Dr. Oetker Stories

Record sales for bitter almond flavor - Runeberg Day in Finland

Finland has a special holiday: every year on February 5, the Finns celebrate the birthday of their national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804-1877). Around Runeberg Day, a product from the Dr. Oetker Finland range is very popular with consumers.

Record sales for bitter almond flavor - Runeberg Day in Finland

5.2.2024 Company and Culture

Runeberg's best-known work is the text for the Finnish national anthem. With this and other works, he became the country's most famous poet.  However, it is not only he but also his wife who is popular, as the so-called Runeberg tartlets can be traced back to her.

 

A black and white photo from Johan Ludvig Runeberg and his wife

Johan Ludvig Runeberg with his wife Fredrika Charlotta Runeberg.

The tartelets come in many sizes and shapes, mostly cylindrical, and are very popular in a muffin tin.

Dr. Oetker tartlets with jam

Runeberg cakes in their typical shape and with typical decoration of icing and raspberry jam.

Bitter almond flavor with heel high 

One product in the Dr. Oetker Finland range is very popular around Runeberg Day, as it is a must-have in the preparation of Runeberg tartlets: Bitter almond flavoring! Almost 90 percent of annual sales of the flavoring are made during this time - after all, Finnish baking enthusiasts attach great importance to quality and use only the best ingredients for their homemade Runeberg tartlets. The Dr. Oetker Suomi range contains a total of six of these ingredients: bitter almond flavoring, almond flour, baking powder, rum flavoring, icing and chopped almonds. Raspberry jam is also essential for the Runebergintorttu.

Dr. Oetker Finland  

In Finland, our sales office is located in Helsinki and the company Dr. Oetker Suomi Oy was founded in 1996. From here, 18 employees currently coordinate the distribution of around 210 different Dr. Oetker products for the Finnish market. The wide variety of products mainly includes baking ingredients, decorative items, desserts, muesli and frozen pizzas. In addition, an extensive repertoire of recipes offers benefits for consumers - not only on the occasion of Runeberg Day