Finnforel appoints Mikko Karell as CEO

Karell joins Finnforel with more than 25 years of experience in international food and consumer business. Over the course of his career, he has led growth companies, executed demanding business transformations, built international brands, and launched several new food concepts. His strengths include strategic business development, commercialization, international growth, and building sustainable food businesses.

The appointment comes at a decisive stage in Finnforel’s development.

In recent years, the company has built a unique and integrated value chain, based on its hatchery in Hatsina and its land-based fish farming using recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology in Varkaus, combined with a high-quality, sustainable consumer product and strong relationships with retailers and wholesale groups. Production quality, biological performance, and operational reliability have improved significantly, and the company is ready to move into its next phase of growth.

Finnforel’s strategic goal is to be a frontrunner in sustainable animal protein.

Global megatrends support this objective more strongly than ever. Consumers, retail, and foodservice operators are increasingly seeking responsibly produced, high-quality protein. At the same time, the importance of food security, supply resilience, and local production is growing worldwide.

The company’s next phase of development will focus on accelerating commercial growth, building international markets, and replicating Finnforel’s production and factory concept in new markets.

Chairman of the Board, Kalle Ruuskanen:
“At this stage, Finnforel needs a leader who simultaneously understands consumers, retail, international business, the food industry, and the building of growth companies. Mikko combines these capabilities in an exceptional way.

Throughout his career, he has demonstrated his ability to generate growth, transform businesses, and create new commercial success stories in the field of sustainable food. We are confident that his expertise will strongly support Finnforel’s next phase of development.

The past few years have been a period of building for the company. We have strengthened our biological expertise, stabilized our production, and laid the foundation for future growth. We are now moving into a phase where commercialization, international expansion, and strategic partnerships will play an increasingly important role.”

CEO Mikko Karell:
“Finnforel is one of the most interesting companies in Europe’s sustainable food system. The company has unique technology, strong expertise, and an ambitious vision. I strongly believe that responsibly produced, high-quality animal protein will be one of the most important growth markets of the future. Finnforel is exceptionally well positioned to lead this development.

The next step is to build even stronger customer- and market-driven growth. We will focus on identifying the markets and customer segments where Finnforel’s offering delivers the greatest value. At the same time, we will lay the foundation for international expansion and for bringing Finnish recirculating aquaculture expertise to new markets.”

Finnforel’s goal is to combine sustainable fish farming, high-quality production, strong customer understanding, and international business in a way that creates new growth both for the company and for the broader sustainable food industry.