Two US dairy co-ops are to merge after it was announced that Northwest Dairy Association (NDA) and its marketing subsidiary, Darigold, is to join with the Montana dairy co-operative Country Classic Dairies (CC).

Under the agreement, current Country Classic’s members will become part of the larger co-operative, NDA, while CC’s sales and marketing, along with its plant operation, will be incorporated into Darigold.

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Members of both cooperatives have approved the merger, the firms announced yesterday (2 August).

“Combining the two business operations, especially given the historical relationship between the two cooperatives, will benefit all parties involved,” said Northwest Dairy Association’s president and CEO John Underwood. “We will be able to provide our new Montana member-owners with a secure market for their milk while maximising its value.”

The two companies already have a working relationship as Country Classic at one time used the trademark name ‘Darigold’ to market its products.

CC processes milk at its facility in Bozeman, Montana, which will now become a Darigold processing plant producing the Darigold label.

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Darigold, the marketing and processing subsidiary of NDA, produces a full line of dairy-based products for retail, foodservice, commodity and speciality markets, and operates 12 processing plants throughout the north-west of the US.

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