With love and quality - this is how ILONA's gluten-free delicacies are made

ILONA, a gluten-free bakery in Lempäälä, has been a pioneer of gluten-free delicacies since 2012. ILONA was born out of a need in the local community when entrepreneur Mira Lindqvist's daughter was diagnosed with a milk and grain allergy in the early 2000s. The cooperation with Virtasalmen Viljatuotte has been going on for years.

Over the years, the home baker developed into a self-taught bakery entrepreneur. "Our philosophy is that we bake as if for our own family. That means developing each product to be as good as possible, without compromising on taste or texture," Mira sums up the philosophy of Leipomo ILONA.

Focus on quality and a wide range

Bakery ILONA's products are sold in retail stores throughout Finland, mainly in Pirkanmaa, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and the Turku region. An important guiding principle for the raw materials used in ILONA's products is that they do not contain gluten-free oats or wheat starch, which makes them suitable for most people on a gluten-free diet and those with cereal allergies.

Despite the higher price of gluten-free ingredients, ILONA focuses on quality and giving customers value for money.- Our bakery offers more than 200 recipes, from sweet to savoury. Some are only available in certain seasons or only directly from the bakery's café shop. Our latest innovation is a gluten-free and vegan pizza base, which is now available in spring 2025 through Kespro and Baron´s Food wholesale distribution," says Mira Lindqvist.

Working together towards more perfect gluten-free baking

The customer relationship with Virtasalmi's Viljatuote started with the use of the basic range of flour blends in buns and doughnuts. "From the beginning, we have valued domestic, high-quality flour blends, and Viljatuote has been able to meet our needs," says Mira.

The collaboration took a significant leap in the spring of 2024, when Mira's tip about a change in the supply of professional flour mixes triggered a new product development project in Virtasalmi. The result was the creation of the Gluten-Free Fine Flour Mix for the bakery industry. The first batch of this new flour blend was put into production already in July 2024 and since then it has been one of the most used raw materials at Bakery ILONA. Its versatility makes it an excellent base for many baked goods and it can be supplemented with other ingredients for specific recipes.

Future prospects and market change

Mira Lindqvist emphasises in her cooperation with Viljatuotte the reliability of orders and deliveries in particular. "It is of primary importance to us that raw material deliveries arrive as planned, thus ensuring uninterrupted production.

The demand for gluten-free products has changed over the years, according to Mira, but is still growing. "Our customer base is very broad, and although the market has changed, the need for quality gluten-free products remains. The recent decrease in the predictability of raw material prices is a challenge.

The change in demand for gluten-free products reflects a general trend towards special diets and increasingly aware consumers. Mira Lindqvst, how does ILONA Bakery plan to meet these challenges and evolve in the future?ILONA is responding to these challenges by continuing to focus on quality and the needs of its customers. Life does not end with a diagnosis, quite the opposite. We hope that when a customer eats Ilona's gluten-free products - life will taste good again! Just like our slogan says!

Gluten-free bakery ILONA

✅ Founded in 2012, operates in Sääksjärvi, Lempäälä
✅ Turnover of approximately 1.3 million euros, employs 13 people
✅ Wide, changing range of savoury and sweet bakery products
✅ Distribution channels include retail stores, wholesalers, restaurants and cafés
✅ Own café-shop in Sääksjärvi