Arla Fonden is a Danish foundation, founded at the initiative of Arla Foods in 2012 to strengthen food literacy among children and young people. Since then, we have built a foundation dedicated to bringing that vision to life through learning activities, knowledge, and partnerships.
Food literacy is an essential life skill that influences health and wellbeing. The food literacy children and young people develop provides the foundation for making informed and responsible choices about sustainability and their own health throughout life.
Food, cooking, and food literacy play an important role in many aspects of life. They support physical and mental wellbeing and help us understand where our food comes from and how it connects to nature and the changing seasons. Just as importantly, food and shared meals bring people together and create meaningful communities.
Children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. Arla Fonden works to strengthen food literacy and sustainable food habits, with a particular focus on children aged 10–15.
We believe children should be invited into the kitchen and take an active role in cooking. They should be encouraged to explore flavours and gain positive, meaningful experiences with food and shared meals.
We believe food literacy is best developed through experience. That is why we create learning activities where children and young people take an active role in cooking, explore flavours, and share meals with others.
Some activities take place in schools, while others bring families together in their free time. Whether at Madlejr® – Food Camp, Food Workshops, or Food Waste School, every activity is built around participation, community, and meaningful food experiences.
Creating lasting change requires knowledge. Arla Fonden generates, shares, and applies knowledge about food literacy through research, annual reports, systematic evaluations, and Children’s Voice.
By bringing children’s perspectives into the conversation, we contribute to a stronger understanding of food literacy and inspire new thinking about how children and young people can develop lifelong food habits.
Strengthening food literacy among children and young people is a shared responsibility. Lasting change requires collaboration across sectors.
We believe in the power of working together. By combining knowledge, experience, and ideas, we can create a greater impact than we could alone. That is why partnerships are fundamental to the way we work.
Every child has the right to food literacy as a foundation for navigating life.
Arla Fonden works to strengthen food literacy among children and young people so it becomes a natural part of their everyday life.
