Arla introduces new brand, plant-based products

 Arla Foods has revealed it is launching JÖRD, a new plant-based brand which will be available in Denmark this spring and the UK later this year. The new brand will initially see three organic, oat based products enter the fridge:

• Oat: an organic oat drink with a fresh and pure taste,

• Oat & Barley: the fresh oat base complimented with a delicate sweetness from organic barley,

• Oat & Hemp: the fresh oat base is balanced with the subtle nuttiness of organic hemp.

Commenting on the new brand, Arla Foods UK MD Ash Amirahmadi said, "You wouldn’t expect a company owned by dairy farmers to move into plant-based, but we do not consider plant based drinks to be substitutes for milk. Many people consuming plant-based drinks also include milk and other dairy products in their diets."

The three new JÖRD oat drinks contain up to 50 percent more oat compared to competing products and less than half the number of ingredients. Made from all natural organic ingredients from the Nordic countryside, JÖRD oat drinks contain only natural sugar and no additives, preservatives, stabilisers or gums.

Amirahmadi continued, "Whilst the plant based market is significantly smaller than dairy, it has captured the imagination of people looking for different tastes and flavours which aligns well with the principles driving our strategic branded growth agenda.

"As food choices become increasingly diverse and experimental, it’s a business opportunity for farmers but one that also aligns with our belief that foods made only from natural ingredients are always better."

Increased interest in the dairy category, driven in part by the entrance of many new plant based products, saw Arla UK end the last decade with yet another year of growth across its branded cheese, yogurts and milk products.

The new JÖRD range has been developed using Arla’s knowledge and expertise within food whilst also taking advantage of direct access to crops to develop new, exciting flavours.

While 99.8 percent of UK households brought dairy last year, the interest in plant-based foods brings a new way for Arla to increase opportunities for people to enjoy both dairy and dairy alternatives as part of a balanced diet.

Amirahmadi continues, "Dairy will always be the core of Arla’s business driving sustainable growth for our farmer owners. As Britain’s leading dairy company, it is natural for us to enter this category and contribute to the development of it with new products and flavours."

TheCattleSite News Desk