What DOC Kaas does

DOC Kaas U.A. is a Dutch dairy cooperative founded on 22 November 1895 as the Coöperatieve Stoomzuivelfabriek (Cooperative Steam Dairy Factory) in Hoogeveen, Drenthe, the Netherlands. Member dairy farmers from across the Netherlands and parts of Germany supply raw milk to the cooperative, which then passes that milk to DMK Group (its parent since the 2016 cross-border merger with Deutsches Milchkontor) for processing into a portfolio that includes natural ripened cheese produced at the Hoogeveen facility (branded Uniekaas, the oldest Dutch cheese brand), ice cream, dairy ingredients, baby food (Alete, Humana), fresh dairy, and animal feed. The cooperative itself does not sell finished products directly to consumers; its economic function is milk procurement, monthly milk price setting for member farmers, sustainability program administration (Milkmaster, Tuurlijk! supplement, Koefortabel!), and operation of the governance/ownership layer over its members.

The cooperative runs a member-governance structure under the principle 'van, voor en door de leden' (from, for, and by the members) and has 251–500 employees across the cooperative and its wholly owned operating subsidiary DOC Kaas B.V., which runs the Hoogeveen production sites including the Zuivelpark and Alteveerstraat locations. In February 2025 DMK Group broke ground on a fully automated natural cheese ripening warehouse at Hoogeveen with more than 2,000 tonnes of storage capacity and approximately 25 million kg of annual cheese throughput. A 2025 launch of the SNK-certified 'Blijvend Grasland' (Permanent Grassland) carbon sequestration project adds a climate asset revenue stream, while a fixed milk price model introduced in November 2024 de-risks member revenue relative to commodity volatility.

In April 2025 DOC Kaas's parent DMK Group announced a proposed merger with Arla Foods, expected to combine more than 12,000 dairy farmers and €19 billion in pro forma revenue into Europe's largest dairy cooperative. Regulatory approvals cleared in May 2026 and the merger officially closed on 1 June 2026, folding DOC Kaas U.A. into the combined Arla-led entity under CEO Peder Tuborgh and Head of Germany Ingo Müller. The cooperative thus operates today as a member node inside a pan-European dairy platform covering cheese, dairy, ice cream, baby food, ingredients, and feed across retail, foodservice, and industrial channels.

Name

DOC Kaas

Legal name

DOC Kaas U.A.

Website

https://dockaas.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

DOC Kaas U.A. is a Dutch dairy cooperative founded in 1895 in Hoogeveen whose member farmers supply raw milk to parent DMK Group for processing into cheese, dairy, ice cream, baby food, and ingredients; in June 2026 it folded into the merged Arla-DMK entity, Europe's largest dairy cooperative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Cooperative

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Milk Production (Raw Milk) (AFAEACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fluid Milk & Cream Processing (AFAKAKAA), Fluid Milk & Cream Wholesale (AFAIAEAA)

Keywords

• Dairy cooperative
• Raw milk supply
• Milk procurement services
• Cheese production
• Sustainable dairy farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoogeveen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Milk Supply and Cooperative Returns: DOC Kaas U.A. is a dairy cooperative founded in 1895. Member dairy farmers deliver milk to the cooperative; the cooperative then supplies milk to DMK Group for processing. Revenue for the cooperative is derived from milk sales to DMK Group, and returns are distributed to member farmers in the form of a milk price (melkprijs). The cooperative's core economic activity is the procurement of milk from its members and the negotiation/setting of milk prices. No separate revenue model for finished goods is operated at the cooperative level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DOC Kaas U.A. is a Dutch dairy cooperative founded in 1895 that procures first-class raw milk from its member dairy farmers — based in the Netherlands and parts of Germany — and supplies that milk to its parent DMK Group for processing into cheese, fresh dairy products, baby food, ice cream, dairy ingredients and whey products, and animal feed. The cooperative itself does not process or retail finished products to end consumers; its core function is the aggregation, monthly pricing, and onward supply of member milk under the 'van, voor en door de leden' (from, for, and by the members) governance principle.

