The food brand HK® connects mettwurst lovers with virtual reality by launching a digital mettwurst. The brand will create five NFTs, called the Metavurstis, and auction them on the OpenSea marketplace starting March 1.
Metaverse refers to virtual worlds and spaces where people gather to interact, play and work. NFTs, i.e. non-fungible tokens, are digital artworks linked with unique and recorded identifiers.
“The metaverse is an unknown world for many Finns. And that includes us. At the core of HK is a culture of experimentation; that’s why we wanted to be the first to go where other Finnish food brands have not yet dared to venture. We can't yet bring things like taste and smell into the metaverse, but design is something we can display there”, says Riikka Haarasilta-Suutarinen, Marketing Manager at HK.
HK sets out to test the opportunities of virtual reality with an open mind and a twinkle in their eye. HK’s five digital Metavurstis will be auctioned on the OpenSea marketplace starting March 1. These metawursts are digital reproductions of HK’s beloved and delicious classic products.
The everyman’s NFT
The metaverse has been predicted to be a part of Finns' future. For example, Gartner* believes that by 2026, 25% of people will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse, and 30% of organizations will in the future offer products and services in virtual meeting points.
“The metaverse and NFTs have been rising trends around the world and Finnish brands have now finally also woken to the opportunities they offer. It’s great to see HK adopting the role of a forerunner and boldly try new things. The metaverse enables a new kind of encounter between the customer and the brand, and only the sky is limit. The game is unlocked, I'm looking forward to what's to come”, says Sointu Karjalainen, futurist and the founder of Block Lane and The Good Cartel Web3 companies.
Mettwurst is one of the great Finnish achievements
The Finnish mettwurst is a part of Finnish food culture. Many people are unaware of the fact that mettwurst is actually a Finnish innovation: its production method was invented in 1956 by Finnish meat technology pioneer Fritz P. Niinivaara.
“Without Finnish ingenuity, the mettwurst in its modern form would simply not exist. Niinivaara discovered a way to improve the maturation process of fermented sausages by using bacterial cultures, and his method then spread all over the world”, explains Haarasilta-Suutarinen.
Finnish food technology expertise has been top level globally and the markets have seen new food innovations in recent years.
“Supporting Finnish food culture with a passion has always been an important part of HK’s work and will continue to be in the future, too. The Metavursti is our tribute to the Finnish mettwurst and food expertise”, Haarasilta-Suutarinen concludes.
The Metavursti
- Five different Metavurstis, which are digital recreations of classic mettwursts by HK
- The Metavurstis will be auctioned on the OpenSea marketplace starting March 1. The auction is open until the end of March.
- More information available at https://metavursti.fi (in Finnish only)
- OpenSea link to HK Perinteinen Metavursti (“HK Traditional Metawurst”)
- OpenSea link to HK Ohuen ohut Ultrakevyt Metavursti (“HK Superthin Ultralight Metawurst”)
- OpenSea link to HK Ohuen ohut Saaristolaismetavursti (“HK Superthin Islander Metawurst”)
- OpenSea link to HK Ohuen ohut Tunturimetavursti (“HK Superthin Tunturi Metawurst”)
- OpenSea link to HK Ohuen ohut Suomalainen Metavursti (“HK Superthin Finnish Metawurst”)
Inquiries and more information:
Riikka Haarasilta-Suutarinen, Marketing Manager, riikka.haarasilta-suutarinen@hkscan.com, tel. +358 50 521 4366
HKScan Media Service Desk, tel. +358 10 570 5700 or communications@hkscan.com
