Filmjölk (a Swedish type of sour milk) has a long history in Sweden. It is known that the Vikings ate condensed milk-like products, and from the 18th century there are descriptions of filmjölk in Carl von Linnés writings. 

Some people say that filmjölk has been around for thousands of years. In warmer countries, yoghurt is more common and while different types of products that are similar to the Swedish filmjölk are common in cold countries such as those in northern Europe, Sweden is alone with the very specific type of filmjölk that we have. It can be found nowhere else. 

The history books tell us that filmjölk was originally made for farmers in Sweden so that they could have milk even in the summer because it didn’t go bad as quickly as regular milk. 

When the farmers had to be away from home for several days, they brought filmjök. It stayed fresh and tasted good and was therefore an excellent thing to eat on the go. The farmers normally had it with pieces of tunnbröd (flat bread).

In 1931, Mjölkcentralen and other Swedish dairy companies launched the filmjölk that we know and love today. And in the years since then, the market for filmjök has exploded. Today, there is a very wide range of different filmjölk products, and it has a given spot on the breakfast or lunch table in many Swedish households. Just like in the old days.

A fun fact is that Swedish people who emigrated back in the day would write home to their families and specifically ask them to send filmjölk. Kind of like how we do today here at Swedishness😉