Behind the Scenes at Aavalabs: Who We Are

There is more behind Aavalabs than bottles, ingredients and formulas.

There are people working from different corners of Europe. There are product discussions, customer conversations, new ideas, Finnish traditions, shared lunches, workations and probably more than a few cups of coffee.

And behind all of it is an idea that has been with us from the beginning: wellbeing should support your life, not take it over.

So come behind the scenes with us. This is the story of where Aavalabs came from, what we believe in and the people who bring it all to life.

Key Takeaways

• Aavalabs was founded in Helsinki, Finland, in 2011.
• Our approach is inspired by Nordic ideas of balance, simplicity and connection with nature.
• Three values guide how we work: Light heartedness, Generosity and Tenacity.
• Today, Aavalabs is an international remote team spread across more than 15 countries.
• We believe supplements should complement the foundations of wellbeing, including nutritious food, movement, rest and everyday balance.
• Giving back is part of our story through our long term partnership with Vitamin Angels.

It started in Helsinki

Aavalabs was founded in Helsinki in 2011 by Otso Kääriäinen.

What began as a small family business was built around a simple idea: creating thoughtfully formulated supplements for modern everyday life.

Finland has shaped much more than our address of origin. It continues to influence how we think about wellbeing.

There is something distinctly Finnish about finding pleasure in simple things. A walk through the forest. A quiet moment by the water. A hot sauna followed by cold air. Good food. Movement. Rest. Time with the people who matter.

Not everything needs to be maximised.

Sometimes feeling good is about finding enough of each thing.

What does Aavalabs mean?

Our name carries a little piece of Finland with it.

Aava is a Finnish word associated with something open, wide and expansive, like the view across an open sea or landscape.

For us, it represents openness, clarity and the feeling of space that is so closely connected with Nordic nature.

Labs represents the other side of who we are: curiosity, formulation, research and attention to what goes into our products.

Nature and science. Warmth and precision. Simplicity and curiosity.

Aavalabs lives somewhere in between.

What does balance mean to us?

Wellness culture can sometimes make healthy living feel like another full time job.

Wake up earlier. Exercise harder. Optimise everything. Track everything. Never miss a day.

That has never been our idea of wellbeing.

We believe a healthy lifestyle should leave room for life itself.

For us, balance can mean eating nutritious food most of the time and enjoying dessert without turning it into a moral decision. It can mean training hard one day and resting the next. It can mean having ambitious goals while still making time for family, friends and the things that simply make you happy.

Supplements fit into that philosophy too.

They are not shortcuts and they are not replacements for good habits. They are one possible part of a bigger picture that also includes food, movement, sleep, recovery and everyday moments of joy.

Three values shape the way we work

Companies often put values on walls. Ours are more useful when you can actually feel them in the way we behave.

At Aavalabs, three values guide how we make decisions, work together and take care of our customers.

Light heartedness

Health matters. But that does not mean everything about health needs to feel serious.

We want wellbeing to feel human, approachable and enjoyable. We bring that same attitude to the way we work with each other and the way we speak with our customers.

When you contact our Customer Happiness team, there is a real person on the other side. Someone who will listen, try to understand what happened and genuinely want to help.

We take your questions seriously without taking ourselves too seriously.

Generosity

Generosity means looking beyond ourselves.

Since 2022, we have partnered with Vitamin Angels, an organisation working to improve access to essential nutrition for underserved mothers and children around the world.

We commit at least 1% of our profits to supporting their work.

But generosity also shows up in smaller ways. Sharing knowledge. Helping a colleague when something is not technically your task. Spending a little longer solving a customer's problem because you know it matters to them.

Giving more than the minimum is part of how we want Aavalabs to feel.

Tenacity

Building something well takes patience.

Products need improving. Websites need rebuilding. Processes that worked yesterday stop working tomorrow. Sometimes the first idea is simply not the right one.

Tenacity means staying curious enough to keep asking how something could be better.

It means listening to feedback, solving problems rather than hiding them and continuing to improve the details that shape your experience with us.

How do we create Aavalabs supplements?

Behind every finished product are many decisions.

Which nutrients belong together? Which ingredient forms should we use? How much should a daily serving provide? How should the formula fit into someone's actual routine?

