Sodankylä, is the passion project of Samuli Koivistoinen. Having relocated from Helsinki to Lapland, Samuli took the plunge in starting his own small-batch brewery of arctic wild ale. Paihalas oak-aged beers use indigenous yeasts and bacteria, incorporating local groundwater, and wild herbs and berries for flavouring. Paihalas (Páihálâš) means "local" in Inari Sámi, and Samuli strives to keep production and sourcing as local as possible. The brewery is a tribute to the ancient Kemi Sámi culture and Kemi Sámi, which was the main spoken language in Sodankylä until the 1700s.

Temperance Brewing Co is an artisan brewery based in Hämeenlinna, founded by Marietta Kuivanen and Michael Alexander after years spent working with brewing and distilling in Helsinki. The brewery opened in autumn 2024, bringing small-scale beer production back to the city for the first time since the 1990s. Their beers, from Katuma Pilsner to Very Very Fond of Bergamot Double IPA, are naturally carbonated and made with a focus on sourcing ingredients as locally as possible. In their first year, Temperance has been warmly received by the local community and is now planning to open a brewery shop of their own.

Vakka-Taimi is a specialist seedling grower run by Vesa Muurinen. What began as a small hobby nursery has grown into a wide-ranging collection of trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials. Alongside their core nursery work, Vakka-Taimi is actively trialling nut-producing species to see how they perform in the Finnish climate. Testing and observation are a central part of their work. The Muurila gardens, first planted in the early 1990s, now host more than 80 species and are open to visitors. Throughout the year, the garden holds seasonal events such as magnolia, rose and peony days, sharing knowledge and encouraging curiosity around plants that might shape future growing in Finland.