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Dairy co-operative Arla has entered the plant-based market with the release of three dairy alternative products under a new brand called Jörd, which will be Arla's umbrella brand for plant-based products. The first three products released through the Jörd brand – Jörd Oat, Jörd Barley and Jörd Hemp – are all dairy-free oat drinks, which are made using "only four or five ingredients", according to Arla. Jörd's plant-based oat drinks will be initially be launched in Denmark, the UK and Sweden, and Arla says it will investigate opportunities to launch Jörd in other markets in the near future. The demand for plant-based and dairy-free products has risen significantly in recent times, as increasing numbers of consumers are adopting vegan diets or attempting to reduce their consumption of animal products. Indeed, research published by The Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association yesterday found that retail sales of plant-based foods in the US grew 11% in 2019, bringing the total value of the plant-based market to $5 billion. Many major dairy companies including Danone, Kerry and Upfield have made moves to strengthen their presence in the plant-based sector as this trend has grown, and now Arla says that the launch of the Jörd brand shows that the company has a "strong ambition to become a significant player" in the plant-based space within the coming years. Hanne Søndergaard, executive vice-president for global marketing and innovation in Arla, said: "More and more European consumers are looking towards plant-based products. And we know that consumers are enjoying dairy and plant-based drinks side by side. "With our unique expertise and innovation power it is natural for us to enter this market, which is adjacent to the milk category. We aim to develop the category with a natural, Nordic range that fits into the everyday life of the European consumers and we see this as an exciting business opportunity. “At Arla, we are committed to deliver in the plant-based category. We have the willingness and the capability to serve what the consumers desire – both in the dairy and plant-based categories – and we believe that the Jörd-brand and our natural oat drinks meet these expectations. "The three plant-drinks are made with organic and Nordic ingredients and contain up to 50% more oat than current market leaders. Parameters, that have tested very well with the consumers."