DMK Group is investing around €55m ($64m) to “significantly” expand its dairy plant in Edewecht, Germany.
In a statement yesterday (26 May), the Germany-headquartered dairy cooperative said it will spend about €26m on a new whey protein concentrate 80 (WPC80) facility at the site, with a capacity of up to 7,000 tonnes.
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The plant will process cheese whey, enabling the group to “focus even more strongly on high-growth international markets for high-quality milk proteins”, DMK added.
A further €15m will be invested in expanding packaging and logistics operations at the site.
Another €15m is earmarked for refurbishing an existing drying tower and for energy and emissions-reduction measures, including electrification, heat-pump technology and waste-heat recovery, according to the statement.
DMK’s CEO Ingo Müller linked the investment to the company’s long-term strategy and its planned merger with dairy peer Arla.
“Through investments in modern production capacity, the expansion of our packaging operations, and energy and resource efficiency, we are actively shaping our vision of the dairy of the future,” he said.
“Particularly with a view to the planned merger with Arla, these strategic steps demonstrate our capabilities and make us ideal partners.”
Arla and DMK announced plans in April last year to merge into what they described as Europe’s “largest” dairy cooperative, combining more than 12,000 farmers across seven countries.
In its 2025 results, published on 15 April, DMK said the deal remains under regulatory review and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.
Just Food contacted the European Commission, which acts as the competition regulator, for an update on the proceedings. However, it declined to comment because the “case is ongoing”.
On the latest investment, Petra Knetemann, the major of Edewecht, added: “The DMK Group is a key employer for our community. The investments secure jobs, create future prospects and make an important contribution to the economic strength of our region.”
In 2025, DMK generated revenue of €5.3bn, up from €5.1bn a year earlier, while net profit slipped 2.4% to €24m.
Its brands include Milram, Oldenburger, Uniekaas, Alete Bewusst and Humana.
Earlier this month, DMK also started up a €25m lactoferrin plant at Altentreptow, marking its move into the milk-protein segment catering to the nutrition, health and pharmaceutical markets.
The commercial launch of lactoferrin powder is planned for this autumn, the group said in a statement on 6 May.
