From this year’s harvest to the bread of the future – new Swedish wheat varieties put to the test

At Lantmännen’s baking laboratory in Svalöv, wheat varieties that have reached an advanced stage of plant breeding are put to the test. The grain is milled into flour and test-baked to determine which varieties have the right characteristics to eventually be grown by Swedish farmers and used for breadmaking.

"In the field, we gain important knowledge about how a variety performs in cultivation. When we then mill the grain and bake with the flour, we can also see how its characteristics perform in the bread. This is an important part of determining which varieties should move forward," says Desirée Börjesdotter, Head of Plant Breeding at Lantmännen.

From harvest through spring, around 300 test bakes are carried out using winter and spring wheat. All samples are baked under the same conditions, making it possible to compare characteristics such as bread volume, structure and elasticity. According to Lantmännen, the analysis is primarily used for varieties that have reached an advanced stage of development and are approaching potential commercial release.

More than 100 years of test baking in Svalöv

The baking laboratory celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025, while plant breeding has been carried out in Svalöv since 1886. Today, this long-term breeding work is combined with new technology to develop varieties adapted to Nordic growing conditions.

At the same time, Lantmännen is investing SEK 100 million in a new facility for analysis and plant breeding in Svalöv. The facility is expected to be completed during the first half of 2028 and, according to Lantmännen, will provide better conditions for the analysis and development of new varieties.

Facts and more information

Baking laboratory: Celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025. Around 300 test bakes are carried out each year.

Test baking: All samples are treated in the same way. Three loaves, each made from 100 grams of dough, are baked per sample, and characteristics including volume, structure and elasticity are assessed.

Plant breeding in Svalöv: Plant breeding has been carried out since 1886. Lantmännen develops varieties adapted to Nordic growing conditions here.

New technology in Svalöv: Climate-controlled growth chambers, DNA analysis and advanced statistical models are used to make plant breeding more efficient. The aim is to grow up to five generations of certain crops in the growth chambers in a single year.

Investment in Svalöv: Lantmännen is investing SEK 100 million in a new facility for analysis and plant breeding, which is expected to be completed during the first half of 2028.

For more information

Lantmännen Press Office
+46 10 556 88 00
press@lantmannen.com

About Lantmännen
About Lantmännen: Lantmännen is an agricultural cooperative and Northern Europe’s leader in agriculture, bioenergy and food products. Owned by 17,000 Swedish farmers, Lantmännen has more than 10,000 employees, operations in over 20 countries and an annual turnover of SEK 60 billion. With grain at the heart of the operations, Lantmännen refines arable land resources to make farming thrive. Some of Lantmännen’s best-known food brands are AXA, Kungsörnen, Scan, GoGreen, FINN CRISP, Schulstad and Vaasan. The company is founded on the knowledge and values acquired through generations of farmers. By engaging in research, development and operations throughout the value chain, Lantmännen takes responsibility from field to fork.
For more information: www.lantmannen.com