By joining forces, farmers could jointly pursue their interests and allow the associations to act as their extended arm into industry and the market. It was a way of balancing the balance of power in the food value chain, where the lone farmer had little to oppose the emerging industrial activity. During this period, both dairy, forestry and agricultural associations were established.  

The first central association was founded in Skaraborg County in 1895. The goals of these early forms of agricultural associations were, among other things, to improve quality control, reduce purchase prices and transport costs, and create better opportunities for exchange of experience between farmers. In the beginning, local farmers' associations were formed, but soon came the need to form larger trading partners. The next step was therefore to often form regional associations by county.

On 30 August 1905, the Swedish Lantmännen National Association was founded in Stockholm. Most of the regional member associations undertook to buy their entire need for the fertilizer Kali from the association, which was soon expanded to include superphosphate, chili saltpetre, and other products. This gave the organization stability and strength, and it was possible to appoint a first managing director. At that time, the turnover of the association amounted to SEK 1.5 million and referred to 90 percent fertilizer.

To increase interest in seed grain, it was decided to establish a seed cleaning plant, which started the following year. The new organization initially met strong resistance from the private trade, which saw Lantmännen as a dangerous competitor where these companies had previously been able to operate relatively undisturbed. But step by step, success was won by growing numbers of farmers and the Swedish Lantmännen National Association became an important factor to be reckoned with. 

The association got its first branch office in Stockholm in 1909. As turnover continued to steadily increase, capital issues and the organizational form of the association also became early issues. Initially, the assets consisted of the members' contributions and annual fees. It was a one-time payment of SEK 100 per member and SEK 10 for every SEK 100,000 in turnover that applied, but eventually the annual fee was abolished.

During the 20th century, the increasingly strong agricultural associations gradually began to invest their joint efforts in things that were in the interests of their members, both in the short and long term. Among other things, in silo facilities at strategic locations, in own feed factories, in tool manufacturing, in plant breeding programs to increase productivity and quality in harvests, and in milling and bakery operations to secure demand for and increase the value of members' grain.  

It was not until 2001 that the Lantmännen Group, as it is known today, was formed through a merger between the regional associations Skånska Lantmännen, HBK Lantmän, Jönköpings Lantmän, Värmlands Lantmän, Örebro Lantmän, Lantmännen Odal, Gotlands Lantmän, NNP (Lantmännendelen) and Svenska Lantmännens Riksförbund. The coordination that this entailed meant that Lantmännen could engage more strongly in increasingly broader issues for Swedish agriculture, such as the establishment of the Nordic region's first ethanol production, the start-up of the Lantmännen Research Foundation, efforts to increase the attractiveness of Swedish grain in export markets and to define and shape the agriculture of the future.