[Help needed]- Brainstorming about the Finnish market

[Ben76]

Hey everybody !

I'm an exchange student studying at Haaga Helia university, and I have received an assignment whose purpose is to work on the local market; here the Finnish one for me.

My subject is this: I have to choose an European product or service (already existing) that would be potentially attractive for the Finnish market. BUT (here it is becoming more complicated), this product or service has to be linked either with:

- a) the digital economy - new technology
- b) sustainable development - protection of the environment - healthy living

I have been living in Helsinki for 7 months and I start knowing several things about the Finnish market, but you would be particularly well placed to know a lot of things !
I would be really interested and glad to get some advice and ideas about it, we could discuss it together if you want to

From your point of view Finns, do you have an idea of product or a concept related to Technologies or Environment that would interest you to have in Finland?
Something that you know it exists or not, it doesn't matter !


I thought about carsharing first, because it is really turned towards environment protection. And the concept is nice, but there are already several companies offering this kind of service in Finland. And there is for example Onnibus, with cheap offers to travel between two cities in Finland: not expensive and effective.
So due to competition, would it be a good idea to work on it ?

I'm looking forwards to hearing from you !

Thank you everybody in advance for your help,

Regards,
Ben

[caster]

European subsidiaries for organic farming

[Rosamunda]

Looking around in the UK last week, I think there are a lot more services for senior citizens there than in Finland. UK pensioners are often quite affluent and prepared to pay for services (from gardening, to food delivery, health and well-being services, etc etc to specially-designed leisure and education activities). So you might want to look around for some ideas in that area.

[Ben76]

Okay Rosamunda I will look at that, interesting yes !

What people would think in Finland about bio products ?
For example, in my home country (France) there is one new concept which is to put in touch the farmers with the customers. It means that, instead of looking for "good products" in supermarkets, you can directly order it from farmers of your area. There are often gatherings organized somewhere in the city, and after your order you pick up your products. You can also discuss with farmers about his activity, where it is etc...

So I was wondering if it could interest Finns ?

[FinnGuyHelsinki]

Okay Rosamunda I will look at that, interesting yes !

What people would think in Finland about bio products ?
For example, in my home country (France) there is one new concept which is to put in touch the farmers with the customers. It means that, instead of looking for "good products" in supermarkets, you can directly order it from farmers of your area. There are often gatherings organized somewhere in the city, and after your order you pick up your products. You can also discuss with farmers about his activity, where it is etc...

So I was wondering if it could interest Finns ?

The egg delivery service Muna Eggs Press has been in the news, which I gather is rather popular, which would indicate people are interested in buying direct. Probably there are other individual examples as well, but I don't know if there is anything that would combine the products/offerings from various suppliers. For me personally, there would have to be an incentive of higher quality considering the price paid, I don't see much sense in paying more than in a supermarket if the product is the exact same thing, even if the money would go directly to the producer. Especially as usually there is (understandably) a minimum purchase amount, limiting the sensible purchases to non-perishables for anyone else than large families (or groups of people buying together) or heavy users of a certain product.

[lovelyjet]

How do you define an European product / service? Is it European brand, invented in Europe, or some specialty product that only exists in Europe?

[Rosamunda]

There are already several organisations in Finland that put people in touch with local producers. eg Slow Food Helsinki and Slow Food Västnyland. There are delivery services from organic farms eg to the Steiner Schools and various other food circles (I can't remember the name). And there are regular farmers' markets nowadays (eg Kalasatama, Uudenmaa (Fiskars) etc) but not in the winter...

But generally speaking, organic products (luomu) are available in the supermarkets (even Lidl) so why bother sourcing direct. I think price is the most important factor for Finns buying food, there are not many people able to pay a premium for local/organic produce.

[Ben76]

Hello everybody !

Before anything else, I apologize for my late answer.
I continued to research for new ideas and I studied the offered ones. I will make a list just below

How do you define an European product / service? Is it European brand, invented in Europe, or some specialty product that only exists in Europe?

Sorry if I wasn't very clear, I meant a product or service which comes from Europe (so a European brand yes)

[Ben76]

So as I said I worked on new ideas and on what you told me.

Here is a list per area, please feel free to make comments. Once again it would help me for my work


* ORGANIC FOOD

- I will start with organic products because we were talking about that in the conversation. (Company -> "La Ruche qui dit oui", I haven't mentioned it before))

I have seen that more and more people are interested in these products for their quality and because you are more confident about where they come from. As you said "FinnGuyHelsinki", there is this growing interest in buying direct.

