Unium

What Unium does

Unium is the institutional brand of an intercooperation between three Brazilian agricultural cooperatives—Frísia, Castrolanda, and Capal—headquartered in Carambeí, Paraná. Founded in 2017, Unium consolidates shared projects and consumer-facing brands across the three cooperatives while each retains independent management. The organization represents approximately 5,000 cooperated people and operates across dairy, pork meat, wheat milling, and animal feed, producing 1.3 billion liters of milk in 2020 and ranking as the 2nd largest dairy company in Brazil according to the 2020 Leite Brasil ranking. Manufacturing operations span five industrial facilities: three Milk Processing Units (UBLs) in Castro (PR), Ponta Grossa (PR), and Itapetininga (SP); the Herança Holandesa wheat mill in Ponta Grossa; and the Alegra pork processing line, with a planned R$1.5 billion maltaria under development with partner cooperatives.

Unium's core technology centers on industrial food processing—UHT milk production, dairy beverage and enteral food manufacturing, whole-grain wheat milling (certified by ISO 22000 and the Whole Grains Council), and pork processing—backed by FSSC 22000 food safety certification at two of three UBLs. Product brands include Colônia Holandesa and Naturalle (a zero-additive dairy pioneer in Brazil) in dairy, Herança Holandesa in flour, and Alegra in pork. The technology stack also incorporates the SigmaABC digital farm management platform, developed with Fundação ABC, for data-driven agricultural operations across member farms.

The business model is hybrid B2B/B2C industrial food processing. Approximately 95% of dairy production is sold as bulk ingredients to multinational and large national food companies, with the remaining 5% distributed through Brazilian supermarket chains under Unium's consumer brands via partnerships with APAS, APRAS, and ASSERJ retail associations. Combined annual revenue across the three member cooperatives exceeds R$7 billion (dairy segment alone over R$2 billion in 2020), with the cooperative also generating international exports to 25+ countries. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; B2B contracts with multinationals are negotiated individually, while consumer products are sold at standard retail price points through events-driven and direct-distribution channels.

Name

Unium

Legal name

Unium

Website

https://unium.coop.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unium is the institutional brand of an intercooperation between three Paraná cooperatives (Frísia, Castrolanda, Capal), processing dairy, pork, and wheat flour across five industrial facilities and supplying multinational food companies and Brazilian retail with consumer brands including Colônia Holandesa, Naturalle, Herança Holandesa, and Alegra.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Carambeí

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Revenue model

1. Dairy Products Manufacturing: Processing and sale of dairy products including UHT milk, dairy beverages, cream, and enteral foods under Colônia Holandesa, Naturalle, and Colaso brands. Revenue from both retail consumer packages and B2B industrial supply to multinational companies. Three milk processing units produced 3.541 million liters per day in 2020, generating over R$2 billion in revenue for the dairy segment alone.
2. Pork Meat Products: Production and sale of pork meat products under the Alegra brand, processing approximately 120,000 tonnes of pork annually.
3. Wheat Flour and Bakery Products: Wheat milling operations under Herança Holandesa brand, processing approximately 115,000 tonnes of wheat grain annually into flour for consumer, industrial, and panification markets.
4. Animal Feed / Rations: Production of animal feed and rations as part of the integrated agricultural operations of the member cooperatives.
5. Malt Production (Maltaria Project): Planned malt production facility (maltaria) with projected output of 240,000 tonnes of malt per year, representing approximately 15% of the Brazilian national market. Investment of approximately R$1.5 billion, with inauguration planned for 2023.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

No source material was provided to describe Unium's core offerings.

Product overview

Unium is an institutional brand representing the intercooperation of three Paraná cooperatives (Frísia, Castrolanda, and Capal). The product portfolio includes multiple sub-brands: dairy products (Colônia Holandesa, Naturalle, Colaso), pork meat (Alegra), and wheat flour products (Herança Holandesa). Core operations include three Milk Processing Units (UBLs) in Castro, Itapetininga, and Ponta Grossa, producing 3.541 million liters daily. The cooperative also operates a wheat mill and is developing a malt production facility. Products are sold in retail and wholesale across Brazil, reaching over 25 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Colônia Holandesa: Trusted milk and dairy products.
• Naturalle
• Colaso
• Herança Holandesa
• Alegra

