There is a great need to maintain research for a future in which the traditional value chains of the forest industry are combined with the needs and demands of a bio-based economy. In such a future, the pulp mill biorefinery will be a crucial node. In order to map the transformation from a fossil-based society to a cellulose-based society, a global consumer survey has been made. In addition, interviews and workshops with various players throughout the bio-economy field have been accomplished. Several current trends that affect the road to a cellulose-based society have been identified. These trends are describing the effects of urbanization, consumer behaviour, new business models, material recycling, open innovation, and the need for early demonstration of new research. The trends have been combined with uncertainties into a number of plausible scenarios describing the society and the role of cellulose in the year 2030.