Nordic Dairy Congress postponed

2020

nordicdairycongress.com

It is with regret that the organizers behind the Nordic Dairy Congress 2020, have been forced to postpone the congress due to the Corona pandemic.
The organizers have carefully considered the best alternative dates for the congress and the conclusion is that the congress will be held June 2nd – 4th 2021. The location will remain unchanged, Malmö in Sweden, Hotel Clarion Malmö Live.
Some minor adjustments regarding dinners and scheduling of the days must be forseen but overall, the expectation is that the programme will remain the same. Of course, a few speakers could be prevented from attending and that could lead to changes but by postponing for a whole year many of such changes should be avoided.
The congress is open for sign up via www.nordicdairycongress.com and the early bird is reopened.

Arla-farmers and their children feel exposed due to animal activists

2020

According to the newspaper ATL, a recent survey among Arla-member shows that every seventh farmer is considering quitting milk production.

 

The survey, conducted by Arla, also reveals, that six out of ten dairy farmers feel insecure due to the risk of activists – and that, every fourth child in families with milk production has felt exposed due to the parent’s occupation.

Patrik Hansson, CEO of Arla Sweden says, that the result testifies an uncertain situation in Sweden. He calls it catastrophic that so many (14 pct.) are thinking of quitting. His concern applies especially to the future milk production.

– How do you get someone to invest in milk production under these circumstances, he asks and add:

– We have to take these problems seriously. They affect our food supply in Sweden, which makes it even more important.

2.300 Arla-members were asked to participate in the survey, only 400 responded.

Read the article at ATL HERE (only for subscribers).

Skånemejerier increase its collaboration with ‘Skåne City Mission’

2020

Skånemejerier has joined a new partnership with Skåne City Mission. This includes annual financial support, food donations and joint activities to contribute to the mission’s activities.

‘Skåne Stadsmission’ is an organization that supports people living in acute homelessness, poverty and mental illness. One of the activities is Café David, where visitors can have breakfast and subsidized lunch, receive counselling, clean clothes and the opportunity to meet a nurse, a doctor and a dentist. For a few years now, Skånemejerier has donated surplus products, about six tonnes of food a year. But now the dairy also will contribute with an annual financial support.

– We have our roots and our heart in Skåne, and we want to offer our support so that all people I Skåne can feel good. Skåne City Mission does a fantastic job. We are proud to be able to participate and contribute with both nutritious foods, and now also financially, Jeanette Flodqvist, Skånemejerier’s sustainability manager, says. Read more about the partnership HERE

 

Nine out of ten think that municipalities should buy local products

2020

A new Sifo survey that Norrmejerier has commissioned show that 90 percent of the Swedes find it important that municipalities choose locally. For example, when they buy food for schools and nursing homes.

– The climate crisis and the Corona pandemic have made it clear that Sweden needs to increase its self-sufficiency in food. And the survey proves that the Swedes demand local produced food in public companies and institutions, Anna-Karin Karlsson, sustainability director at Norrmejerier says.

The result is in line with Norrmejerier’s vision of doing well for the local area as expressed in the slogan: ’Gör gott för Norrland’.

– Every year, municipalities trades services and goods for more than SEK 300 billion. By choosing locally produced, the public sector can make a major contribution to Swedish food production, Anna-Karin Karlsson says.

Read more about the survey HERE

Arla launches innovative milk drink

2020

’Klöver® mjölkdryck’ is a new milk drink, based on filtered milk, which is left over from the production of lactose-free products. By using this residual product Arla can reduce food waste and produce a milk drink to a lower price.

Reducing food waste is a priority issue for Arla. Through this new innovation, we take advantage of the filtered milk (also called milk retentate), from the production of lactose-free products. So Arla Sweden states in a press release.

Klöver® milk drink is a completely new innovation in the milk category. Compared to Arla’s regular milk, it contains a little less fat and protein but just as much calcium. The new product has a slightly longer shelf life, which reduces food waste even for the consumer.

This new Swedish milk drink has the same good taste as regular fresh milk and fits just as well in pancakes as it works as a nutritious beverage, Konrad von Otter, category manager for milk at Arla Sweden, says.

Read more HERE

Oat drink has become an everyday beverage in Sweden

2020

The supply of oat drinks in Sweden has exploded and the sale have increased by 72 percent to SEK 594 million since 2018.

Today, there are over 70 different types of oat drink in the Swedish shops. In 2018 the number was 45. The demand for oat drink continues to increase and new players are entering the marked. An example is Valio, that launched its oat milk a year ago and now is the best-selling novelty in the segment. That is the message in a press release from Valio.

– After 25 years on the market, oat drink is no longer a trend. Instead, it is now a basic product in the Swedish beverage culture. It is consumed all over the country, but it has had the greatest impact in the Stockholm area and in Skåne, food historian Richard Tellström says. The press release contains new statistics from Nielsen on which parts of Sweden, where the population drink the most and the least oat milk. Read more HERE

The battle of Boxholm continues

2020

– We do not agree on what should be included in the purchase, Erik Bratthall, Arla’s press service, says to Aftonbladet.

