Swedish oat milk company Oatly is reportedly expanding its operations in Landskrona with a 160 million kronor investment, according to local media reports. The news comes as one of the company's earliest employees, Sofia Ehlde, reflects on Oatly's transformation from a small research firm to a global phenomenon.
Sofia Ehlde, now global innovation chief at Oatly, was the third person hired by the company and has been a key figure since its inception. She reportedly left a secure position at Findus in Bjuv, which was then owned by Nestlé, in the late 1990s to join what was then a small, unknown research company in Lund.
Sometimes I pinch myself
"Sometimes I pinch myself," Ehlde said about witnessing Oatly's growth from a vision to a worldwide brand. The company's expansion in Landskrona represents continued investment in Swedish production facilities as demand for plant-based alternatives grows globally.
Ehlde previously served as factory manager at Oatly before taking on her current role as global innovation chief, overseeing the company's product development and innovation strategies.