Härkis facts for kids
Härkis is a popular food product from Finland. It is made mostly from fava beans, which are also called broad beans. This tasty food is a great source of vegetable protein from plants.
You can buy Härkis ready to eat. Many people use it in their cooking instead of minced meat. It's a good choice for those who want to eat less meat.
The name "Härkis" comes from the Finnish word for fava bean, which is "härkäpapu." It's a shorter, friendlier way to say it!
Contents
The Story of Härkis
Härkis first came out in September 2016. People quickly started to like plant-based foods. Because of this, Härkis soon appeared in many restaurants and grocery stores.
Why Härkis Was Created
The company that makes Härkis, Verso Food, wanted to create a new food. Their CEO, Tarja Ollila, said that many people wanted to eat less red meat. But they didn't want to use soy from other countries. So, they looked for a local, eco-friendly option. They found the perfect solution in Finnish fava beans!
New Härkis Products
In early 2017, Härkis released new versions. They launched two kinds of Härkis that were already seasoned. They also introduced three types of Härkis steaks.
Härkis Goes Global
In March 2019, Härkis started selling its products in Japan. Three different Härkis products were launched there. These included Härkis Original and Härkis Tex Mex. They also made a special Härkis Ethnic Curry just for the Japanese market. About 400 stores in big cities like Tokyo and Osaka began selling Härkis.
Company Changes and Growth
Also in March 2019, a company from Norway called Kavli decided to buy Verso Food. Verso Food is the company that makes Härkis. Later in 2019, a new factory for Härkis opened in Kauhava, Finland.
In summer 2019, Verso Food launched a new product line. It was called Beanit. These products were made from striped fava beans. They came in three flavors: plain, lemon, and garlic with herbs. Unlike other Härkis products, Beanit is made from ground beans. Other Härkis foods are made from whole fava beans.
In 2021, a big food company called Raisio Oyj bought Verso Food from Kavli.
Other Plant-Based Foods
In the late 2010s, many other plant-based foods came out in Finland. These foods are often used instead of minced meat. Some popular ones include:
- Nyhtökaura from Gold & Green Foods
- Elovena Muru kaurajauhis from Raisio
- Sirkkis from Entomophagy Solutions Oy (this one uses insect protein!)
There is also a milk protein product called Mifu from Valio.
