What Daka Denmarks does

Daka Denmark A/S is a Denmark-based specialist in the collection, safe handling, and recycling of organic by-products from agriculture, slaughterhouses, the food industry, and professional kitchens. Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Hedensted, the company operates four core business units — Daka SecAnim (dead-animal collection and rendering), Daka SARVAL (feed ingredients for pet food, livestock, and aquaculture), Daka ReFood (food waste and used cooking oil collection), and Daka ecoMotion (second-generation biodiesel from animal fat) — plus the Øgro organic fertilizer brand and the Bioceval and Konvex AB subsidiaries extending into fish and Swedish markets. Technology is built around industrial rendering processes (sampling, crushing, sterilization, drying, degreasing) under strict EU/Danish veterinary compliance, supported by a fleet of approximately 80 custom-made hygienic collection vehicles providing nationwide coverage.

Daka is a subsidiary of Germany's SARIA Group (10,500+ employees, 26 countries) and is co-owned with Denmark's three largest meat processors — Danish Crown, Tican, and HKScan — who hold board seats. Revenue is generated through a mix of collection-service fees (quote-based for commercial accounts, published DKK pricing for private horse owners), and product sales across feed ingredients, organic fertilizer, biofuels, and biodiesel (over 50 million liters annually). The company is the only Danish operator covered by all three framework agreements for national veterinary emergency preparedness, a near-monopoly position that constitutes the company's strongest competitive barrier.

FY2025 revenue reached DKK 829.9 million (up ~19% from DKK 697.6 million in 2024), with operating profit of DKK 51.1 million reversing a prior-year loss and net profit of DKK 56.6 million. The company employs between 251 and 500 people and operates production sites in Hedensted, Løsning, Randers, Køge, and Horsens. GTM is enterprise field-sales-led with direct B2B relationships, augmented by digital customer tools (PIGUP&KO app, Daka Extranet, Daka SecAnim online shop). The SARIA parent group holds an EcoVadis Gold Medal (top 2% globally), reflecting the sustainability positioning that increasingly underpins Daka's regulatory and customer relationships.

Name

Daka Denmarks

Legal name

Daka Denmark A/S

Website

https://daka.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Daka Denmark A/S collects and recycles animal by-products, slaughterhouse waste, and food waste across Denmark into feed ingredients, organic fertilizer, biogas, and 2nd-generation biodiesel, serving agriculture, slaughterhouses, food service, and private animal owners as a SARIA Group subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal By-Product Rendering and Recycling

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Petroleum Refineries (32411)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Fats & Oils (2070), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Source-Separated Organics (SSO) Collection & Hauling (EUAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH), Grease Trap, Used Cooking Oil & FOG Services (Collection & Recycling) (EUAIAGAK), Used Oil & Oily Waste Management (Collection, Re-refining, Disposal) (BPALAFAI)

Keywords

• Animal by-product rendering
• Organic waste recycling
• Feed ingredient production
• Second-generation biodiesel
• Circular economy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hedensted

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Collection Services: Fees charged for collection and safe handling of dead animals, slaughterhouse by-products, food waste, and used frying oil from agriculture, slaughterhouses, food industry, and professional kitchens
2. Product Sales - Biodiesel: Sale of 2nd generation biodiesel produced from animal fat and used cooking oil. Daka ecoMotion produces over 50 million liters annually, sold in Danish market and internationally. Biodiesel reduces CO2 emissions by at least 85% compared to fossil diesel
3. Product Sales - Fertilizers: Sale of Øgro organic NPK fertilizers approved for organic farming, produced from recycled organic by-products
4. Product Sales - Feed Ingredients: Sale of high-quality feed ingredients including animal proteins and fats from slaughterhouse by-products (Category 3 per EU regulation 1069/2009) for pet food, farm animal, and aquaculture industries
5. Product Sales - Biofuel: Meat and bone meal used as biofuel in cement industry, replacing fossil fuels and saving approximately 60% CO2

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Daka Denmark A/S collects and processes animal by-products, slaughterhouse waste, food waste, and used frying oil across Denmark through a fleet of approximately 80 hygienic collection vehicles. The company converts these organic residues into organic fertilizers (Øgro), high-quality feed ingredients for pet food and aquaculture (Daka SARVAL), and 2nd generation biodiesel (Daka ecoMotion), operating four business units under a circular economy model.

