A new special Kārums and animated film Flow curd snack – with watermelon flavor

In collaboration with the creators of the Oscar-winning animated film Flow, Latvia's leading dairy processing company Food Union Latvia has created a special curd snack Kārums with watermelon flavor. This product embodies both the brand's family-oriented and joyful values and the central message of the film about friendship and mutual support. Therefore, a portion of the product's sales revenue will be donated to charity in Latvia – to the Children's Hospital's canine therapy program Ķepu terapija and the Remi Cat Rescue Center, which cares for stray and abandoned animals.

As usual, the new Kārums curd snack recipe was created at the Food Union Latvia Fresh Dairy Product Excellence Center, and production takes place at the Rīgas Piena Kombināts factory. The total investment in the development and market launch of the new product is about 30.000 euros.

Watermelon flavor is a children's choice 

The watermelon-flavored curd snack is not a random choice! On the contrary, it is based on the recommendations of more than 5.000 Latvian children and young people collected during Food Union organized Piena klase (Dairy class) excursions. Among many other frequently mentioned preferences in the past two years, the watermelon-flavored curd snack was especially popular. Therefore, continuing the Kārums tradition of fulfilling consumer desires, this children's dream has now come true – a rosy curd snack with juicy watermelon notes, coated in a soft green glaze resembling the flavor of a watermelon.

Ilva Veidemane, Food Union Latvia dairy product brand manager: Kārums has always been about joy, warmth, and family values. Therefore, we are especially pleased with the collaboration with the creative team behind the Latvian-born and internationally recognized animated film Flow. In this joint project, we have embodied our shared values in the product – both in its taste and appearance, as well as in its essence. The watermelon curd snack is not just a treat – it’s a children's dream come true and a story of friendship, now reaching many food lovers both in Latvia and abroad. We are truly proud that with every curd snack sold, we will also be able to help – both children and their parents in the hospital, as well as cats waiting for their homes."

On the packaging – the black cat from Flow

This time, the symbol of Kārums – the crow, which usually adorns the packaging – has made way for the main character of Flow – the black cat. The packaging background features a frame from the animated film, blending modern and historical cityscapes with water elements. Since the curd snack is planned for export to various countries around the world, the film's title is also written in English on the packaging – Flow.

The producer of the film Flow, Matīss Kaža, comments: "Flow is a story created with the desire to strengthen empathy, collaboration, and compassion. We believe that stories and collaborations can inspire real change. The fact that our joint effort with Kārums helps both children and animals makes it even more special. This is a partnership where the story becomes a flavor, and the flavor – becomes action”.

Charity goals – support for children and animals 

To reinforce the values represented by both Kārums and the animated film Flow, Food Union Latvia, in collaboration with the filmmakers, has decided to donate a portion of the sales revenue from this special curd snack to charity. Two significant social organizations in Latvia have been selected, and over the course of a year, funds will be donated from the sales of the curd snack both in Latvia and export markets.

One part of the donation will go to the Children's Hospital Foundation to support the canine therapy program Ķepu terapija, which has been available at the Children's Hospital since 2024. This program aims to provide emotional and physical support to children in the hospital, promoting their recovery with the help of specially trained dogs. The therapy is tailored to each patient individually, and its positive effects have already been confirmed by both medical staff and families. More information about Ķepu terapija can be found here: https://bsf.lv/lv/ziedot/kam-ziedot/kepu-terapija.

"As in the film Flow, where the dog becomes a loyal companion who helps the cat open up and find the courage to overcome obstacles together, the Ķepu terapija dogs in the Children's Hospital become unexpectedly great helpers for children on their recovery journey. Canine therapy not only provides children with moments of joy and helps reduce anxiety, but it also improves social skills and promotes physical recovery. We are happy that the new Kārums curd snack will embody the heartfelt story of Flow and provide tangible support to both children and animals," says Liene Dambiņa, director of the Children's Hospital Foundation.

The second portion of the donation will go to the Remi Cat Rescue Center – a volunteer animal rescue organization that provides assistance to cats in distress and without care. Remi offers veterinary treatment at their veterinary clinic, providing free veterinary care not only for stray animals but also for pets belonging to society’s most vulnerable members, such as pensioners, low-income families, and families with many children. The cats in Remi care are welcomed into a cozy home-like environment at Latvia’s only no-cage animal shelter. More information about the Remi center can be found here: www.remicentrs.lv.

Laura Podžuka, representative of the Remi Cat Rescue Center: Remi is a place where cats and people meet. Every day, we write various stories here – about meeting for life and becoming friends and family, about meeting for a brief moment, to teach and remind us how fragile life is, how meaningful time is, how important empathy is, and how strong and powerful we can be together, just by being there for one another. Just like for many people in Latvia and around the world, Kārums curd snacks often start the day or break, and now, with pride and joy, we not only celebrate the success of Flow and its ideas about the power of togetherness but, with gratitude and warmth, we say that now we have new, strong friends who experience and see the world just like we do – making it brighter and happier through compassion and helping others."

Availability in stores and overall assortment The special Kārums curd snack Flow will first be available in the Latvian market – gradually appearing on the shelves of store chains such as Maxima, Lidl, Elvi, and Top at the end of April and throughout May. It is also expected to be exported soon to Estonia, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Canada.

With the launch of the special Flow curd snack, the Kārums brand offers a total of 38 products. In the sweet snacks category, there are five product types – 19 curd snacks, as well as a curd snack multipack, five sweet cream spreads, five bifido yogurts, three curd desserts, and two curd creams. In the savory Kārums assortment, there are three fresh cheeses with and without additives.

For more information about the Kārums brand: www.karums.eu.

ABOUT FOOD UNION LATVIA

Food Union is the leading producer and distributor of fresh dairy products and ice cream in Latvia. The Food Union group in Latvia consists of Rīga Dairy Combine, Valmiera Dairy, and Premia FFL. In the market, the company is known for its historic and widely recognized brands such as Kārums, Limbažu piens, Valmiera, Lakto, Pols, Excellence, and TIO. The main competence of the company is mainly in the segment of fresh dairy products and ice cream, and its brand portfolio boasts healthy and high-value-added products made from the best quality milk obtained from more than 100 Latvian farmers. The central office of the Food Union group is located in Latvia. Since 2019, Riga has been the group's ice cream development center. Every year, more than 100 new ice cream varieties are developed for the European market at the Ice Cream Excellence Center. Since January 2024, Food Union Europe, including Food Union Latvia, has been majority owned by "PAG Private Equity." For more information, please visit https://www.foodunion.lv/