Last week, Arla Foods met with its smallest market segment - five astronauts, including Sweden's first space traveller, Christer Fuglsang - at a special event at the Tycho Brahe Planetarium in Copenhagen. Arla Foods is the only food company based in Scandinavia to supply products for space travellers.


Many were curious to have a closer look at - and taste - Arla Foods' space products. Among the 200 guests gathered to hear the NASA astronauts talk about their recently completed mission to the International Space Station 350 km out in space were two Danish ministers, Science Minister Helge Sander and Minister of Education Bertel Haarder.

At the event, which aimed at promoting the participation of Danish industries in space science and exploration, Arla Foods had a stand where visitors could sample the special "space yoghurt", which the astronauts consumed during their recent mission. And sample they did!


Christer Fuglesang (left), who is Sweden's first astronaut, chats with Arla Foods' head of innovation, Carsten Hallund Slot."Many people wanted to know where they could buy the space products. Unfortunately, they're not yet available in stores for us earth-dwellers, but if demand turns out to be sufficiently great, we may have to respond," explained Carsten Hallund Slot, who is Head of Innovation in Arla Foods.

If the space yoghurt does go on sale in stores, Sweden's first astronaut, Christer Fuglsang, will most likely be quick to make room in his refrigerator. During the 13-day long mission, he ate space yoghurt every day, he confessed, adding: "It was so good that sometimes I had an extra portion."