Friland specialises in organic meat production and high animal welfare standards
The company was established in 1992, and since 1999 has been part of the Danish Crown Group.
Friland was set up in 1992 when a group of farmers wanted to establish an alternative to conventional pig production. They wanted to rear pigs in such a way that the animals were able to express their natural behaviour. However, the farmers lacked a sales channel for their products, and therefore joined forces with a number of organic farmers to form the company Friland Food.
In 1999, Friland became part of the Danish Crown Group. As a subsidiary with its own independent profile, Friland was able to use Danish Crown’s established systems and, in particular, use the parent company’s extensive contacts on the export markets. Today, we have sales officies in the UK and Germany, and we sell meat to many European and overseas markets.
There are approx. 800 farmers supplying Friland, and they are represented on the company’s Board of Directors in proportion to the revenue of each single production concept. As part of Danish Crown, Friland uses the group’s production and distribution facilities. All the pigs and cattles are slaughtered at Danish Crown’s modern slaughterhouses, which are authorised by the EEC and approved by US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The meat is cut and packed at Danish Crown’s cutting and retail packaging departments, which meet the highest food safety standards.
In the Danish market, Friland sells organic beef and pork under brands such as Friland Organic, Friland Free Range Pork and Friland Beef. Furthermore, we supply meat for private label products and to butcher’s shops as well as foodservice and food-processing companies.
A large proportion of Friland’s production is sold on the international market, and the company is a significant supplier of organic meat to European processing companies.
Friland will ensure a high level of animal welfare
Animal welfare is one of the most important topics for Friland as well as for the suppliers of Friland's concepts. This is why Friland continuously strives to ensure and develop a high level of animal welfare.
Since the establishment in 1992, animal welfare has been one of the most important parameters for both Friland and the company's suppliers. And it will continue to be so. It is an absolute necessity that the pigs and cattles in Friland are able to live as naturally as possible.
Therefore, all pigs both organic and free range pigs are born outside, where they spend respectively seven and five weeks with the sow. At the same time, they have plenty of space when they are in the stable, where they also have access to outdoor areas at all times. When it comes to the organic cattle, the calves spend a minimum of 3 months with their mother. The animals are on grass in the summer. During the cold winter period, the animals are in stables with plenty of space for free movement and bedding.
All Friland suppliers are periodically inspected by third parties, as well as animals included in the concept 'Recommended by Animal Protection' annually are assessed by Baltic Control. This process ensures that the suppliers continuously live up to the requirements issued by the individual concepts.
In cooperation with the organization Dyrenes Beskyttelse Friland run the Center for Outdoor Animals, an important player within the future of animal welfare. The center's employees carry out research projects within the field of animal welfare development.