The Arla Dairy Farm: Arlas quality programme on its way to Japan

Arlas quality programme The Arla Dairy Farm could be a determining factor in Arla’s sales of cheese to the Japanese market. Consequently, Arla’s Japanese subsidiary intends to use the quality programme in its relations with customers.

As all Arla’s co-operative members are approved under The Arla Dairy Farm scheme, sales departments are now beginning to use the quality programme outside Scandinavia. One example is Arla’s Japanese sub-sidiary which is currently preparing to use The Arla Dairy Farm concept as a sales tool in Japan’s competitive cheese market.

“The Japanese market has a broad variety of cheese and the number is increasing all the time,” explains Sales Manager Eigo Maeda, Arla Foods, Japan. “Our industrial customers and consumers, therefore, have a very wide choice. Consequently, we must find a way of differentiating Arla and Arla’s products from the others. This is where The Arla Dairy Farm comes in.”

With a weaker economy and increasing world market prices, the Japanese food industry and the retail sector are trying to compensate by putting pressure on suppliers.
Arlas quality programme The Arla Dairy Farm dovetails with the Japanese consumers growing awareness of food safety and health issues.
This has affected Danish cheese which sells at a premium of 15-25% compared to e.g. German and Dutch cheeses, and, therefore, ranks among the most expensive in the market.

Not only can The Arla Dairy Farm contribute to the products’ added value, the concept also dovetails with the Japanese consumers growing awareness of food safety and health issues.

"If we can guarantee that our products are produced from high quality raw materials in relation to nutrition, hygiene, safety, flavour and traceability, we have a very strong sales argument which will, eventually, generate more sales,” says Eigo Maeda.

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