In Denmark, professional kitchens can benefit from the consumers’ increasing demand for organic food. As of 2024, more than 3490 kitchens and eateries are enrolled in the program. The Organic Cuisine Label is an example of the organic development in Denmark.

In 2009, the Danish government presented the Organic Cuisine Label to encourage the use of organic produce in professional kitchens. The label allows kitchens to brand themselves by the share of organic products used in the kitchen. Both public and private eateries can join the labelling scheme for free, and now more than 15 years later 3500 restaurants, cafeterias, catering firms, staff restaurants, nursing homes, schools and hospitals have joined the program.

more than 3.500 profesional kitchens have joined the program

The idea is simple: Each eatery receives a label that corresponds to the amount of organic food they use in their kitchen. The Bronze label indicates a use of 30-60% organic products, Silver 60-90% use, and Gold 90-100%. The labelling program has been a huge success creating an incentive to increase the use of organic products and the Danish consumer can more easily choose organic restaurants and cafés when eating out. The label is recognised by 74% of the Danish population.

Increasing organic market share

As a result, since the implementation in 2009, the organic market share has increased. For instance, the Danish military barracks have adopted a policy stating that they must use at least 40% organic products in their kitchens. Thus, they are all awarded with the Bronze label. Danish day-care-centres also see that the amount of organic food offered to the children has developed into being a competitive parameter and the food delivered to the kids is now more organic than ever before. In addition, restaurants now have an easy possibility to advertise their engagement in working with organic products in their restaurants and they are encouraged to go from zero percent organic products to reaching the Gold label. This attracts consumers, who prefer organic products.

The Organic Cuisine Label indicates the changes seen in Denmark’s position as the world’s leading organic nation. Today, Danish retail is world-leading in organic sale, having the largest market share compared to any other country in the world. Denmark takes the lead when it comes to the consumption of organic food and has a huge range of organic food products on both supermarket shelves and in the restaurant business.

The Danish co-operative dairy, Thise, is the example of how the idealistic ideas of organic dairy products developed into being a very affordable business.

Being founded in 1988, where the organic share of the Danish market was less than 1%, Thise started the first organic revolution. Back when the 8 dairy farmers formed the co-operative, organic food production was regarded too expensive and slow and was a fairly unusual way of producing food.

In the first years of their existence, Thise battled with weak sales and small revenues. Several of the largest supermarket chains in Denmark already had cooperation agreements with larger dairies that were non-organic, but once they received a large order in 1993 from the Danish cooperative, FDB, organic products on a large scale became available for the customers. Ever since, the organic market share has expanded and so has Thise’s revenue. In 2024, Thise had 256 employees, and their annual revenue in 2022 was around 1.33 billion DKK with more than 30 % of their production being exported to the rest of the world.

the Small co-operative dairy is now one of the largest organic producers in the Danish food cluster with more than 85 dairy products on the shelves

An example of Danish food development

Thise’s trading turnover has walked hand in hand with the Danes’ implementation of organic dairy products in their everyday life. What started as a small co-operative with only two products available to the customers is now one of the largest organic producers in the Danish food cluster with more than 85 dairy products on the shelves – including milk, cheese and more specialised products like curds.

Thise’s story is just one example of how the Danish food cluster is the place to look to when it comes to food culture and development. Like the implementation of New Nordic Kitchen, Denmark is often a global front runner in the way we produce and consume.

Denmark increasingly produces food in a more environmentally friendly manner in several parts of the value chain. For instance, the Danish Crown slaughterhouse in Horsens is a very good example of how Danish companies are front-runners in sustainable production.

The Danish Crown slaughterhouse is the largest pork processing facility in Northern Europe. Still, it has experienced a 90% reduction on the energy bill after implementing a new demand-driven ventilation system to dry their slaughter facilities after a cleaning process. Danish Crown expects that the expenses for the ventilators will be reimbursed in less than 18 months.

Danish Crown has experienced a 90% reduction on the energy bill after implementing a new demand driven ventilator system

Demand-driven ventilators

Before the implementation of the new ventilators, the system ran on full power even if the slaughter facilities were dry and ready for use. Therefore, this innovation not only saves money but is also beneficial to the environment. The new EC-ventilators at the Danish Crown slaughterhouse in Horsens, are a display of how several actors in the Danish food cluster find new practical and environmentally friendly ways to optimise their production.

Strict control procedures are essential to ensure the consistent quality of milk – especially when it is produced across borders and under varying conditions. In an increasingly globalised and competitive dairy sector, there is a growing demand from consumers and industry stakeholders for transparency, food safety, and sustainability in primary production. Without common standards and documentation, it becomes difficult to guarantee uniform milk quality and meet rising expectations.

Farmers delivering to Denmark’s biggest producer of dairy, Arla have agreed to participate in a joint quality control programme – The Arla Farm. The program makes sure that all the farmers follow a safe milk production and handling procedure, with strict rules to ensure products are of the best quality and are produced in a safe environment. The four cornerstones of Arlagården are: Milk composition, food safety, animal welfare and environmental considerations.

The programme makes sure that all the farmers follow a safe milk production and handling procedure

A unified quality programme across borders

At the Arla dairy cooperative, the Arlagården programme has contributed to improved farming standards in Northern Europe since 2004. The programme is designed to ensure excellence in milk production by setting out clear requirements for milk quality and food safety, animal welfare, climate and nature, and people.

Since its initial introduction in Denmark and Sweden, Arlagården has been implemented in Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and the UK, covering Arla farmers in a total of seven countries. Twice a year, participating farmers are required to evaluate and document their on-farm practices, enabling Arla to monitor performance and support continuous improvement.

In addition, each farm is subject to a third-party audit at least once every three years. Between audits, specialist farming consultants visit regularly to provide guidance, ensure compliance, and help farmers apply best practices.

Raising the standard of responsible dairy farming

Arlagården has proven to be an effective tool for uniting Arla farmers under a shared commitment to quality, traceability, and sustainability. By providing a structured framework and consistent follow-up, the programme empowers farmers to deliver high-quality milk that meets both regulatory standards and consumer expectations. As a result, Arla can offer reliable, safe, and sustainably produced dairy products sourced from across seven countries, while supporting the long-term development of responsible dairy farming.

Despite being a small-sized ice cream producer, the Danish company Skee Is has come up with a revolutionary ice cream. The ice cream is full of important protein and nutrition. And for ill people with lack of appetite, the ice cream is already making a large difference.

Elderly people or people with illnesses often fight with a small appetite and therefore do not get the essential nourishment needed to fully recover. Since most people like ice cream, the Danish company Skee Is has developed a vanilla ice cream containing a very high level of protein. It is the first ice cream in Denmark that you can get on prescription. Like other Danish ingredient companies, the Danish food cluster hosts a strong position when it comes to producing food that benefit people with certain nutrition needs.

Apart from being used in Denmark, the ice cream started to be exported to Norway and Sweden in 2017 and is now in use in all Scandinavian countries.

The ice cream is full of important protein and nutrition – and for ill people with lack of appetite, the ice cream is already making a large difference

Small companies can make big differences

Like Skee Is, other small companies make big differences in the Danish food cluster. With only four employees, Skee Is is just one example of how small companies thrive in the Danish business culture. Especially small companies can be agile and meet the challenges that must be solved. This is an important part of the solutions of tomorrow.