Product overview

DOC Kaas U.A. is a traditional Dutch dairy cooperative founded in 1895, based in Hoogeveen, Netherlands. The cooperative connects member dairy farmers from the Netherlands and parts of Germany, supplying milk to the DMK Group for processing into a broad product portfolio. The product offering includes cheese (Uniekaas being the oldest Dutch cheese brand), ice cream, dairy ingredients, baby food (Alete, Humana brands), fresh dairy products, animal feed, and plant-based alternatives under the MILRAM brand. The cooperative recently announced a proposed merger with Arla Foods and DMK Group to form Europe's largest dairy cooperative with combined revenues of 19 billion euros.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tuurlijk!: Sustainable farming program and milk quality initiative for DOC Kaas member dairy farmers
• Milkmaster

Products and services

• DOC Kaas Cooperative Membership Membership-based dairy cooperative service for dairy farmers in the Netherlands and parts of Germany: members deliver first-class raw milk to the cooperative and receive a transparent monthly maximum milk price (inclusive of the Tuurlijk! sustainability supplement) plus governance rights under the 'van, voor en door de leden' principle.
• Cheese Products (via DMK Group) Cheese portfolio processed by DMK Group from DOC Kaas member milk, including the Uniekaas brand and natural ripened (natuurgerijpte) cheese; sold across retail, foodservice, and industrial channels in the Netherlands, Germany, and international markets.
• Ice Cream (via DMK Group) Ice cream products processed by DMK Group from DOC Kaas cooperative milk, distributed across retail and foodservice channels.
• Baby Food (via DMK Group) Baby food products produced by DMK Group from cooperative milk supply, marketed under the Alete and Humana brands and sold through retail channels in the Netherlands, Germany, and international markets.
• Fresh Dairy Products (via DMK Group) Fresh dairy range processed by DMK Group from DOC Kaas cooperative milk — including drinking milk, yogurt, desserts, and milk-based drinks — sold across retail and foodservice channels.
• Dairy Ingredients and Whey Products (via DMK Group) Dairy ingredients and whey derivatives produced by DMK Group's Business Unit Industry from cooperative milk supply, sold to food-processing and industrial customers worldwide.
• Animal Feed (via DMK Group) Animal feed products produced by DMK Group as part of its broader portfolio drawing on cooperative milk supply.
• Vegan / Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives (via DMK Group MILRAM) Plant-based dairy alternatives produced by DMK Group under the MILRAM brand, including vegan puddings (vanilla and chocolate), a cocoa drink, and a rice dessert, sold across retail channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon sequestration of 1–1.5 tonnes CO2 per hectare per year through permanent grassland management
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arla FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2025On 8 April 2025, Arla Foods and DMK Group announced a proposed merger. As DOC Kaas U.A. is part of DMK Group, the cooperative would become part of the merged entity. The proposed combined entity would have more than 12,000 dairy farmers and a pro forma revenue of €19 billion. Arla Foods' CEO Peder Tuborgh would lead the merged company, headquartered in Viby J, Denmark. The merger is subject to approval by cooperative general meetings and regulatory authorities.
• Dierenbescherming (Dutch Animal Protection Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2025DOC Kaas members, through ZuivelNL, entered into a cooperation with the Dierenbescherming as part of the 'Routekaart naar een dierwaardiger en toekomstbestendige melkveehouderij' (Roadmap towards animal-worthy and future-proof dairy farming). The roadmap sets shared ambitions for animal welfare improvements in the dairy sector, with prerequisites around permits, financing, consistent policy, and level playing field.
• Stichting Nationale Koolstofmarkt (SNK)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SNK (National Carbon Market Foundation) is the certifying body for DOC Kaas's 'Blijvend Grasland' (permanent grassland) carbon project. The project is set up according to SNK's method document for permanent grassland, with the highest certification standard based on frequent soil sampling. Carbon certificates generated are sold through the dairy supply chain.
• JumbominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 November 2024Jumbo supermarket chain is a key retail customer for cheese produced from DOC Kaas cooperative members' milk. In 2024, Jumbo and the dairy sector announced further sustainability initiatives in the cheese chain, including the first cheese from a more sustainable milk stream appearing on Jumbo shelves. DOC Kaas chairman Guus Mensink contributed to Jumbo's annual report on dairy sustainability.
• DMK eG (Cooperative)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2024Coöperaties DMK eG and DOC Kaas U.A. introduced a new milk stream effective 1 January 2025. This new milk stream arrangement restructured how milk from cooperative members flows into DMK Group's processing operations.
• ASR Dutch Farmland FundminorOthers · 10 May 2024DOC Kaas members who use or will use agricultural land from ASR Dutch Farmland Fund and manage it sustainably receive a ground rent discount (canonkorting) from ASR. This partnership supports sustainable land management among cooperative members.
• DMK Group (Deutsches Milchkontor GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016DOC Kaas U.A. is a member cooperative of the DMK Group. The merger between DOC Kaas and DMK took place in 2016, making DOC Kaas U.A. a cooperative member of DMK Group — Germany's largest dairy cooperative. DMK Group processes the cooperative members' milk into finished dairy products (cheese, dairy, baby food, ice cream, ingredients, animal feed). DMK Group's revenue is approximately €5.5 billion with around 6,600 employees at 20+ locations.
• ZuivelNLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOC Kaas U.A. is a member of ZuivelNL, the Dutch dairy association that brings together dairy farmer organizations (DDB, LTO, NMV, NAJK) and dairy processor organizations (NZO). ZuivelNL facilitates dialogue between stakeholders and creates shared value in the Dutch dairy chain.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• FrieslandCampina: Largest Dutch dairy cooperative, headquartered in Amersfoort, with global branded dairy, cheese, and ingredients businesses. Directly comparable as a Netherlands-based farmer-owned cooperative supplying member milk into cheese and dairy processing — competing for the same farmer-members and retail customers.
• Arla Foods: Danish-Swedish dairy cooperative and the entity that has now merged with DMK Group and DOC Kaas (effective 1 June 2026). As the dominant European dairy cooperative, Arla is the most direct structural peer — farmer-owned, multi-country membership, branded cheese and dairy across retail and foodservice.
• Royal A-ware: Dutch privately-owned cheese manufacturer and dairy processor, producing private-label and branded cheeses for European retailers. Directly competes with DOC Kaas B.V.'s cheese manufacturing operations and serves overlapping retail customers in the Netherlands and Germany.
• Glanbia plc: Irish dairy and nutrition cooperative with farmer-members, focused on cheese, ingredients, and performance nutrition. Comparable as a publicly-listed farmer-influenced dairy cooperative with cheese and B2B ingredient operations serving global customers.
• Kerry Group: Irish-listed dairy cooperative with significant cheese and dairy ingredients operations across Europe. Comparable as a farmer-influenced dairy group with strong cheese manufacturing (Kerry Agribusiness) and B2B ingredient distribution — competing for retail and industrial cheese customers.

