Kesko’s brand Pirkka will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year.
Pirkka is a familiar brand for almost every Finn. Exactly 84 % of Finns are spontaneously recognized as a Pirkka brand, reveal Kesko’s statistics.
Pirkka products began in the 80s when the leader of Kesko’s food group Timo Karake Got the idea: What if Kesko himself made the highest quality but inexpensive products and give them their name? It would bring savings and allow for separation from competitors. Kesko’s government accepted the idea, but the problem was the invention of the name. The right name did not want to be found until the karake woke up one night.
– Why haven’t I noticed this? Pirkka magazine has at least two million customers. Let’s make Pirkka products!
This is the remembrance of a bold trade giant (Komulainen, 2023) in Kesko’s historical work. At that time, Pirkka magazine had over 50 years of history. The first issue was published in 1933.
– The Pirkka word is strongly related to the trade. In ancient times, it meant the merchant, and certainly the name of the magazine was chosen in due course, recalled Kesko spokesman Mint tirkkonen History of the magazine for Iltalehti in 2016.
The Bold Shop Giant’s history says that others did not want to warm up to the name suggested by Karake. It was considered old -fashioned for a new product line.
However, Karake did not give up, but commissioned a customer survey of the name proposal. More than half of the respondents said the name Pirkka would bring food to their mind. This was also enough to convince other members of the Board of Directors.
According to history, the name Pirkka was also gender-neutral and already known, which meant savings for marketing costs.
The first Pirkka product, crispbread, was launched in 1986. Immediately afterwards, Pirkka diapers, shampoos, soups and pea soup came on sale. The ad-logo became: “Be accurate, take Pirkka”.
History tells us that not everyone was immediately warmed to Pirkka products. The largest manufacturers considered them a threat to their own products. Some merchants also opposed the products when Kesko decided on the prices of Pirkka products, thus narrowing the traditional control of the merchants. However, the problems were slowly giving up.
Today, the trade brands account for about 25 % of consumer grocery purchases. The K-Group accounts for about 20 %. There are about 2600 Pirkka products in the stores. There are about 350 Pirkka Best products.