From Oats to Excellence: ÄIO Team Visits YOOK Production

At ÄIO, innovation thrives when inspired by others. Last week, our team had the opportunity to visit YOOK Production AS, Estonia’s first oat drink factory located in Türi, to explore how high-quality plant-based products are made at scale.

YOOK: A Remarkable Foodtech Journey

Established with a €13 million investment, YOOK built the Baltics’ first dedicated oat milk factory and operates with an annual capacity of 20 million liters, enough to cover nearly half of the Baltic market and fuel its export ambitions. Their Organic Oat Drink won the “Best Health and Wellness Product” award at the Gulfood Innovation Awards in Dubai in 2024. This recognition signals YOOK’s global relevance in taste, quality, and innovation.

What We Observed

Our visit offered deep insights into a modern production line, from oat reception and milling to flavor blending and packaging.

Sajesh, Research Engineer from ÄIO said about the visit:
“We witnessed YOOK’s bioprocessing in action, from oat intake to packaging. Their variety—including barista, chocolate, and mango flavors without added sugar—was truly impressive.”

Hiro, Culinary Development Manager in ÄIO added:
“Seeing their commitment to ingredient quality, precise fermentation steps, and consistent final products was inspiring. I’m eager to see more flavors and hope for collaboration between YOOK and ÄIO in the future.”

Why Oat Drinks Matter And Where the Market Is Headed

The global oat drink market is booming. It’s projected to grow from about USD 3 billion in 2023 to over USD 6 billion by 2032, with annual growth rates of 14–16%. Oat products already made up around 40% of UK plant-based milk sales by early 2025, especially boosted by quality and price appeal.

Learning Together in Estonia’s Food Ecosystem

YOOK combines Baltic organic oats with cutting-edge manufacturing, renewable energy, and sustainable design to lead local innovation. For ÄIO, the visit reinforced the value of scaling lab ideas into real products with global reach. Sustainability, flavor, and function are not just ideals—they are YOOK’s reality in motion.

What’s Ahead

Our teams share a vision: to design healthier, eco-friendly ingredients that transform everyday products. Collaborations between ÄIO’s fermentation-based specialty lipids and YOOK’s oat-based innovations could unlock new cross-sector applications—from food and cosmetics to health & wellness.

Thank you to YOOK and especially Aram Kazarjan for the tour, the inspiration, and your contribution to Estonia’s thriving foodtech landscape. We look forward to many more shared breakthroughs ahead. Huge congratulations to Katre Kõvask for building up this successful company.

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