Neighbouring countries account for most of Denmark’s organic exports

A robust domestic market provides a good foundation for Denmark’s growing organic food exports, which reached DKK 3.5 billion in 2023.

With four per cent growth in exports and positive signals from key export markets, Denmark’s organic food producers are poised to gain new market share abroad, while in 2023 Denmark’s organic food imports fell for the first time in two decades.

Denmark exported organic food products worth DKK 3.5 billion in 2023. This represents an increase of DKK 121 million compared to the previous year and corresponds to 4 per cent growth, defying the geopolitical turmoil that in recent years has created uncertainty about private finances in European markets, which account for 86 per cent of Denmark’s organic exports.  This is set out in the latest figures from Statistics Denmark. LINK NEW: Decrease in imports of organic products, increase in exports - Statistics Denmark

Export figures show a slight decline in Denmark’s two most important markets, but Germany still accounts for half of Denmark’s organic exports, while Sweden is the second largest export market with an 11 per cent share. 

Denmark’s most important export markets in 2023:

“It is clear that the German market is moving in the right direction again. This is good news for anyone who already exports to Germany, and for new food producers who are aiming to enter the market,” says Dennis Hvam, International Market Manager at Organic Denmark.

He is also hearing positive reports from the Swedish market and is pleased that exports are growing in Eastern Europe, Asia and the US.

Dairy and eggs most important

Denmark has been exporting growing amounts of organic vegetables abroad for several years, and Organic Denmark is currently working on a number of projects aimed at branding root vegetables, cabbage, carrots and legumes, etc. from Danish fields in key European core markets.

But a look at the export statistics shows that dairy and eggs are still the most important export category.  In 2023, organic dairy and egg producers together earned just over DKK 1 billion abroad, which is almost as much as exports of meat and fruit and vegetables combined.

Denmark’s largest export categories

Breakthroughs for plant-based products

Exports of organic drinks - especially plant-based drinks - grew by 39 per cent in 2023.

“This shows that Danish organic producers of plant-based drinks have gained a strong foothold in international markets and have paved the way for Denmark to become an important player in the market for organic and plant-based products,” says Dennis Hvam.

Companies such as Organic Plant Protein, Agarin, Aurion, Thise Mejeri, Matr Foods, PerfectSeason Reduced and Rømer Vegan are examples of Danish producers of plant-based foods that are very active at export fairs abroad. 

Prospects for further growth 

Dennis Hvam is not surprised by the increase in exports, and according to feedback from Denmark’s core markets, in its latest forecast, Organic Denmark expects exports to reach DKK 3.9 billion in 2025. 

“This is entirely in line with the development we are currently seeing in domestic grocery sales,” says Dennis Hvam, who is heading several export projects aimed at further boosting organic sales to foreign customers in the food industry, foodservice and retail.

Export initiatives include a multi-year export programme together with Bio Aus Dänemark, which is targeting the foodservice industry in the DACH countries. LINK?

Building on a strong domestic market

Denmark’s strong position in the export market is based on a strong domestic market for organic products, Denmark’s outstanding food safety and many years of targeted export work.  With organic products accounting for 12 per cent of the grocery market, Denmark remains the global leader in terms of the share of organic items in shopping baskets. At the same time, the organic share in the country’s professional catering establishments is 13 per cent. 

The growing Danish demand for healthy and sustainable products has created a lucrative domestic market for organic food. This has given rise to a diverse Danish production of innovative, organic food that encompasses a wide range of food categories and price ranges.

But with a population of just under six million, the Danish market is quickly becoming too small for manufacturers; and over the years many of them have successfully turned their attention to the potential abroad, where Europe is by far the most important export market.

Exports the driving force behind meat sales

Historically, exports have been driven by major international corporations such as Arla Foods and Danish Crown, often described as the world’s largest organic dairy and the world’s largest organic slaughterhouse, respectively.

Danish Crown sells its organic meat through its subsidiary Friland A/S, which generates most of its revenue abroad.

“Exports are crucial for our sales of organic pork in particular, as there is a big difference in demand in different markets. There is not much demand for hams in Denmark.  They want them in Southern Europe, and in this way exports help us sell all parts of the pig,” says Søren Tinggaard, Director at Friland.

He is seeing more positive signals from foreign markets, where Danish organic products from several small and medium-sized food producers are also finding their way onto organic store shelves. 

Meet Danish producers at BioFach

In collaboration with the export network Bio Aus Dänemark, Organic Denmark organises Denmark’s joint stand at BioFach in Nuremberg every year, which is the most important export event of the year. Around 30 Danish companies will be exhibiting at the stand in 2025.

Rømer Vegan has only been around for five years and specialises in production of vegan glassware. The company signed a contract with German wholesaler Followfood at the BioFach trade fair in February 2024. This led to a breakthrough in the German grocery market, where the family-owned company now sells two vegan alternatives to tuna.

“This is huge for us, and the agreement meant that we had to invest in new machines and hire more staff so that we could keep up with demand,” says Niels Rømer, CEO and co-owner of Rømer Vegan, which has established vegan production at a disused Arla dairy in Vrinners, Jutland.

Meet him and the other Danish organic food exhibitors at the Danish stand in Hall 6 at BioFach from 11 to 14 February 2025.

First decline in imports

While Denmark’s organic exports continued to grow in 2023, the year marked the first decline in organic food imports in two decades. Denmark imported organic food worth DKK 5.2 billion in 2022. The following year, that figure had fallen to DKK 5 billion. As a result, Denmark’s foreign trade deficit fell to just under DKK 1.5 billion. This is the lowest level since 2017, but according to Dennis Hvam, it indicates a short-term dip in imports.

The decrease in imports is primarily due to Danish organic farmers reducing the number of cows and pigs kept in 2023, and therefore importing less feed. At the same time, there was a large drop in imports of wine and confectionery. According to Dennis Hvam, the latter is a natural consequence of Danish consumers cutting back on the consumption of more luxury goods in 2023.

Danish organic consumption began to grow again as early as 2024, and Organic Denmark is expecting this growth to continue into 2025. This will probably mean that imports will start to increase again, as some organic ingredients simply cannot be grown in Denmark.