A longstanding partnership as a foundation
Arla Foods and the DMK Group are connected by a longstanding and well-established partnership, shared values, and complementary strengths. Both companies share a cooperative structure and a commitment to creating long-term value for their farmers, employees, customers, and business partners.
Against a backdrop of changing market conditions, increasing requirements across the value chain, and growing international competition, Arla Foods and the DMK Group jointly decided to merge. By combining their strengths, Arla’s international reach, innovation capabilities, and expertise are brought together with the DMK Group’s broad product portfolio and industry know-how. Together, the companies aim to invest in high-quality dairy products, innovation, and a resilient and trusted food production system while securing the long-term value of milk production.
Approval by the cooperatives
An important milestone was reached on 18 June 2025. On that day, the decision-making bodies of Arla Foods, DMK eG, and DOC Kaas U.A. approved the merger plans. The voting results reflected the strong support of the farmer-owners of both companies and paved the way for the subsequent regulatory review processes.
Regulatory approvals and official launch
On 28 May 2026, Arla Foods and the DMK Group announced that all required regulatory approvals for the merger had been obtained. This marked a key milestone on the path toward combining the two businesses.
On 1 June 2026, the shared future of Arla Foods and the DMK Group officially began. From that date, DMK GmbH and its subsidiaries became part of Arla Foods. At the same time, the two cooperatives of the DMK Group, DMK eG and DOC Kaas U.A., became member cooperatives of Arla Foods amba.
Together, the companies now have a milk pool of approximately 19.4 billion kilograms of milk annually and a pro forma revenue of more than €20 billion.
The European Cooperative as the next step
The merger is being carried out through several legal steps. Another important milestone was reached on 30 June 2026, when the Representative Assembly of DMK eG and the Member Council of DOC Kaas U.A. approved the merger of the two cooperatives into a European Cooperative Society (Societas Cooperativa Europaea, SCE).
This step was completed on 1 September 2026. DMK eG and DOC Kaas U.A. were combined into a single European Cooperative Society headquartered in Denmark. Existing members of both cooperatives automatically became members of the SCE, and all rights and obligations were transferred to the new entity.
The merger of DMK eG and DOC Kaas U.A. is a significant legal interim step within the overall merger process and enables the subsequent combination with Arla Foods amba.
Current status
With the establishment of the SCE, another major milestone has been achieved. At the same time, integration activities continue according to plan. The guiding principle remains unchanged: ensuring stability in day-to-day operations while gradually developing the joint organization.
For members of the former DMK eG and DOC Kaas U.A., the existing milk supply terms and conditions will remain in place throughout the transition period until 31 May 2028. At the same time, democratic structures, programs, and processes are being gradually aligned.
Next steps
According to current plans, the SCE is expected to merge into Arla Foods amba in December 2026. Following this step, the current members of the SCE will become direct members of Arla Foods.
Until the end of the transition period, farmers will gradually be integrated into Arla’s democratic structures, payment models, standards, and programs. The objective is to combine the strengths of the participating organizations and secure long-term value creation for farmers as owners of the cooperative.
Collaboration among teams in administration, production, and other functions will also continue to expand step by step. The goal is to combine the expertise of both organizations and jointly build the foundation for a strong and future-ready company.
Key milestones
