Valio蔚优
From Finnish fields to Chinese shelves
Finland’s leading milk processor wanted to move from selling to businesses in China to selling to shoppers. We placed its new sub-brand, eila, in the premium dairy market, gave it a Chinese name, and designed everything from the logo to the pack.
Sub-brand: eilaFrom B2B to B2C85%
of Finland’s milk production goes through Valio
eila
a new sub-brand built for Chinese consumers
B2B → B2C
the shift Valio set out to lead in China
Logo to pack
one visual identity system, with a Chinese logo
Finland The parent brand
A Finnish dairy giant, new to the Chinese shopper
Valio is Finland’s leading milk processor and one of the country’s best-known companies. It makes cheese, butter, yogurt, milk, and powdered ingredients.
In China it had worked mostly B2B. The goal now was to move into consumer dairy with a sub-brand made for China, called eila, that could hold its own in the premium category.
Our part covered brand analysis, positioning, naming, and the full visual identity.
At home
85%
of Finland’s milk production is processed by Valio. That heritage had to travel with eila.
Positioning The map
Finding the spot between bland and loud
We started with the competition. We studied the premium dairy field in China and where Valio already stood in it.
Then we mapped where eila should sit. Some territories felt too mainstream. Others felt too extreme. We picked a spot in between, one that could talk to outgoing and quieter shoppers alike.
That position kept Valio’s heritage in view and matched what Chinese buyers look for in a premium dairy brand.
On the positioning map
Too mainstream
Territory where eila would blend into the category. We kept clear of it.
Where eila sits
Premium and approachable, with room for extroverted and introverted shoppers.
Too extreme
The far end of the map, where a premium dairy brand would push shoppers away. We kept clear of that, too.
Identity Name and look
A Chinese name, then a full wardrobe
With the position settled, we moved to localization. Next came a Chinese name for eila that people could say and remember, and then the identity system the brand would wear in market.
Naming
A Chinese name
Localized, resonant, and easy to recognize.
Logo
A CN logo
The anchor of the visual identity system.
Packaging
On the shelf
The identity carried onto the packs.
Applications
Everywhere else
A wide set of applications, from the brand book to posters like this one.
Market entry Results
A sub-brand that arrived fully dressed
Valio made a confident entry into China’s consumer dairy market, with eila ready on every surface. To Chinese shoppers it reads as premium, and it still carries everything that makes Valio, Valio.
eila
A sub-brand built for China
Premium dairy, aimed at consumers
Named
A localized Chinese name
Resonant and recognizable
CN logo
A complete visual identity
A Chinese logo and the system around it
Packaging
And a wide set of applications
Ready before the brand reached market
What carries over
Map before you name
The positioning work told us what the name had to carry. Naming came second for a reason.
Build a brand for China
A sub-brand made for Chinese shoppers let Valio speak to them directly, with its heritage as backup.
Arrive dressed
Logo, packaging, and applications were ready together, so the brand looked finished from its first day.
Services delivered
- Brand Experience
- Brand Strategy
- Design
- Naming
- Packaging
- Visual Identity
About the data: the 85% share of Finland’s milk production comes from Valio’s own profile. The rest of this case describes the strategy and design work we delivered for eila. It doesn’t cover sales results, budgets, or commercial terms.
Let’s talk
Launching a brand or a sub-brand in China?
Tell us what the brand stands for at home and who you want to reach here. Real people read it, and real people write back.
