The Icelandic dairy company MS (Mjólkursamsalan) is once again inviting upper primary school students to write poetic texts for its milk cartons.

Since 1994, the company has worked in various ways to strengthen the Icelandic language. Its largest and most visible initiatives have been special Icelandic-language projects featured on MS milk cartons. The writing competition Fernuflug, for students in grades 8–10, is one of these initiatives.

This year, the company is calling for submissions under the theme “What does it mean to be me?”. The selected texts will be printed on MS milk cartons at the beginning of 2026, and the three best entries will receive prizes of up to DKK 15,000 (converted into Danish kroner).

Eva María Jónsdóttir, Vice-Chair of the Icelandic Language Council, writes about the initiative on MS’ website:
“MS will once again give school students a creative voice. This time, they are inviting students to submit texts that may be printed on milk cartons. The cartons are not only recyclable and environmentally friendly – they can also be poetic and inspire a love of reading.”

“Many authors were once young, aspiring writers, and some took their very first steps into literature precisely as milk-carton poets.” Read more HERE (in Icelandic).

Photo: Joshua Earle, Unsplash

By LWM