Location
Denmark
Stakeholders involved
National and international retailers, international and national millers, international/national producers of bread, pasta, rice, crispbread, porridge and cereals, international foodservice/canteens, national industry associations, government departments, such as the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, and health NGOs such as the Danish Heart Association, the Danish Diabetes Association, and the Danish Cancer Society.
Lead organization
No lead organization; the partnership is managed by an independent secretariat of three people.
Scale
The target of the program is everyone living in Denmark. The yearly budget is
(USD)
Co-investment model
All partners pay a membership fee, including the government, health NGOs and food industry partners and retailers. The yearly budget covers common activities, salaries (two full-time employees and one student assistant), office rent, campaigns and marketing, etc. It demonstrates that a country can have a limited budget yet still run a partnership with impact. The value arises when all the partners contribute with their own strengths and competencies and invest in product development, research and health communication, with the government promoting the National Dietary Guideline to eat whole grains.
Impact
(USD) yearly
of the population ate the recommended intake of 75g
of the population eat the recommended intake of 90g
The amount invested is US $384,025 yearly. The beneficiaries are all inhabitants of Denmark. In terms of climate impacts, whole grains are a plant-based food that has a low climate impact. These grains grow in Denmark and require little processing to produce, for example, bread and rye bread. Whole grains prevent lifestyle diseases, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Whole grains contribute to nutrient-dense foods which help prevent obesity.
In less than a decade, the average whole grain intake in the country increased from 36 to 82 g/10 MJ/day. In June 2024, the National Dietary Guidelines were increased from 75g to 90g of whole grains per day. It 2008, only 6% of the population ate the recommended intake of 75g per day; today, 40% of the population eat the recommended intake of 90g of whole grains per day/10 MJ. The country has gone from 150 products available in 2009 to over 1,000 products today carrying the whole grain logo. Whole grains are part of the official dietary guidelines and thus a natural part of the diet of the country’s inhabitants.
Levers and enablers
The National Dietary Guidelines are a major lever as they recommend eating 90 grams of whole grains per day. Moreover, the European Union and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have pointed to it as a best practice case. The program has won several public relations prizes and gained significant international attention. When the Whole Grain Partnership collaborated with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and a canteen chain to develop a whole grain scheme for canteens with 6 criteria and a series of recommendations, they succeeded in getting a canteen chain on board. A major enabler is the contributions of all partners. For instance, health NGOs through research and health communication, and retailers and food producers through the availability of whole grain products.
The National Dietary Guidelines are a major lever as they recommend eating
of whole grains per day
Barriers
It is difficult to get those who eat the least whole grains to eat more – there is still a long way to go to reach the recommended 90 grams. There is a continuous need to ensure that whole grains and the partnership are top of mind for partners. It is necessary to always be present with relevant and engaging activities that create value for partners. It has also been difficult to get the food service sector involved in the partnership. It has been important to maintain a fixed financing model where everyone has paid – including NGOs and authorities – thus operating within a given budget and not being dependent on seeking funds and funding. Yet, it is necessary to ensure partners have also contributed resources and invested in their own organizations to achieve the common goal of getting the country’s inhabitants to eat more whole grains.
Lessons for scaling
- Enter into partnerships to ensure all partners contribute financially and thus benefit from each other's contributions, enhancing their commitment;
- Ensure that the partnership approach includes fair role distribution and effective descriptions of what each stakeholder group contributes;
- Maintain a philanthropic atmosphere to effectively solve challenges through open and close dialogue, where everyone is heard;
- Conduct workshops to continuously ensure partners' input and one-on-one meetings with partners to bring forth close, confidential dialogue so that partners always gain value from the collaboration;
- Encourage the creation of a logo or nutrition label and other forms of communication to help others see the value in the program;
- Trust and respect each other to make difference that cannot happen individually.
