When food matters

Spin-offDomestic market activities inspire and boost international effortsFavourable conditions for organicgrowth in DenmarkWith a market share of about 5 per cent of thetotal sale of food products, Denmark is the mostimportant country for organic sales in the world.The best-selling product, milk, has a nationalmarket share of about 25 per cent of total salesin its category. In some parts of Copenhagen asmany as eight out of every ten litres of milk soldare organic.Pooled efforts fuelled by tradelocomotivesThe success of organic products on the Danishmarket is largely the result of all the importantplayers on the market having contributed to thedevelopment. On the political scene there is generalconsensus that organic production must bestrengthened, and leading companies such as ArlaFoods (Europe’s largest dairy company) have forover a decade been offering their customers a widerange of organic products. Furthermore the retailtrade has shown its dedication to organics sincethe beginning of the 1990s.Organics in supermarketsIn contrast to most other countries, organic productshave mainly been sold through conventionalsupermarkets. Today, this goes for around 90 percent of all sales. As a consequence of the easyaccess to all kinds of organic products – from milkto coffee and crisps – around 50 per cent of allDanes actually buy organic foods during a randomweek according to a survey carried out in 2002 byIFKA, a research institute in Copenhagen.Sounding board for strategic issuesThe positive attitude towards organics across thetraditional boundaries is reflected, among otherthings, in the strategy group formed following aninitiative by Organic Denmark. The forum, whichconsists of leaders from the most important retailchains in Denmark, food producers, relevant organisationsand authorities, acts as a sounding boardfor the organic marketing initiatives in Denmark. Ithelps create solid decision-making platforms withbroad commitment.20 21