All necessary regulatory approvals are now in place, and the merger between Arla Foods and DMK Group can proceed. On 1 June 2026, 11,200 dairy farmers across seven countries will unite in what becomes Europe’s leading farmer-owned dairy cooperative.
Arla Foods and Germany’s largest dairy cooperative, DMK Group, have received clearance from all relevant competition authorities. The legal path is now clear for the merger, which farmer-owners in both cooperatives voted to approve in June 2025. The integration process begins on 1 June 2026. This is reported by Arla in a press release.
The merged company will operate under the Arla name, headquartered in Viby J. Jan Toft Nørgaard continues as chair, Inger-Lise Sjöström as vice chair, and Peder Tuborgh as chief executive. DMK Group CEO Ingo Müller will join Arla’s executive management team as Executive Vice President (EVP) of post-merger integration.
The figures behind the merger
The merged entity will have a combined milk pool of 19.4 billion kg annually and a pro-forma revenue of over €20 billion. The cooperative will be owned by 11,200 farmers across seven European countries, with nearly 29,000 employees worldwide.
Arla Foods reported revenue of €15.1 billion in its most recent financial year, with 7,300 owners and a milk volume of 14.3 billion kg. DMK Group contributed €5.3 billion in revenue, 3,900 owners and 5.1 billion kg of milk.
Scale as a response to geopolitical uncertainty
Chair Jan Toft Nørgaard describes the approval as historic and underlines what the merger’s scale is intended to achieve:
“This is a landmark day for our cooperatives, for the next generation of dairy farmers and for European food production. We can move forward together to secure the necessary scale, long-term economic resilience and investment capability required to contribute to shaping a food sector with a reduced impact on climate and nature.”
From the DMK side, chair Heinz Korte emphasises that the strong turnout at the 2025 vote represented a clear mandate:
“The strong farmer support shown in the June 2025 votes reflects our commitment to stand together across borders, driven by our shared values and a clear vision for the future of dairy.”
Climate responsibility and technological leadership
Chief executive Peder Tuborgh sees the merged company as a pivotal player in European food supply:
“We aim to be among the most trusted partners in safeguarding European food production and in supporting farming practices that reduces our impact on climate and nature.”
Ingo Müller argues that the merger goes beyond sheer size and must drive concrete development:
“The merger will sharpen our technological edge, accelerate innovation, and open new opportunities for growth and collaboration, powered by our shared brands, deep category expertise, and the complementary strengths of DMK and Arla.”
Broader range for retail, foodservice and ingredients
The combined company will, according to the parties, be able to offer retail, foodservice and ingredients customers a wider product range and greater innovation capacity — including expanded opportunities within industry and private label solutions.
By Maja Løvstrup
Photo: Arla Foods