Broad incumbents

• DMK Group: Germany's largest dairy cooperative and DOC Kaas U.A.'s parent since 2016 — now officially merged into Arla (June 2026). DOC Kaas is structurally a member cooperative of DMK, and DMK operates the broader cheese, baby food, ice cream, and ingredient processing that consumes DOC Kaas milk.
• Lactalis: World's largest privately-held dairy company, with extensive cheese operations across Europe (including brands like Président and Galbani). Comparable as a major cheese and dairy processor competing for the same European retail customers and private-label contracts that DOC Kaas B.V. and DMK serve.
• Savencia Fromage & Dairy: French family-owned dairy group specialising in cheese (Boursin, Caprice des Dieux, Saint Albray). Comparable as a large European cheese manufacturer with broad specialty cheese portfolio — competing for shelf space and premium positioning alongside DOC Kaas's Uniekaas brand.
• Bel Group: French family-owned global cheese company (Laughing Cow, Babybel, Kiri). Comparable as a major branded cheese manufacturer with global retail reach — competing in the same cheese categories that DOC Kaas/DMK supply through retail partners.

Regional players

• Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller: German privately-owned dairy group (Müller Milch, Weihenstephan, Landliebe) with strong dairy, dessert, and cheese operations in Germany and broader Europe. Comparable as a major German-headquartered dairy competitor with overlapping retail customers and processed-cheese/cream-cheese categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about DOC Kaas