The two farmer-owned dairy companies, Arla Foods and DMK Group, officially united on 1 June under the Arla name to form Europe’s leading dairy cooperative with a shared responsibility to invest in resilient and trusted food production for the long term.
At a time when stable access to nutritious food can no longer be taken for granted across Europe, the merger between Arla Foods and DMK Group brings together two cooperatives with a shared responsibility to help strengthen resilient and trusted food production, ensuring operational stability and a strong economic foundation for our farmers for the long term.
The merger unites approximately 11,200 farmers and 28,800 colleagues, creating Europe’s leading dairy cooperative with local roots in seven countries, a global reach, a combined milk pool of 19.4 billion kg annually, and a pro forma revenue of +20 billion euros annually.
“The time is right to create the future of dairy together. Today is the result of a long-standing partnership and shared values between Arla and DMK. In a more uncertain world, Europe needs food companies that can invest at scale and take responsibility for long-term resilience. By uniting as one farmer-owned cooperative, we are creating a European champion, strengthening our ability to do exactly that,” says Peder Tuborgh, CEO of Arla Foods.
“1 June marked the beginning of a new chapter for our colleagues and farmer owners, one that brings together two frontrunners in our industry, each strong in its own right and united by shared values, complementary strengths and deep expertise, says Ingo Müller, chief integration officer (CINTO) in Arla Foods.
Both leaders emphasized that the merger is about more than just scale; it is about driving change to reduce our impact on climate and nature and expanding our market presence.
“Our union empowers us to invest boldly in high-quality dairy products, advanced whey ingredients and the iconic brands that people across the world know and love, including Europe’s number one dairy brand Arla®. We will strengthen our partnerships with customers and other stakeholders to play an active, solutions driven role in tackling society’s most urgent challenges in food security, health, climate and nature, offering great opportunities for colleagues to make real-life impact. This moment is filled with possibilities,” says Peder Tuborgh.
“The task ahead of us is significant. Together, we must secure a strong future for our farmer community and continue to be a reliable, trusted partner in society, safeguarding dairy’s role in a stable food supply during times of geopolitical and economic shifts. Over the coming weeks, Peder and I will travel to meet people across our company, because in the end, it’s our people, our courage, and our ideas that change the company,” says Ingo Müller.
To mark this memorable milestone, the newly combined dairy group celebrated with colleagues worldwide.
From the headquarters in Viby J, Denmark, to Bremen, Düsseldorf, Utrecht, Hoogeveen, Leeds, Stockholm, Sipoo, Dubai, and many other locations, colleagues took part in Day One celebrations on 1 June. Activities include live webcasts, team breakfasts, interactive events, and opportunities to step by step meet and connect.
The merged entity carries the Arla name, with headquarters in Viby J, Denmark. Jan Toft Nørgaard serves as chair, Inger-Lise Sjöström as vice-chair, Peder Tuborgh as CEO, Ingo Müller has joined Arla’s executive management team as Executive Vice President (EVP) and will lead the integration of DMK as Chief Integration Officer (CINTO).
Over the coming months, the focus will shift from disciplined integration work. This includes the merger of the farmer cooperatives behind DMK Group, DMK eG and DOC Kaas U.A into a European cooperative, which will merge with Arla Foods a.m.b.a. during a two-year transition period. DMK GmbH and its subsidiaries will become a subsidiary of Arla Foods, thus retaining their legal status.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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