Processes around 5.1 billion kg of milk annually into cheese, butter, milk powder, ingredients, baby food and plant-based products
DMK Deutsches Milchkontor GmbH
Zeven · Bremen · Edewecht · Beesten · Mannheim · Altentreptow · Hohenwestedt · Everswinkel · DargunNew on Amplifa
About DMK Group
DMK Deutsches Milchkontor GmbH, headquartered in Zeven, is a cooperatively organised dairy group and one of the largest suppliers to the German food retail sector. The company processes around 5.1 billion kilograms of milk annually and produces a broad range: cheese, butter, quark, ice cream, desserts, coffee cream, condensed milk and milk-based mixed drinks, as well as milk powder, coffee whitener, foaming agents and emulsifiers produced by spray drying. In addition, DMK Group develops customised ingredients for the further-processing food industry as a B2B partner, including caramel, cheese components and whey specialty products from the export business, as well as baby food (Humana/Sunval) and lactoferrin. The portfolio is rounded out by plant-based alternatives, sports nutrition and private-label production. The group was formed in 2011 from the merger of NORDMILCH and Humana and, since 1 June 2026, has been part of the merged Arla Foods cooperative. With more than 20 sites in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and international hubs, DMK Group generated revenue of 5.3 billion euros in 2025.
- Site
- Zeven
- Processes
- Milk processing (dairy, around 5.1 billion kg of milk annually), Cheese production (cheese dairy), Butter production, Spray drying (milk powder, fat-containing powder products, coffee whitener, foaming agents,, Production of whey specialty products/whey ingredients, Lactoferrin production, Production of baby food/infant formula (private label), Production of desserts, coffee cream, condensed milk, fruit buttermilk
- Materials
- Milk (raw milk), Whey, plant-based alternatives, Raw milk, Plant-based alternatives
- Certificates
- ISO 14001, EU official health mark
- Industries
- Food retail, Food industry (B2B), Baby food, Sports nutrition
- 01
Milk intake from cooperative farmers
- 02
Milk processing (dairy, cheese dairy, butter production)
- 03
Spray drying into powder products
- 04
Production of ingredients and whey specialty products
- 05
Product development and B2B development of customised solutions
- 06
Distribution in food retail and export
Raw materials and processes
Raw milk
Most important raw material; around 5.1 billion kg are processed annually from the cooperative milk producers.
Whey
By-product of cheese production that is processed into whey specialty products and exported worldwide.
Plant-based alternatives
Basis for vegan product variants alongside classic dairy products.
Locations
Zeven
DECompany headquarters and largest site
- Materials
- Raw milk
- Dessert production
- Coffee cream and condensed milk production
- Fruit buttermilk
- Ammonia refrigeration systems
Bremen
DECentral administrative site
Edewecht
DELargest production site for cheese and butter
- Materials
- Raw milk
- Cheese dairy
- Butter production
- Ammonia refrigeration systems
- Waste heat recovery system
Beesten
DEPowder products (DP Supply GmbH)
- Materials
- Raw milk
- Spray drying
Mannheim
DEBaby food (Sunval Baby Food GmbH)
- Materials
- Raw milk
Altentreptow
DELactoferrin production
- Materials
- Raw milk
- Lactoferrin plant (EUR 25 million investment)
Hohenwestedt
DEProduction site
- Materials
- Raw milk
- Spray drying plant
Everswinkel
DEProduction site
- Materials
- Raw milk
Dargun
DEProduction site
- Materials
- Raw milk
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk processing (dairy, around 5.1 billion kg of milk annually)Other (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk, plant-based alternatives |
| Cheese production (cheese dairy)Other (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk |
| Butter productionOther (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk |
| Spray drying (milk powder, fat-containing powder products, coffee whitener, foaming agents,Other (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk, Whey |
| Production of whey specialty products/whey ingredientsOther (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Whey |
| Lactoferrin productionOther (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk |
| Production of baby food/infant formula (private label)Other (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk |
| Production of desserts, coffee cream, condensed milk, fruit buttermilkOther (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk |
| Other (food/dairy) | – | – | – | – | Milk, plant-based alternatives |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spray drying plant | – | – | – | – | Hohenwestedt |
| Lactoferrin plant | – | 1 | – | – | Altentreptow |
| Refrigeration systems (ammonia refrigeration systems for cooling the dairy products) | – | – | – | – | Edewecht; Zeven |
Additional services
Quality and certification
The plants are certified in accordance with ISO 14001 for their environmental management; systems and machinery are regularly maintained by trained staff and inspected by independent experts and the responsible trade supervisory authority. Each site carries an official health mark (e.g. DE-NI 010 EG in Zeven).
| Evidence | Zeven | Edewecht | Beesten |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 14001 | |||
| EU official health mark |
History
- 1947
Founding of the central dairy NORDMILCH
- 1950
First mention of Humana (infant food, Herford)
- 1981
Merger to form Milchwerke Münsterland eG, cornerstone of Humana Milchunion eG
- 1998
Formation of Humana Milchunion eG
- 1999
Formation of NORDMILCH eG
- 2005
Founding of the joint venture wheyco GmbH for whey processing
- 2010
Retrospective merger of the operating units of NORDMILCH and Humana into DMK Deutsches Milchkontor GmbH
- 2011
Merger of the cooperatives; operational launch of DMK Deutsches Milchkontor GmbH in May 2011
- 2024
Planned streamlining of production capacities (Dargun, Edewecht, Everswinkel, Hohenwestedt)
- 2025
Revenue of EUR 5.3 billion; governing bodies approve merger with Arla
- 2026
Official merger with Arla Foods on 01.06.2026; Ingo Müller becomes Chief Integration Officer and Head of Germany; merger of DMK eG with DOC Kaas U.A. into an SCE resolved