Our approach combines nutritional science, ingredient research, quality requirements and practical considerations.

We carefully select raw materials and work with manufacturing partners operating according to applicable quality and manufacturing standards.

Testing and quality controls form part of our approach to making sure products meet the specifications established for them.

We also believe labels should help you understand what you are buying. Our clean label approach focuses on keeping formulations purposeful and avoiding unnecessary ingredients wherever possible.

Because trust does not come from saying a product is premium.

It comes from helping you understand what is actually inside it.

The people behind Aavalabs

Our Finnish roots remain an important part of Aavalabs, but today our team stretches far beyond Finland.

We are a remote international team with colleagues living across more than 15 countries.

Someone might start their morning in Spain while another teammate is already halfway through the afternoon in Finland. Meetings happen from home offices, coworking spaces and occasionally places with considerably better views.

Working remotely means our everyday lives look different too.

Some teammates organise work around their children. Some prefer an early start. Others find their best ideas later in the day. Dogs occasionally join meetings without invitations.

There is no single Aavalabs lifestyle.

And perhaps that is exactly the point.

Once a year, the screens disappear

Remote work gives us freedom, but there are some things a video call cannot replace.

That is why our team comes together for a workation.

For a few days, the people usually living inside little squares on a screen become actual people sitting around the same table.

We talk about where Aavalabs is going. We work on ideas together. We eat. We explore. We laugh a lot.

And because Finland is never very far from the Aavalabs story, sauna usually finds its way into the week somehow.

Karaoke has been known to happen too.

Those days remind us that a company is ultimately made of people. The relationships behind the work matter just as much as the work itself.

Why giving back is part of our story

Access to good nutrition is not equal everywhere.

That is why our partnership with Vitamin Angels matters to us.

The organisation works with partners around the world to improve access to essential nutrition for underserved pregnant women, infants and children.

Since 2022, Aavalabs has committed at least 1% of its profits to supporting this work.

For us, growing Aavalabs should mean being able to contribute more, not simply sell more.

What does all of this mean for you?

Hopefully, it means Aavalabs feels a little different.

We want you to be able to understand our products rather than simply trust a marketing claim.

We want educational content to help you make your own informed choices.

We want asking us a question to feel easy.

And when something goes wrong, we want you to know there are real people on the other side who care about making it right.

We will not always get everything perfect.

But we will keep listening, learning and trying to make the experience better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Aavalabs from?

Aavalabs was founded in Helsinki, Finland, in 2011. Our Finnish origins continue to influence our approach to balance, simplicity, nature and wellbeing.

What does Aavalabs mean?

The name combines “Aava”, a Finnish word associated with open and expansive landscapes, with “Labs”, reflecting our focus on formulation, research and nutritional science.

Who founded Aavalabs?

Aavalabs was founded by Otso Kääriäinen in Helsinki in 2011. What began as a small family business has since developed into an international supplement brand and remote team.

Where is the Aavalabs team based?

Aavalabs is a remote company with team members living across more than 15 countries. Our international structure brings together different cultures, languages and perspectives while our Finnish roots remain an important part of our identity.

What are the Aavalabs values?

Our three core values are Light heartedness, Generosity and Tenacity. They guide how we work as a team, interact with customers and continue developing Aavalabs.

Does Aavalabs support charitable initiatives?

Yes. Since 2022, Aavalabs has partnered with Vitamin Angels and committed at least 1% of profits to supporting their work to improve access to essential nutrition for underserved mothers and children.

What does wellbeing mean to Aavalabs?

We see wellbeing as something that should support everyday life rather than dominate it. Nutritious food, movement, rest, connection and enjoyment all have a place. Supplements can complement those foundations when they make sense for your individual needs.

Where could you use more balance?

Aavalabs has changed a lot since 2011.

We have grown from a small family business in Helsinki into an international team. New products have arrived. New countries have joined our story. The way we work has evolved.

But the idea at the centre of it all remains surprisingly simple.

Feeling well should help you live more of your life, not spend your life trying to perfect your wellbeing.

So wherever you are starting from, we hope Aavalabs can help make that journey a little clearer, a little easier and perhaps a little more joyful.

Where could you use more balance?