The Norwegian Independent Meat and Poultry Association (KLF) is an organization that represents the privately owned, independent non-cooperative companies in the Norwegian meat, egg and poultry-trade.

KLF was established in 1910.  In the spring of 2007 they amalgamated with  the Norwegian Independent Poultry Association to form one organisation.

The organization has 182 members in almost 100 municipalities covering the whole of Norway.  In 2006 they had an annual turnover of approximately 14 billion Norwegian kroner and approximately 4350 man-labour years.

The member companies cover all categories from egg packing, factories producing egg products, slaughterhouses, meat industry (including processed food) to butcher shops. The size of the companies varies from small firms with 2-3 employees to large slaughterhouses and meat processing companies with several hundred employees.

The slaughterhouses affiliated KLF have about 28% of the total slaughtering in Norway for red meat and about 23% for poultry.
KLF member companies have about 55% markets share for red meat and 20% for poultry, of the entire end market.  (Grocers and Institutions).

Approximately 5 000 Norwegian farmers regularly deliver slaughter animals to our member companies, additionally approximately 10 000 Norwegian farmers deliver on a more irregular basis.

KLF is affiliated with the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise.

KLF directs its resources to three main areas:
- Trade policy/politics
- Food safety
- Commercial activity

1. Trade policy/politics
A.
Working to secure the member companies a political and legal framework which will give our members equal competition with other participants nationally and internationally.

B.
Working so that at all times the political practice shall create a better environment to strengthen the member companies’ competitiveness both nationally and internationally.

2. Food Safety
A.
Working both nationally and internationally to increase food safety.

B.
Working both nationally and internationally to counterbalance the regulations for food production and at the same time take into consideration the member companies interests.

3. Commercial activity
KLF offer a range of services and products to its member companies.

A.
Development of each member’s capabilities through counselling, education and training and other professional measures.  Important areas are food safety/hygiene, internationalization, strategy, management, and crisis and risk assessment.

B.
Training and/or a review of HACCP, and other food related regulations adapted to the needs of the individual companies.

C.
Computer related tracking programs.

D.
Miscellaneous products.
KLF is a member of Liason Centre for the Meat Processing Industry in the EU – CLITRAVI,  European Livestock and Meat Trading Union – UECBV and International Butcher Confederation – IBC.

Subsidiary companies
KLF Media publishes a trade magazine ‘Kjøttbransjen’ (The Meat Branch) ten times a year with a circulation of 3000 copies. ‘Kjøttbransjen’ is considered the leading trade magazine within the Norwegian meat trade.

ScanPig is responsible for the professional activities directed towards pig farmers and slaughterhouses. In 2005 ScanPig started the first Norwegian breeding stock based on the Hampshire pig imported from Sweden.

KLFs secretariat has eleven employees and is headed by Dag Henning Reksnes, Managing Director. The office is situated in Oslo, Norway.

The Norwegian Independent Meat and Poultry Association
Fred Olsens gate 5
0152 Oslo
N-Norway.

Telephone +47 23 24 44 70
Fax: +47 23 24 44 80