Mejerifabriker

Mejerifabriker, or dairy processing plants, are facilities where raw milk collected from dairy farms is received, tested for quality, and transformed into a range of dairy products. They operate within the broader dairy sector and are essential for converting milk into consumer products and industrial ingredients.

Key processing steps typically include pasteurization to kill pathogens, separation to produce cream and skim milk, and homogenization to create a uniform fat distribution. Standardization adjusts fat and solids to target specifications. Depending on products, dairies may also perform fermentation, maturation, and aging in cheese production, or standard mixing for yogurt and other cultured products. Packaging lines finish the process for distribution.

Common products include fluid milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, and other cultured dairy products, as well as whey and by-products used in animal feed, ingredients, or nutrition products. Some mejerifabriker operate dedicated facilities for specific product families and maintain multiple production lines.

Structure and ownership vary: many mejerifabriker are part of cooperative dairy groups or private companies. Historically, Nordic countries developed mejeri networks to improve efficiency and milk utilization; mergers and consolidation in recent decades formed large regional players such as Arla Foods, which emerged from Swedish and Danish cooperatives.

Regulation focuses on food safety, quality control, and traceability, with oversight by national authorities and, in the European Union, EU-wide standards. Mejerifabriker implement HACCP-based programs, quality testing, and allergen management.

Environmental and logistical aspects include energy use, effluent treatment, waste valorization, and cold-chain logistics to maintain product quality from factory to retailer.