Arla Denmark has launched a lactose-free milk drink aimed at children and young people who increasingly choose juice, smoothies and other beverages over milk.
The new drink comes in banana and raspberry flavours in 200ml cartons with cardboard straws. It is made with organic Danish milk, natural aroma and lactase enzyme, contains no added sugar and is UHT treated, allowing it to be stored without refrigeration.
Arla is positioning the product around convenience rather than as a replacement for ordinary household milk. The company says it is designed for lunch boxes, between-meal occasions and other situations where children need something quick to drink.
The launch responds to a consumer problem that is becoming more visible in Denmark. The latest national dietary survey from the Danish National Food Institute found that children, adolescents and young women often consume less milk and dairy products than recommended, while milk consumption declines with age.
That shift creates a familiar challenge for dairy companies: milk has nutritional credentials, but it competes for occasions increasingly controlled by portable, flavoured drinks. Arla’s answer is to change the format and occasion rather than push conventional milk harder.
Ann-Camilla Kjæmpe, marketing director at Arla Denmark, said the company sees a change in when and how younger consumers drink during the day and that milk needs to fit modern routines if it is to remain relevant.
The product also carries a sustainability and welfare proposition. The milk comes from Danish farms awarded three green hearts under Denmark’s Better Animal Welfare label, the highest level in the scheme. The combination gives Arla a way to differentiate the drink beyond flavour and convenience.
The move fits a broader strategy of making dairy products more relevant to changing consumption habits. Drinkabl.media’s coverage of Arla’s Nigerian dairy push showed the company pursuing local production and new consumption opportunities in another market.
Arla’s latest financial results provide the wider commercial backdrop. The cooperative reported €15.1 billion in 2025 revenue, supported by record milk intake and strong ingredients growth. Its Danish launch shows the company is also working on the demand side by adapting familiar dairy products to the way younger consumers now drink.
For dairy companies, the commercial test is straightforward: whether convenience formats can keep milk present in occasions where traditional cartons are losing ground.
READ MORE
