Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy Joins Arla

This means that Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy’s co-operative members will be offered membership of Arla Foods following a takeover of Hirtshals by Arla Foods.

10/12/08 In its search for a solution to the financial challenges ahead, Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy has approached Arla Foods with a view to merging the two companies.

This means that Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy’s co-operative members will be offered membership of Arla Foods following a takeover of Hirtshals by Arla Foods.

Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy’s Board of Directors will present their decision to the dairy’s co-operative members at an extraordinary meeting on 18 December.

Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy has also decided to close down production at Ingstrup dairy and to suspend operations at the end of this week. Ingstrup Dairy’s employees were in-formed at a meeting on Wednesday morning.

The Chairman of Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy, Cyril V. Post, welcomes the fact that the dairy’s future has been settled and accepts that it would have been hard to raise the fi-nance to solve the problems in the current economic crisis.

”We stand to lose 30-40 per cent of our milk from the end of 2008 because several co-operative members have given notice of their intention to resign,” says Cyril V. Post. “The financial crisis is also causing many consumers to opt for cheaper products. As this is an area we don’t cover, our financial situation has been extremely difficult.”

“In this situation, we are pleased that our approach to Arla Foods has been successful and that the dairy will now continue.”

Arla Foods intends to maintain Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy and will, together with the dairy, evaluate its production and dairy products.

”Hirtshals Co-operative Dairy has some interesting products,” says Lars Aagaard, Direc-tor of Arla’s Danish business. “We will now look into the opportunities for regional milk from North Jutlandian farmers. We will also ensure that it is still possible to buy milk from Hirtshals with the lighthouse on the carton.”