Arla Foods: farmer-owned dairy cooperative after DMK merger
Arla Foods is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative in Viby J, Denmark. After the DMK merger in June 2026 it has about 11,200 farmer owners.
Arla Foods is a farmer-owned European dairy cooperative based in Viby J, Denmark, which merged with DMK Group in June 2026.
Denmark · Owned by its dairy farmers
Arla Foods is a European dairy cooperative owned by the dairy farmers who produce most of its milk. Its headquarters are in Viby J, Denmark. In June 2026 Arla completed its merger with DMK Group, bringing two farmer-owned dairy companies together into one cooperative that carries the Arla name. The combined business has approximately 11,200 farmer owners and a brand portfolio that includes Lurpak, Castello, Puck, MILRAM, Humana, Oldenburger and Uniekaas, with Arla Foods Ingredients serving industrial customers.
The cooperative model links member farms directly with processing. Farmers deliver milk under membership terms that set quality requirements and pay for milk according to its components, such as fat and protein. Arla then turns that milk into drinking milk, cheese, butter and other dairy products for shops, and into dairy ingredients and proteins that food manufacturers use in their own recipes. Because the merger is recent, results published before June 2026 describe Arla on its own rather than the combined cooperative.
Size of the business
When the merger with DMK Group was completed on 1 June 2026, the combined cooperative had approximately 11,200 farmer owners.
What does the company offer?
Arla offers milk and dairy products, cheese and butter, along with dairy ingredients and proteins for food manufacturers. Its brands include Lurpak, Castello and Puck.
How should a buyer make contact?
Arla's sales are organised by country and business unit, and the company website lists the local contacts for each market. Enquiries move fastest when they describe the intended application, project scale and required timing.
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