The story of Willit
From childhood forests to my own family’s table
I’m Risto, the founder of Willit. When I started a family, I began thinking differently about where our food comes from and the connection to nature I wanted my children to have.
Growing up, food from nearby was part of everyday life. I wanted that for my own family, too. Willit began with that wish.
Risto Holappa
Founder, Willit Oy Oulu, Finland
Roots in Arkala
The forest was close. So was our food.
I grew up in Arkala, in Ylikiiminki near Oulu, surrounded by berry forests and cloudberry bogs. We often went picking, bringing home more bilberries, lingonberries, cloudberries and cranberries than our family needed.
My mother’s family comes from the north, where foraging skills pass from one generation to the next. Food from nature was a familiar part of our table. We knew where it came from and whose hands had gathered it.
Fishing has been part of my life since childhood, too. Time in the forest and on the water teaches you to value the catch and the work behind it. That is something I want to pass on.
Making it part of everyday life
Local food for an ordinary Tuesday
I want food grown and gathered nearby to be easy to buy, even when life is busy. That is why we are building Willit pickup points alongside our marketplace. You can order ahead, and food that needs cold storage stays at the right temperature until collection.
My background is in software development. With Willit, I can use those skills for something I care about: making producers’ work easier and bringing good food closer to families. I hope it also helps our children keep a living connection to local food and the people who provide it.