Cost savings drive European dairy mergers
Recent mergers and acquisitions have upset the rankings of Europe's leading dairy groups, according to a new 300 page report on Europe's Top 100 Dairy Companies from specialist consultants Zenith International.
Its first ever chart of the top 100 by volume of milk processed reveals Scandinavia's newly merged Arla and MD Foods as overall number one. Three other groups process more than 5 million tonnes - Lactalis from France and two Dutch dairies, Friesland Coberco and Campina Melkunie.
In sixth place, Ireland's Glanbia is set to lose ground after selling its UK drinking milk interests to Express at 13th. Dairy Crest at 16th could well move into the top ten after its latest purchase from Unigate at 19th.
The more important rankings by value of dairy product sales, however, continue to be dominated by the leading multinationals. Nestlé, Unilever and Danone take the top three places by adding more value to their lower volumes of milk processed. All have dairy sales in excess of Euro 5,000 million.
The top four processors come next with sales above Euro 3,000 million. Italy has only one entry in the sales top ten with Parmalat. Germany has only one entry in each top ten with Nordmilch. Despite this, Germany has the largest overall number of entries with 28 of the sales top 100, followed by France with 18, the United Kingdom with 9, Spain with 8 and Italy with 7.
"Remarkably, almost all of Europe's smaller countries have companies in the top 100," observes Zenith Chairman Richard Hall. "They have had to face up to their geographic isolation or smaller domestic markets and drive down their costs by merger and rationalisation. In many respects, they are now showing the way to the more fragmented industries in the larger countries", he concludes.
Europe's Top 100 Dairy Companies contains 17 national market and 100 company profiles. Contact Zenith International on tel +44 (0)1225 327900, fax +44 (0)1225 327901 or see website www.zenithinternational.com.
Notes for Editors
1. For further information, please contact:
Jason Holway or Pip Millard, Zenith International Ltd
7 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB, United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)1225 327900 Fax +44 (0)1225 327901
E-mail info@zenithinternational.com
Its first ever chart of the top 100 by volume of milk processed reveals Scandinavia's newly merged Arla and MD Foods as overall number one. Three other groups process more than 5 million tonnes - Lactalis from France and two Dutch dairies, Friesland Coberco and Campina Melkunie.
In sixth place, Ireland's Glanbia is set to lose ground after selling its UK drinking milk interests to Express at 13th. Dairy Crest at 16th could well move into the top ten after its latest purchase from Unigate at 19th.
The more important rankings by value of dairy product sales, however, continue to be dominated by the leading multinationals. Nestlé, Unilever and Danone take the top three places by adding more value to their lower volumes of milk processed. All have dairy sales in excess of Euro 5,000 million.
The top four processors come next with sales above Euro 3,000 million. Italy has only one entry in the sales top ten with Parmalat. Germany has only one entry in each top ten with Nordmilch. Despite this, Germany has the largest overall number of entries with 28 of the sales top 100, followed by France with 18, the United Kingdom with 9, Spain with 8 and Italy with 7.
"Remarkably, almost all of Europe's smaller countries have companies in the top 100," observes Zenith Chairman Richard Hall. "They have had to face up to their geographic isolation or smaller domestic markets and drive down their costs by merger and rationalisation. In many respects, they are now showing the way to the more fragmented industries in the larger countries", he concludes.
Europe's Top 100 Dairy Companies contains 17 national market and 100 company profiles. Contact Zenith International on tel +44 (0)1225 327900, fax +44 (0)1225 327901 or see website www.zenithinternational.com.
Notes for Editors
1. For further information, please contact:
Jason Holway or Pip Millard, Zenith International Ltd
7 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB, United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)1225 327900 Fax +44 (0)1225 327901
E-mail info@zenithinternational.com