Cheese
Swedish cheese ranges from the prized 12-18-month Västerbottensost to the everyday tube cheese (mjukost) every Swede grew up with. Order Västerbotten, Prästost, Greve and Kavli mjukost shipped from Sweden — refrigerated cheeses go by express service with frozen gel packs.
What is Swedish cheese?
Swedish cheese (ost) covers everything from hard, long-aged classics like Västerbottensost and Prästost to mild semi-hard cheeses such as Herrgård and Greve, and the soft tube cheese (mjukost) that lives in every Swedish fridge. Sweden has a strong dairy tradition rooted in centuries of farm cheesemaking, and cheese is eaten throughout the day — on knäckebröd at breakfast, sliced on sandwiches, melted on toast, or grated into the famous Västerbottenpaj. Swedes are among Europe's heaviest cheese consumers per capita.
Best Swedish cheese brands
| Cheese | Type | Maker | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Västerbottensost | Hard, aged 12-18 months | Norrmejerier (Burträsk) | Västerbottenpaj, cheese boards |
| Prästost | Semi-hard, aged | Various dairies | Sandwiches, breakfast |
| Greve | Semi-hard with holes | Arla / Skånemejerier | Mild slicing cheese |
| Herrgård | Semi-hard, mild-to-medium | Various dairies | Everyday Swedish staple |
| Hushållsost | Mild, semi-hard | Arla and others | Children, sandwiches |
| Mjukost (tube) | Soft, spreadable | Kavli, Arla Kelda | Knäckebröd, snacks |
| Fjällbrynt | Soft processed | Norrmejerier | Crispbread, sandwiches |
Västerbottensost is the most prestigious; Prästost, Greve and Herrgård are everyday slicing cheeses; Mjukost in a tube is the breakfast staple; and Fjällbrynt is the processed soft cheese famous on knäckebröd.
Mjukost (tube cheese) explained
Mjukost is soft, spreadable processed cheese sold in toothpaste-style tubes, and it is one of the most uniquely Swedish dairy products. Brands like Kavli and Arla Kelda offer dozens of flavours: shrimp (räkost), bacon, ham, pepper, smoked, blue cheese, mushroom and pure original. Swedes squeeze it onto knäckebröd, hot toast, baked potato or even straight on a slice of cucumber. For Swedes abroad, mjukost in a tube is one of the most-missed everyday products, and shipping it internationally is something we specialise in.
Västerbottensost: Sweden's most prized cheese
Västerbottensost is a hard, granular, long-aged cheese made only at the dairy in Burträsk, Västerbotten — and only there, despite repeated attempts to replicate it elsewhere. It is aged for at least 12 months and often 18, develops a sharp, salty, umami-rich flavour with a faint crystalline crunch, and is the indispensable filling in Västerbottenpaj, the savoury cheese pie served with caviar at Swedish summer dinners. It is often compared to a Swedish Parmigiano-Reggiano but has its own distinct character. Outside Sweden it is hard to find, which is why it is one of the most-ordered cheeses on our shop.
How to ship Swedish cheese internationally
Refrigerated cheeses such as Västerbotten, Prästost, Herrgård and Greve are dispatched as refrigerated shipments by express service only, with frozen gel packs, on Mondays and Tuesdays so the cold chain (which lasts about 48 hours) doesn't sit through a weekend. Some thawing on arrival is normal — if items still feel cool to the touch, they are safe; refrigerate immediately. Mjukost in tubes and other shelf-stable Swedish dairy products can ship under standard conditions. Our online stock list is filtered automatically by destination, so you only see what we can deliver to you.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Swedish cheese brands?
The best Swedish cheese brands are Västerbottensost (Norrmejerier), Prästost, Arla Greve and Herrgård, Hushållsost, Kavli mjukost (tube cheese) and Fjällbrynt soft processed cheese. Västerbottensost is the most prestigious; Kavli is the most popular tube cheese brand.
What is Västerbotten cheese?
Västerbotten cheese (Västerbottensost) is a hard, granular, long-aged cheese made only at the Burträsk dairy in northern Sweden. Aged for at least 12 months, it has a sharp, salty, umami flavour with a slight crunch from amino-acid crystals, and is the traditional filling for Västerbottenpaj. It has been made since 1872 and cannot legally be produced anywhere else.
What is mjukost?
Mjukost is Swedish soft, spreadable processed cheese sold in toothpaste-style tubes. Available in flavours like shrimp, bacon, ham, blue cheese and original, it is squeezed onto knäckebröd, toast, baked potato or used as a quick snack. Brands include Kavli and Arla Kelda.
What is the most famous Swedish cheese?
The most famous Swedish cheese is Västerbottensost, internationally recognised as Sweden's flagship hard cheese and the star of Västerbottenpaj. Domestically, Prästost and Greve are also household names, and tube mjukost (especially Kavli) is the most universally recognised Swedish cheese product.
Where can I buy Swedish cheese abroad?
You can buy Swedish cheese abroad from Butik Hemlängtan (swedishfoodshop.com), which ships Västerbottensost, Prästost, Greve, Herrgård and Kavli mjukost to 100 countries. Refrigerated cheeses are dispatched by express service only on Mondays and Tuesdays, with frozen gel packs to keep the cold chain intact — see our refrigerated shipping page for details.
What is the difference between Prästost and Greve?
Prästost is a Swedish farmhouse-style cheese aged for several months, with a firmer texture and a fuller, slightly tangy flavour that intensifies with age. Greve is a younger, milder Swedish cheese with characteristic medium-sized holes, similar in style to Emmental but milder. Prästost suits a cheese board and slow eating; Greve is everyday slicing cheese.
How do you say cheese in Swedish?
"Cheese" in Swedish is ost. A cheese slicer (the iconic Scandinavian invention) is an osthyvel, a cheese sandwich is a ostmacka, and the cheese board is an ostbricka. Mjukost literally means "soft cheese".
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