What Land O' Lakes does

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is a privately-held, member-owned agricultural cooperative incorporated in Minnesota and headquartered in Arden Hills. Founded in 1921 by 320 Minnesota dairy farmers, it has grown into the largest U.S. dairy product producer with an estimated 22-23% market share (~$28.1B in 2024 dairy manufacturing sales) and now operates across all 50 U.S. states and more than 60 countries. The cooperative is owned by 1,125+ dairy producers, 475+ agricultural producers, and 840+ retail owner businesses, with over 9,000 employees spanning operations. Its structure returns value to member-owners through patronage refunds while operating four integrated business units: Dairy Foods (consumer butter, cheese, and specialty dairy under Land O'Lakes, Vermont Creamery, Kozy Pudding brands), Animal Nutrition (Purina and Mazuri feeds), Crop Inputs (WinField United, Croplan, Armor Seed), and Sustainability (Truterra). Consumer dairy products reach shoppers via major regional grocery chains in the Midwest and Northeast, while agricultural inputs and feeds move through the 840+ retail owner dealer network into farming operations across the United States.

The company's underlying technology spans proprietary platforms across all four business units. In dairy manufacturing, Land O'Lakes operates the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker program and cheesemaking facilities such as the Kiel, Wisconsin site, which has produced award-winning cheddar since the late 1940s. In crop inputs and agronomy, the Answer Plot research platform, Truterra sustainability and carbon program, and Croplan/Armor Seed genetics form the data and product backbone. Its most prominent emerging technology layer is the Oz AI-powered agronomy assistant, co-developed with Microsoft to provide farmers with data-driven recommendations on herbicide use, application timing, and operational optimization. Internally, the cooperative has deployed Microsoft 365 Copilot (reportedly reducing administrative workload by 40%) and AI-driven identity security systems. The cooperative also operates Lytx video safety AI for fleet/compliance monitoring.

Land O'Lakes generates revenue through multiple streams: consumer dairy product sales at retail grocers, B2B feed and crop input sales through its retail owner network and direct-to-grower portals (Purina Business Link, WinField United login), and value distribution back to members through patronage. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but operates on annual cooperative membership economics for B2B/member transactions and unit pricing set by individual retailers for consumer products. The company's go-to-market is multi-motion: cooperative channel partnerships through 840+ retail owners, direct-to-consumer retail dairy distribution (now 2,000+ stores), and enterprise field sales supported by AI agronomy tools. Recent strategic moves emphasize technology-enabled expansion, including the Microsoft AI partnership, the AgRogue Growth Partners agtech venture initiative co-launched with Alabama Farmers Cooperative and GreenPoint Ag, and the Modern Rural Collective marketing initiative with Imagine Entertainment and Getty Images.

Name

Land O' Lakes

Legal name

Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Website

https://landolakesinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Land O'Lakes is a Minnesota-based, farmer-owned cooperative (founded 1921) producing consumer dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs, and sustainability services through 9,000+ employees, 840+ retail owners, and operations across all 50 U.S. states and 60+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products & Agricultural Inputs

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (11212)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farmer Cooperatives & Co-op Retail (AFABAJAB), Butter & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) Wholesale (AFAIAEAB), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Multi-Stakeholder Grocery Cooperatives (CRAHALAD)