Product overview

Daka Denmark A/S is a specialized recycling company with four main business units operating as a unified platform for organic waste management. Daka SecAnim handles collection and processing of dead animals and risk materials, producing biodiesel, biofuel, and fertilizer. Daka SARVAL converts slaughterhouse by-products into feed ingredients for pet food, farm animals, and aquaculture. Daka ReFood recycles food waste and used cooking oils into biogas and organic fertilizer. Daka ecoMotion produces second-generation biodiesel from animal fats and used cooking oil. Supporting these core operations are Øgro (organic fertilizers), Konvex AB (Swedish biofuel operations), Bioceval (fish processing by-products), and digital tools including the PIGUP&KO app and Daka Extranet customer portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Daka SecAnim: Business unit specializing in collection and rendering of dead animals and animal by-products, producing fat for biodiesel, meat and bone meal for biofuel, and fertilizer from animal by-products.
• Daka SARVAL
• Daka ReFood
• Daka ecoMotion
• Øgro
• Bioceval
• Konvex

Products and services

• Daka SecAnim

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% CO2 reduction when comparing 2nd generation biodiesel to fossil diesel
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SARIA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARIA Group is the parent company of Daka Denmark. It is Europe's leading company within handling of animal by-products and organic residues. With over 10,500 employees and activities in 26 countries worldwide, SARIA contributes to a more sustainable world. Daka Denmark is the Nordic part of SARIA Group, providing access to knowledge, networks, and technologies across country borders.
• Danish CrowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanish Crown is a co-owner of Daka Denmark alongside Tican and HKScan. This co-ownership ensures strong anchoring in the Danish agricultural sector. Danish Crown is one of Europe's largest pork exporters and represents a significant customer base for Daka's collection and recycling services.
• Tican Fresh Meat A/ScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTican is a co-owner of Daka Denmark alongside Danish Crown and HKScan. This strategic partnership provides strong local anchoring in Denmark through close cooperation with Danish farmers, food companies, and authorities.
• HKScancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHKScan is a co-owner of Daka Denmark alongside Danish Crown and Tican. HKScan is a major Nordic meat company, and this partnership ensures Daka's strong positioning in the Scandinavian market.
• Løsning FjernvarmeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaka SARVAL collaborates with Løsning Fjernvarme (district heating) to utilize surplus heat from the factory. A new pipeline was inaugurated in April 2020, which can supply up to 660 households with heating and hot water.
• Konvex ABminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKonvex AB is a Swedish subsidiary operating within the Daka group, collecting by-products at Swedish farms and slaughterhouses and processing them into the environmentally friendly biofuel Biomal.
• BiocevalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBioceval processes and recycles by-products from the fishing industry in the production of fish oil and fishmeal, operating as part of Daka Denmark's product ecosystem.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Neste: Neste is the world's largest producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel from waste and residues, headquartered in Finland. Comparable to Daka ecoMotion in the renewable fuels space, though Neste operates at vastly larger scale and competes for the same animal fat feedstocks Daka processes.
• Veolia Environmental Services: Veolia is a global environmental services and waste management giant operating food waste collection, organic recycling, and biogas production across Europe. Comparable to Daka ReFood's food waste collection and biogas segment as a broad incumbent in adjacent waste-to-resource categories.
• HKScan: HKScan is a major Nordic meat company (including Tican brand in Denmark) and a co-owner of Daka Denmark. Comparable as a strategic partner and major customer providing slaughterhouse by-products to Daka's rendering operations, though not a renderer itself.
• Danish Crown: Danish Crown is one of Europe's largest pork exporters and a co-owner of Daka Denmark. Operates in adjacent (meat processing) value chain with significant strategic and customer-supplier relationship with Daka, but is not itself a renderer. Its priorities and decisions directly shape Daka's feedstock supply.

Direct peers

• SARIA Group: SARIA Group is the parent company of Daka Denmark and Europe's leading operator in animal by-product and organic residue handling. Directly comparable as Daka is SARIA's Nordic operating unit, sharing technology, rendering processes, and customer categories across 26 countries.
• Sanimax: Sanimax is a North American rendering and recycling company specializing in animal by-product processing into proteins, fats, and oils. Directly comparable to Daka in core rendering operations, biodiesel feedstock supply, and circular economy approach across multiple food and agriculture verticals.
• Baker Commodities: Baker Commodities is a US-based rendering company specializing in animal by-product collection and processing into tallow, proteins, and yellow grease for biodiesel. Directly comparable to Daka SecAnim's rendering operations and Daka ecoMotion's feedstock supply chain.
• Darling Ingredients: Darling Ingredients is the world's largest publicly traded rendering company, operating across North America, Europe, and Asia with Diamond Pet Food, Valopro, and biofuel segments. Directly comparable to Daka as a global rendering leader producing feed ingredients, fats for biodiesel/SAF, and fertilizer from animal by-products.
• Veravis GmbH: Veravis is a German rendering subsidiary within the SARIA Group ecosystem, operating rendering facilities and collection services for animal by-products in Germany. Sister-company direct peer to Daka within the same corporate group, sharing identical business model and regulatory exposure patterns.

Others

• Bioceval (Daka Group entity): Bioceval is a Daka Denmark subsidiary processing fish industry by-products into fish oil and fishmeal. While not a peer, it illustrates an adjacent rendering-adjacent capability and signals the group's potential to expand further into marine by-product processing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries6 records

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 Daka Denmarks