The recognition highlights Herkkumaa’s long-standing commitment to high-quality product data. This year, particular emphasis was placed on current topics such as packaging materials and product country of origin. Accurate and up-to-date product data is essential for a smooth supply chain and helps meet consumers’ growing information needs.
Herkkumaa has been named GS1 Synkka Product Data Master of the Year 2026. Anni Tsutsunen, Product Data Specialist at Herkkumaa, is responsible for a significant part of the company’s product data management and quality assurance. The recognition highlights the importance of her work and the role high-quality product data plays throughout the supply chain.
“Being named Product Data Master of the Year feels absolutely fantastic! Looking at the previous winners, it’s great to be included among such an impressive group. This recognition gives me even more motivation to continue working with product data”, says Tsutsunen.
Product data plays an important role in the day-to-day operations of a food company. It is needed for sales, retailers’ assortment and shelf planning, and logistics, among other things. Product data also influences consumers’ purchasing decisions and the impression they form of a product.
Incorrect or incomplete data can lead to additional work and costs at various stages of the supply chain. That is why accuracy, up-to-date information and consistency are essential for ensuring smooth operations.
“High-quality product data is important to us because it affects almost every aspect of our business. Good product data management makes everyday work easier, reduces errors and ensures that the right information reaches everyone who needs it”, says Tsutsunen.
At Herkkumaa, ensuring the accuracy and quality of product data is a key part of Tsutsunen’s work. The quality team also supports this work, with collaboration across marketing, sales and other key stakeholders.
The importance of product data is growing as consumers become increasingly interested in product composition, origin and sustainability. Herkkumaa receives consumer feedback and enquiries about product origin almost every week.
Consumers want information about both the country where a product is manufactured and the origin of its raw materials. Reliable, clearly presented information helps consumers make informed purchasing decisions and builds trust in products.
“The country of manufacture alone does not tell the whole story behind a product. Consumers are increasingly interested in where the raw materials come from, too. It is important to us to meet their information needs and ensure that origin information is accurate and clearly presented”, Tsutsunen explains.
The importance of product data is expected to grow further. In addition to consumers’ information needs, changing legislation, such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), introduces new requirements for product data management.
Herkkumaa is currently exploring different product information management systems and assessing how well they would meet the company’s needs. The aim is to evaluate the possibility of managing product data for Finland and Sweden in a shared system as the business grows and its needs evolve.
“We believe the importance of product data will continue to grow. In the future, accuracy, up-to-date information and traceability will become even more important, as will the ability to respond quickly to changing requirements. Product data management is becoming an increasingly important part of a company’s operations and competitiveness”, says Tsutsunen.
According to Tsutsunen, producing high-quality product data does not depend solely on the resources available. What matters most is having an open mind, a willingness to develop ways of working and the motivation to keep improving.
“You can produce high-quality product data even with limited resources. The most important things are an open mind, a willingness to develop your operations and the drive to do things even better. So, be bold and get developing”, Tsutsunen encourages.
For Herkkumaa, the recognition is a welcome acknowledgement of the importance of product data work and an encouragement to continue improving quality and ways of working in the future.
The recognition highlights Herkkumaa’s long-standing commitment to high-quality product data. This year, particular emphasis was placed on current topics such as packaging materials and product country of origin.
Herkkumaa Group Oy has appointed Ilpo Mäkelä as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will assume the position on 17 August 2026.
Herkkumaa’s subsidiary Björnekulla Food AB is pleased to announce the appointment of David Bolin as the new Managing Director, effective 16.3.2026.