For me personally, there would have to be an incentive of higher quality considering the price paid, I don't see much sense in paying more than in a supermarket if the product is the exact same thing, even if the money would go directly to the producer. Especially as usually there is (understandably) a minimum purchase amount, limiting the sensible purchases to non-perishables for anyone else than large families (or groups of people buying together) or heavy users of a certain product.

I understand your point of view. If you can find a product in a supermarket, it's obvious that you can buy it directly without "wasting time". Rosamunda, you said the same thing. There are now in the supermarkets those sections dedicated to organic products.
But the choice is limited, and prices are exorbitant. And it's logical because all supermarkets take a percentage on products.

The purpose of this concept is to create this sustainable contacts between producers and customers. People want to eat better, here is one possibility to do it. You can get local products, probably high quality ones and of course of higher quality than most products in supermarket (FinnGuyHelsinki). If you use this system, prices will be lower and money will go the producers, contributing to expand "organic products' network".

But once again, would people make the efforts ? Is it enough interesting ?

I study a little bit potential competitors (Rosamunda), and it's true that SlowFood is the main one. It is known worldwide actually. But they don't offer gatherings as the French company. Those gatherings are all weeks at different places in one city. Here, it is one gathering occasionally so that people can meet producers, try products etc.. Moreover, they can't buy products directly on internet. They can't know what is offered.
So I think this competitor wouldn't be a problem.

The problem comes from a Finnish company called "EkoNu" (http://www.ekonu.fi/)
I don't have the translation on the website, but I have seen that the principle is exactly the same. The creator had the idea during a trip in France, so maybe he took the concept from my company !

So Is it still useful to work on this idea ? knowing that there is this company already established and we are not sure about Finns' expectations for organic products...

[Ben76]

Here are the other options !


* ELECTRICITY

- EXOES
The principle is to recover the heat from the exhaust in order to produce electricity. Then, this electricity is used to feed an electric motor put in the car, bus, tram...
It moves the vehicle forward on the 100 first meters thanks to electricity, and those first 100 meters are the most fuel consuming.

So, you can reduce emissions and protect the environment and at the same time you can save money.
This idea is still under consideration so I don't have the price which is maybe expensive (too onerous?)

- WATTIO
The purpose is related to energy savings. You connect these devices on a plug socket in order to know everything about your energy consumption from your devices at home. You can also control them, such as turning on or off your TV, your light etc... Everything is possible at a distance away, from your mobile phone. There is an application for that with devices.
I thought it could be interesting to install it in cottages. I know Finns love going to their cottage, so maybe before arriving they can "prepare it" in advance.
It is a device for your comfort, but also to save money and to control what is happening in your house when you are not here. If you have children especially.

The problem is the price, 145 euros for the devices and the application on your mobile.
Would you be willing to invest in that ?

- Brightup
Smart lighting system, adapts the light according to how much brightness is needed (weather, daytime, location...)
The control is from your mobile phone as well.

But it is very expensive, 250€.


Moreover, I know that electricity is not expensive in Finland compared to other countries in Europe.
Would it be interesting for Finns ?


* CAR SHARING

- Coovia
A car sharing system for short journeys, very useful for daily journeys for example.
It uses the principle of public transport: the driver defines their journey (from home to work for instance), and people can ask to be picked up on this journey. There are different stops where they wait for the driver.
It could be introduced in the biggest cities here in Finland, such as Helsinki, Tampere, Turku etc...

But I was talking about car sharing with one of my teacher, and she told me Finns are kind of shy and wouldn't be willing to use it everyday.

- I have seen another concept:
People rent their personal car to other people, like a service between neighbors for example.
It's not expensive, but there is already the company called "Kortteliauto" offering the same thing...


* SPECIAL CLOTHES
This one could probably interest a lot of people. I hope so

I know that in Finland there are a lot of mosquitoes, especially during the Summer. But I also know that Finns loved going to their cottage at this moment, where most mosquitoes are.
So there are socks which have been designed by a french company and whose purpose is to repel mosquitoes.
Effects are permanent (even after cleaning), the sock is in white or black, it is comfortable (there is cotton and a kind of sole) and quite nice.

I haven't seen a product like this one which already exists in Finland.



So what do you thing about all these ideas ?

I know there are a lot of things to read, I'm sorry for that !