IFCN Top 20 milk processor list 2014 – ranked by milk intake

Key messages on IFCN top 20 dairy companies

– DFA, Fonterra and Lactalis are the top 1-3 dairy companies: The largest milk processor is now DFA – Dairy Farmers of America, no.2 Fonterra and no.3 Lactalis. DFA has become no. 1 as this year we have considered all milk collected and not just milk processed in dairy products like in the past. This method change has affected mainly DFA and also California dairies. Amul, the Indian dairy company, has moved within 2 year from rank 20 to rank 15.

– Turnover per kg of processed milk ranges from 0.5 – 1.9 US-$/kg milk. This indicator gives an indication in what category the processors are active in: a) milk collector, b) commodity products c) branded consumer products of d) a mix of a-c. Most private companies which are more active in branded consumer products have higher turn-over per kg milk than cooperatives.

– Concentration in milk processing slightly increased since 2007 but still on low level: The top 20 companies processed in 2013 approx. 25% of the milk produced and ca. 40% of the milk collected in the world. In the year 2007, the top 20 companies processed ca. 22% of milk produced which means that there was on global level only a minor increase in concentration of milk processing.

– Top 20 dairy companies process in 2013 30 mill t more milk than in 2007 A number companies have increased their milk intake by more than 40% since 2007 (>7%%year). This is the case for the following companies: Arla, RFC, DMK, Soodial, Amul, Yili, Mengniu, Lactalis and Saputo. A larger number of dairy companies in the USA like DFA, Dean, California Dairies or Land O’Lakes show stable or declining milk intake.