Rabobank Report: World's Top 20 Dairy Companies

Jostling for position in a changing global market

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Jul 16, 2012, 05:24 ET

NEW YORK, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rabobank has published a new report listing the top 20 largest dairy companies in the world, ranked by dairy product turnover. The report highlights the 'who's who of dairy' as well as the continuing spate of merger and acquisition activity and tensions between the past and future of the dairy industry.

The report, authored by Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group, shows Nestle and Danone at the top of the list, which remains dominated by dairy companies in OECD countries: headquarters for 18 of the 20 companies are in the EU, North America, Japan, or New Zealand.

However, the biggest strides up the rankings this year were made by Chinese giants Yili and Mengniu, riding the wave of domestic market sales growth. The report says that in fact most of the growth prospects for dairy companies lie beyond OECD boundaries.

The ability of these companies to respond to changing global market dynamics will determine their prospects for survival and success in coming years. Rabobank expects to see dairy companies continue to vigorously pursue M&A targets in the next 12 months as they jostle to position themselves for growth and profit in a changing market environment.

A copy of the Global Dairy Top 20 report is available to media upon request.

Rabobank Group is a global financial services leader providing wholesale and retail banking, asset management, leasing, real estate services, and renewable energy project financing. Founded over a century ago, Rabobank is one of the largest banks in the world, with nearly $1 trillion in assets and operations in more than 40 countries, and is among the highest rated private banks by S&P and Moody's. Internationally Rabobank focuses on food and agriculture and in North America it is a premier bank to the food, beverage and agribusiness industry. Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group is comprised of more than 80 analysts around the world who provide expert analysis, insight and counsel to Rabobank clients about trends, issues and developments in all major sectors of agriculture. www.Rabobank.com

SOURCE Rabobank