Keywords

• Dairy products
• Animal nutrition
• Crop inputs
• Agricultural cooperative
• Sustainable farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Minnesota City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dairy Foods: Consumer dairy products including butter, cheese, and dairy case offerings sold through retail grocery stores and directly to consumers.
2. Animal Nutrition: Animal feed products under Purina and Mazuri brands sold through retail and dealer networks to livestock producers.
3. Crop Inputs: Crop seeds, agricultural products, and crop protection solutions sold through retail co-ops and dealers under brands like CROPLAN, Armor Seed, and WinField United.
4. Cooperative Member Returns: As a farmer-owned cooperative, Land O'Lakes returns value to member-owners including dairy producers, agricultural producers, and retail owners through patronage refunds and shared success.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Land O'Lakes is a member-owned agricultural cooperative that produces and markets dairy foods (butter, cheese, dairy case products), animal nutrition products (feed under Purina and Mazuri brands), and crop inputs (seeds, crop protection, agronomic services under WinField United, Croplan, and Armor Seed brands). The cooperative sells consumer dairy products through retail grocery stores and distributes agricultural inputs through a network of 840+ ag retail owners serving farmers in all 50 U.S. states and 60+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Purina: Animal feed and nutrition products
• Mazuri
• Vermont Creamery
• Kozy Pudding
• Truterra
• Croplan
• Armor Seed
• Answer Plot
• WinField United
• Hen-Up

Products and services

• Land O'Lakes Dairy Foods Iconic dairy products including butter (sticks, tubs, Butter Balls, Every Little Thing Butter Spread), shredded and chunk cheese, cheese cubes, cracker cuts, and other dairy case offerings sold under the Land O'Lakes brand to retail consumers through grocery chains.
• Purina Animal Nutrition Animal nutrition products and complete feed solutions for livestock including cattle, horses, poultry, and other farm animals, sold through retail and dealer networks to livestock producers.
• Mazuri Specialty animal feed products primarily for exotic animals, zoo animals, and specialty livestock, offering nutritionally complete diets for diverse species.
• WinField United Crop inputs and agronomic services including seed treatments, crop protection products, and precision agriculture solutions that help maximize yield potential and farm profitability. Distributed through ag retailer networks.
• Croplan Seed Seed brand offering corn, soybean, and small grain varieties developed through advanced genetics and breeding programs for optimal performance across different soil and climate conditions.
• Armor Seed Seed products and genetics for corn, soybeans, and other crops, providing high-yielding varieties with disease resistance and agronomic traits for diverse farming conditions.
• Vermont Creamery Premium dairy products including cultured butter, soft ripened cheeses, and specialty dairy items sourced from Vermont farms, emphasizing artisanal quality and sustainable practices.
• Kozy Pudding Pudding products offering convenient, ready-to-eat dessert options in various flavors for retail consumers.
• Oz AI Assistant An AI-powered digital assistant developed in partnership with Microsoft that provides agronomic recommendations to help farmers optimize operations and maximize profits through data-driven decisions on herbicide use, application timing, and other farming practices.
• Truterra Sustainability Platform A sustainability and regenerative agriculture program that helps farmers track and improve environmental impact through ecosystem services and carbon market access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dairy case cheese distribution expanded from ~100 to 2,000+ stores in first 18 months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• SWARM EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Jason Trusley, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Land O'Lakes, joined SWARM Engineering's advisory board as the company develops AI-powered decision intelligence platform for agrifood and manufacturing organizations. SWARM raised $10M Series A led by S2G Investments and AgRogue Growth Partners.
• K-12 Foodservice EcosystemminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 April 2026Land O'Lakes identified as key industry player in K-12 foodservice market projected to reach $39.79 billion by 2025, serving school nutrition programs across the United States.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 30 March 2026Partnership to develop Microsoft's 'Oz' agronomy assistant with Land O'Lakes, enabling AI-powered farming solutions and precision agriculture. Key development in the AI in Agriculture market projected to reach $11.59 billion by 2032.
• Innovation Center for U.S. DairycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026Land O'Lakes Inc. represented on the executive committee of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, an organization built by dairy farmers to strengthen trust and growth across the U.S. dairy industry through industry-aligned strategies.
