No less than a government minister and the president of the Nordic Dairy Council (NMR) took the stage on Wednesday morning for the official opening of the Nordic Dairy Congress 2025 in Reykjavík, Iceland—a congress of great relevance in today’s world.

Originally scheduled to be the first speaker at the opening ceremony, Iceland’s Minister of Industry, Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, ended up speaking last due to a delayed flight.

Instead, the President of the Nordic Dairy Council, Auðunn Hermannsson—Technical Development Manager at MS Dairy—was first to take the stage. He warmly welcomed the attendees, numbering well over 300 dairy professionals. He also extended his gratitude to the sponsors, without whom the congress would not have been possible. In addition, he thanked the program committee, the secretariat in Odense, the students, and the sponsors who made it possible for so many students to attend the congress in Reykjavík.

When Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson finally took the stage, she began by offering her warmest greetings to all participants and emphasized that this is the first time Iceland is hosting the congress. She also expressed her appreciation for the ambitious and forward-looking program.

In a brief interview with Mejerimedier afterward, the minister underlined the importance of a dairy congress at this time:

– The dairy industry is based on production within individual countries, but we all face the same challenges, and we are so much stronger when we stand together, said Hanna Katrín Friðriksson.

She also touched on the growing role of consumers and their influence:

– Consumers have a strong voice. They demand transparency and ethical food production. Meeting consumer expectations is a major challenge. But it’s one we must face. In the future, we must not only produce more—we must produce better. And we must be innovative, both for people and for the planet, Hanna Katrín Friðriksson concluded in her interview with Mejerimedier.