Arla’s protein chocolate drink has won Sweden’s Grocery Product of the Year award after a repositioning that helped lift sales by 64%. The dairy group announced the result on 9 October, following the presentation at DLF’s autumn meeting the previous evening.

The product, named Arla Protein Chocolate Milk Drink in the award data and Proteinshake Choklad in Arla’s announcement, generated SEK57.8 million in sales over the 52 weeks to April 2026. Those are historical retail figures used in the award assessment, rather than a new October trading update.

Its weighted distribution reached 89%, according to figures published by organiser Svensk Dagligvaruhandel. This measures its reach across stores weighted by their importance to category sales; it does not mean the drink is stocked in 89% of Swedish shops.

The drink previously sold under another brand. Arla brought its protein content more clearly into the branding and packaging, giving an existing product a different position on the shelf.

“Innovation does not always have to mean developing an entirely new product,” said jury chair Karin Brynell, chief executive of Svensk Dagligvaruhandel, in a translated statement.

For European dairy companies, the result offers a practical example of growth through repositioning. A clearer pack message can help shoppers understand an existing product without requiring a completely new recipe or manufacturing process. Neither announcement, however, establishes how much of the sales increase came from branding, distribution, pricing or promotion.

That distinction matters when assessing the performance. Sales value growth alone does not show whether unit volumes rose at the same rate, whether promotional spending increased or whether the product delivered a higher margin.

The distribution figure also changes the commercial question. With broad existing reach, continued growth may depend more on repeat purchases and sales per store than on adding listings alone. Comparing those measures with neighbouring dairy drinks would give a clearer picture of the product’s contribution to the category.

The winner was chosen through a digital vote involving members of DLF and Svensk Dagligvaruhandel. The other finalists were NOCCO Focus Grand Sour and Frödinge Saffranskladdkaka, a saffron chocolate cake.

Arla will receive exposure through the grocery trade’s own channels and SEK400,000 to use with analysis company NIQ. The award therefore brings both promotional visibility and resources for further market analysis.

The recognition adds a product-level example to Arla’s wider branded dairy performance. It does not announce a new factory investment, supply agreement or international rollout for the drink.

The next test will be whether the additional exposure translates into sustained repeat demand and stronger sales per store. Updated volume and margin figures would help establish how much lasting commercial value the repositioning creates.

Editor’s note: Based on Arla’s Swedish announcement and Svensk Dagligvaruhandel’s release dated 9 October 2026, alongside the organiser’s NIQ sales data. GTN translated the source material and added analysis of distribution, sales measurement and category performance.