Quantifiable outcome

• 2nd largest dairy company in Brazil with 1.3 billion liters of milk produced in 2020, growing 3.3%
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Agrária Cooperativa AgroindustrialcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2021Unium is partnering with Agrária (lead), Bom Jesus, and Coopagricola to build a R$1.5 billion maltaria (maltery) in the Campos Gerais region of Paraná. The project leverages existing barley planting areas among cooperados, aims to produce 240,000 tonnes of malt per year (15% of Brazilian market), and will generate over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. The maltaria is planned for inauguration in 2023.
• Cooperativa Bom JesuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2021Part of the four-cooperative maltaria project (R$1.5 billion investment) led by Agrária. Bom Jesus contributes to the intercooperation initiative to develop barley cultivation and malt production in Paraná.
• Coopagrícola Cooperativa AgrícolacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2021Part of the four-cooperative maltaria project (R$1.5 billion investment) led by Agrária. Contributes to the intercooperation initiative for barley cultivation and malt production.
• Casa da Indústria (Sistema FIEP)minorOthers · 30 March 2021Unium donated four ventilators to support the opening of new ICU beds in Ponta Grossa hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organized by Casa da Indústria (Sistema FIEP) in partnership with the municipal government.
• Bureau VeritascoreOthers · 1 January 2021Bureau Veritas is the global organization that grants and audits FSSC 22000 food safety certifications for Unium's milk processing units. The certification provides international credibility to Unium's food safety management systems and is a key requirement for supplying multinational clients.
• Gazeta do PovominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 July 2020Unium partnered with Gazeta do Povo newspaper to host a live event on post-pandemic intercooperation and cooperativism. The event featured leaders including Willem Berend Bouwman (Castrolanda), José Roberto Ricken (Ocepar), and academic researchers.
• Fundação ABCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Fundação ABC is an agricultural research foundation that conducts the Show Tecnológico events and developed the SigmaABC digital platform in partnership with Frísia, Castrolanda, and Capal. It supports CoopMode innovation initiatives and wheat research.
• APAS (Associação Paulista de Supermercados)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Unium participates annually in the APAS Show, the world's largest supermarket trade fair. The partnership enables Unium to present its brands (Alegra, Colônia Holandesa, Naturalle) to supermarket buyers and decision-makers from São Paulo and beyond.
• APRAS (Associação Paranaense de Supermercadistas)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Unium partners with APRAS for participation in Mercosuper trade fair in Curitiba and sponsorship of the III Fórum de Fortalecimento do Varejo Supermercadista Paranaense. APRAS represents supermarket retailers in Paraná.
• ASSERJ (Associação de Supermercados do Estado do Rio de Janeiro)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Unium participates in Super Rio Expofood organized by ASSERJ to present its brands to Rio de Janeiro supermarket retailers.
• Whole Grains CouncilminorOthers · 1 January 2019Herança Holandesa flour mill became a member of the Whole Grains Council, an international body that provides certification for whole grain content accuracy in food products. Members gain the right to use the council's stamps on packaging.
• Frísia Cooperativa Agroindustrial (event promoter)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Digital Agro is an annual agricultural technology fair promoted by Frísia. Unium participates alongside brands Alegra, Colônia Holandesa, Herança Holandesa, and Naturalle to showcase digital agribusiness solutions.
• Instituto Paranaense de Reciclagem (InPAR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Unium participates in InPAR's reverse logistics initiative since 2017. The partnership provides the 'Reciclar é Preciso – Empresa Amiga do Meio Ambiente' seal, certifying Unium's environmental responsibility. Approximately 80% of Unium's packaging is plastic and 20% paper, with 1,027 tonnes of waste managed through the program.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lactalis (Brazil operations): Global dairy leader with significant Brazilian operations (acquired Itambé). Competes directly with Unium in UHT, cheese, and dairy ingredients across both B2B and retail.
• Dairy Farmers of America: Large US dairy farmer-owned cooperative. Relevant structural peer to Unium's intercooperation model and B2B ingredient focus, though it operates at much greater scale and in a different geography.
• Nestlé Brasil: Global packaged-food incumbent operating the largest dairy and food processing footprint in Brazil. As a buyer of Unium's B2B ingredients and a competitor in branded dairy, it provides the upper bound on competitive scale in the same category.

Direct peers

• Arla Foods: Danish-Swedish dairy cooperative with global B2B dairy ingredient operations and multinational customer base. Closely comparable on cooperative ownership, ingredient supply model, and international food-safety certifications.
• Coamo Agroindustrial Cooperativa: Brazilian agricultural cooperative operating across grains, dairy inputs, and food processing with a similar member-farmer ownership structure. Comparable on Brazilian cooperative governance and diversified agro-industrial footprint.
• FrieslandCampina: Dutch dairy cooperative that is a direct structural analog to Unium's intercooperation model (member-owned, B2B dairy ingredients, multinational customers). Highly comparable on cooperative governance, scale ambitions, and multinational B2B supply.
• Embaré: Brazilian dairy and food company producing UHT milk, powdered milk, and dairy ingredients with a similar cooperative/sourcing-driven model. Direct overlap in B2B dairy ingredient supply and Brazilian retail distribution.
• Laticínios Tirol: One of the largest Brazilian dairy processors, competing head-to-head with Unium in UHT milk, dairy beverages, and retail dairy. Directly comparable on geography (Brazil), product mix (fluid milk, UHT, value-added dairy), and B2B/retail channel structure.
• Italac: Major Brazilian dairy company with a similar mix of UHT milk, dairy beverages, and B2B supply. Comparable on customer base (multinationals + retail), scale tier, and product portfolio overlap.

Regional players

• BrasilAgro (subsidiary of Cresud; broader Brazilian ag peers): Latin American agribusiness with exposure to grains, sugar, and dairy-adjacent processing. Regional comparable for the agricultural-supply-chain model Unium operates, though with a different product mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unium.coop

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 Unium