The story about the dairy in Boxholm has been long and full of conflicts since Arla decided to move the cheese production to Östersund and close the dairy I Boxholm.

And the conflicts seem to continue. Among other things the actual conflict are two silos, which the municipality believes are included in the purchase, but Arla denies this.

The new quarrels also awakened the local support group ’Boxholmsostens Vänner’ to battle. E.g. the group is planning a new protest march.

– We will never give up, spokesman Morgan Sehlstedt says and adds, that the goal still is a small local production of cheese.

Read more about the background and the recent development in Aftonbladet HERE

75 years with School Milk in Sweden

2020

30th of September World School Milk Day was celebrated for the 21st time worldwide. But in Sweden pupils have been served milk for almost 75 years.

 

World School Milk Day is initiated by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to draw attention to the health benefits of school milk programmes. It its celebrated every year on the last Wednesday in September. The end of the month was chosen since it is a school day in most countries.

In Sweden, milk has been a natural part of the schooldays since 1946, but that’s not the case in all countries. School milk can be vital in countries where there is a shortage of food — and also for Swedish children, milk is an important source of nutrition as it contains 18 of the 22 nutrients, we need every day.

– Active children and young people need a lot of nutrition and energy. Milk is nutrient-dense. It contains a lot of nutrients in relation to the amount of food intake and also in relation to the amount of climate emissions. It’s smart food, Caroline Starck, communications manager at Arla, says.

According to a report from the International Dairy Federation (IDF )about 160 million children in the world receive milk at school. Read more HERE

Swedish report: Alternative dairy products segment to rise by up to 65% in 2030

2020

A new research project from Lund University and Tetra Pak has revealed, that the worldwide demand for dairy alternatives could increase by 25% up to 65% in 2030.

 

The dairy industry across the World is set to undergo a major transformation by 2030 as dairy alternative products are forecasted to become mainstream in many markets, reducing the consumption of milk derived from cows.

The recent study, Global trends affecting dairy strategies, follows an 18-month research project by Lund University School of Economics and Management (LUSEM) supported by Tetra Pak, to examine a shifting dairy landscape and forecast what the dairy industry will look like in 2030.

– The global dairy industry is at the very heart of the global food transformation, and the contours of this transition are already starting to take shape, says Dr. Christian Koch of Lund University School of Economics and Management in the article in foodbusinessafrica.com.

Analysing six key global markets, including the UK, US, China, India, Nigeria and Brazil, the study outlines four scenarios i.e. ‘Green Dairy’, ‘New Fusion’, ‘Brave New Food’ and ‘Dairy Evolution’ Each scenario demonstrates the varying interplay of socioeconomic forces and technological transformation, and with very different outcomes. Read more HERE

From residues to gourmet cheese

2020

Kärno is a new cheese variety, made on buttermilk – and brine, left over from the production of fermented gherkins.

The new cheese is a result of a collaboration between the compagnies Kinda Gurka and Löt Gårdsmejeri – both in Östergötland. But it is also the successful result of a pilot project completed by the two compagnies, Alfred Nobel Science Park and Vreta Kluster as an example on so called:  ’Svinnovation’. The method is to value waste in food production and match food companies to create new products. In this case waste, brine, from the fermentation of gherkins was matched with residues from the dairy, buttermilk.

At this moment the chefs behind restaurant Paul Taylor Lanthandeln in Stockholm buy the entire production of the new cheese.

Kärno has its own Facebook site HERE, where you can read more and see a film about the project.

Falköping ask organic farmers to switch to conventional production

2020

Falköping Dairy has difficulty selling its organic milk and has asks its organic suppliers to consider conventional milk production. – Some of them are counting on it, says dairy manager Uno Elofsson to the newspaper Atl.

 

Falköping dairy weighs in 140 million kilos of milk per year. About 20 percent of the milk is Krav-certified (organic, red). Including its daughter company, Grådö dairy, the number is 220 million kilos of milk but with a slightly lower Krav share.

– We have a utilization rate of organic milk of 60-70 percent, and that is too little, Uno Elofsson says.

That is why the dairy has asked their 34 organic suppliers if anyone would consider to switch to conventional milk production.

Uno Elofsson recognize, that it’s a fine balance:

– There must not be too many who leave organic production, because then we can end up in the same situation as a few years ago, where we had too little eco-milk, he adds.

In order to increase the market for organic milk, the dairy has invested in export of organic powder and in organic cheese production, but without enough success.

Uno Elofsson also points out that the public debate has a major impact on the market.

A few years ago organic products was very popular. Now the issue among the customers are local production and oat alternatives, he explains to the newspaper. Read more HERE.