Arla Mjölk (Arla Ko® / Arla brand milk)

Overview

Arla mjölk refers to fresh cow's milk sold under the Arla brand (often as Arla Ko® or simply Arla mjölk). In Sweden Arla labels and product lines (lättmjölk, mellanmjölk, standardmjölk, ESL/färsk variants) are commonly produced on Swedish dairies and carry origin statements such as “100% svensk mjölk.” Outside Sweden, Arla milk products are produced in local Arla production sites across Denmark, Germany, the UK and other markets.

Brand origin and company history

The Arla name traces back to Swedish dairy cooperatives (originally Arla Mejeriförening / Mjölkcentralen). The modern corporate owner — Arla Foods amba — was formed in 2000 through the merger of the Swedish Arla cooperative and Danish MD Foods. Today Arla Foods operates as a farmer-owned cooperative with a multinational footprint.

Manufacturing and ownership today

Arla milk sold in Sweden is primarily manufactured in Sweden on milk from Arla’s Swedish farmer-members; however the Arla brand and many milk products are made in multiple countries depending on the market and specific SKU. The ultimate owner is the cooperative Arla Foods amba, headquartered in Viby (Aarhus), Denmark. As of January 18, 2026, Arla Foods’ boards have approved a planned merger with Germany’s DMK Group and that merger is subject to regulatory approval (expected in early 2026); until regulatory clearance is complete both cooperatives continue to operate independently.

Practical note for product origin

If you need an exact manufacturing country for a specific carton or SKU, check the product packaging where Arla lists the production site or “Producerat” / “Producerad i” information and the GTIN/lot code — many Arla product pages and on-pack labels explicitly state the production country (e.g., Sverige or Danmark).