• Genesys WorksminorOthers · 4 February 2026Land O'Lakes participates in Genesys Works national internship program, placing nearly 1,100 high school students in paid internships at 202 companies. Land O'Lakes pays roughly twice the students' hourly wages while the organization handles recruiting, training, payroll, and administrative logistics.
• Imagine EntertainmentflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 January 2026Collaboration to develop a toolkit for improving portrayal of rural America in film and television as part of The Modern Rural Collective initiative. Emphasizes authentic, diverse representations of rural communities.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 8 January 2026Land O'Lakes and Microsoft are developing an AI-powered digital assistant called 'Oz' to optimize farming operations and help farmers maximize profits. The tool provides reliable data for decisions like herbicide use and application timing. This is part of Microsoft's broader AI agriculture strategy including the MAI model family.
• Getty ImagesflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025Partnership with Getty Images in October 2025 to create the Repicturing Rural playbook, which generated over 452,000 image downloads in its first two months. Initiative addresses misrepresentation of rural America in marketing.
• Alabama Farmers CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2025Land O'Lakes partnered with Alabama Farmers Cooperative and GreenPoint Ag to launch AgRogue Growth Partners, an initiative investing up to $7 million in each of 10-15 companies focused on agricultural technology innovation. Coalition includes four additional retail co-ops from Indiana, Nebraska, and Minnesota, managed by Radicle Growth.
• GreenPoint AgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2025GreenPoint Ag joins Land O'Lakes and Alabama Farmers Cooperative in AgRogue Growth Partners initiative to accelerate agricultural technology adoption by leveraging trusted relationships between retailers and farmers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Schreiber Foods: Employee-owned dairy processor producing cheese, cream, and dairy ingredients for retail and foodservice customers. Comparable to Land O'Lakes' Dairy Foods business in product portfolio (especially cheese) and B2B/retail distribution model.
• CHS Inc. U.S. farmer-owned cooperative spanning crop inputs, energy, and grain marketing — comparable to Land O'Lakes' cooperative governance, ag retail network, and crop inputs business via WinField United. Closest peer on cooperative structure and ag-input scale.
• Saputo Inc. One of the largest global dairy processors with a broad cheese, butter, and ingredients portfolio. Directly comparable to Land O'Lakes on dairy manufacturing scale, retail/private-label cheese, and cross-border distribution ambitions.
• Dairy Farmers of America: Largest U.S. dairy cooperative, directly comparable to Land O'Lakes on cooperative ownership model, dairy processing scale, and member-raw-milk sourcing. Both serve farmer-owners and supply consumer dairy and ingredients into similar grocery and foodservice channels.
• Associated Milk Producers: Dairy marketing cooperative serving Upper Midwest dairy farmers, similar to Land O'Lakes' dairy producer member base. Comparable in raw milk pooling and dairy processing focus, though smaller and more regionally concentrated.
• Prairie Farms Dairy: U.S. dairy farmer-owned cooperative producing fluid milk, cheese, butter, and ice cream for retail and foodservice. Highly comparable to Land O'Lakes on cooperative ownership, regional grocery distribution, and multi-category dairy portfolio.

Regional players

• Agropur Cooperative: Canadian dairy cooperative with cheese, ingredients, and yogurt operations across North America. Comparable business model (farmer-owned dairy cooperative) and product mix, but primarily Canadian-based with limited U.S. retail grocery overlap.

Emerging players

• Bayer Crop Science: Major crop inputs and digital agriculture player (Climate FieldView) overlapping with Land O'Lakes' WinField United, Croplan, and emerging AI agronomy (Oz) efforts. A large incumbent moving into the precision-ag data layer where Land O'Lakes is investing.

Broad incumbents

• Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): Global agribusiness major with crop processing, animal nutrition, and human nutrition businesses. Overlaps with Land O'Lakes' Crop Inputs (WinField United) and Animal Nutrition (Purina), but operates at significantly larger scale and is publicly traded rather than cooperative-owned.
• Cargill: Privately held global agribusiness with animal nutrition, crop inputs, and food ingredients. Comparable to Land O'Lakes' diversified ag platform and dairy foods exposure; broader in scope and not cooperative-governed.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/landolakesinc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LandOLakes2010
• Facebookfacebook.com/LandOLakesInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/landolakesinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/landolakesinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A9 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Land O' Lakes