According to Rabobank the global dairy industry has gone through “an accelerated period of strategic positioning” as the global economic crisis is driving companies to consolidate local industries and to attain expansion and access strong market growth through mergers and acquisitions. With a turnover of US$10.8 billion in 2012 Scandinavian dairy business Arla has jumped in the rankings to become the 7th largest dairy business in the world after numerous strategic M&As. Arla merged with Hansa-Milch in Germany and then acquired Alliäuland-Käsereien, then merged with the UK’s Milk Link and Germany’s Milchunion Hocheifel. Until 2008 Chinese dairy companies did not make the top 20 list however two companies, Yili and Mingniu made the top 15 this year. U.S. companies Dean Foods and Kraft both fell in the rankings and Rabobank states that it is possible that U.S. companies will continue to be pushed down the rankings in coming years as the global market is being shaped by other countries.
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