Going big in Benelux

摘要

Large co-operatives are the order of the day in Benelux, and they aren't going away. If the Netherlands' dairy market is famous for one thing, it is that it is dominated by two dairy co-operatives It is a trend which looks set to be followed in Belgium One of the biggest stories here in recent years was the news last October that co-operatives Belgomilk and Belgische Zuivelunie (BZU) intended to merge This merger is expected to be signed off before the summer. At the moment, Belgomilk processes 769million litres of milk each year and has a turnover of ERU 552 million. It produces milk powders and cheese, which are exported to around 100 countries, something which is typical of the Belgian market's international nature, Belgomilk is the country's largest cheese producer and it has two key subsidiaries: Ysco ice cream and Kaasimport Jan Dupont, which is Belgium's largest cheese distributor.