Arla
Arla Foods is a farmer-owned international dairy cooperative with roots in Denmark and Sweden dating back to the late 1800s. It serves consumers, retailers, foodservice customers, and industrial buyers with a broad dairy portfolio that includes milk, yoghurt, skyr, kefir, lactose-free dairy, cheese, and dairy ingredients. In the Netherlands, Arla operates through Arla Foods Nederland, with a factory in Nijkerk and a commercial office in Utrecht. The company positions itself around quality, food safety, animal welfare, and responsible growth, aiming to offer nutritious dairy products while reducing its environmental footprint across farming, production, packaging, and transport. Core Values Quality and food safety : Arla emphasizes high standards for product quality, food safety, and responsible milk production through its Arlagården quality programme. The cooperative links these standards directly to long-term trust from consumers and customers. Health and nutrition : The company presents dairy as part of a healthy, varied diet and highlights the nutritional value of milk, yoghurt, skyr, kefir, and lactose-free products. Many products are positioned around protein, calcium, and everyday nourishment. Sustainability : Arla says long-term success must not come at the expense of the environment or people. Its sustainability agenda covers lower emissions, renewable electricity, packaging improvements, transport efficiency, food waste reduction, and biodiversity. Cooperative responsibility : As a farmer-owned business, Arla stresses shared ownership, shared standards, and shared responsibility for the future of dairy. It also highlights support for farmers through incentives and programmes that reward climate and nature actions. Open and inclusive culture : In its Dutch organization, Arla describes a Scandinavian, informal, non-hierarchical culture with room for entrepreneurship and personal development. The company also says diversity and inclusion are important parts of its values. Unique Aspects Farmer-owned cooperative scale : Arla is owned by more than 11,000 dairy farmers after its merger with DMK Group, giving it a large cooperative base across seven European countries. The combined business operates under the Arla name. DMK merger : Arla and DMK Group completed their merger on 1 June 2026, creating Europe’s leading farmer-owned dairy cooperative with a combined milk pool of 19.4 billion kg per year and pro forma revenue of more than €20 billion. Strong organic and protein positions : Arla says it is the world’s largest manufacturer of organic dairy products and a global leader in advanced whey proteins. Its ingredients business has also been a major growth driver in recent years. Renewable electricity in Europe : Arla says 100% of the electricity used across its European facilities now comes from renewable sources, supported by power purchase agreements and renewable certificates. Farm-level sustainability incentives : Through Arla FarmAhead, farmers can receive a higher milk price when they adopt selected climate, nature, and animal-welfare measures. This links sustainability performance directly to farmer income. Arlagården quality programme : Arla uses Arlagården to set standards for responsible farm management, animal welfare, and milk quality. The programme is a central part of how the cooperative assures product integrity. Local Dutch footprint : Arla Foods Nederland combines a production site in Nijkerk with a commercial office in Utrecht, anchoring the cooperative in the Dutch market while serving consumers nationwide.