A proposed merger between European dairy co-operatives DMK and DOC Kaas is back on after the European Commission gave the deal the green light yesterday (3 March).
DOC Kaas said the merger would be implemented by 1 April.
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Arjan Schimmel, DOC Kaas’ CEO, said: “We are pleased that the European Commission has approved [the] merger as both companies can use it to enhance their competitiveness in international markets”.
Schimmel added the merger allowed the firms to meet their long and short term objectives and the needs of shareholders.
Josef Schwaiger, CEO of DMK said: “The merger will strengthen the competitiveness of DMK Group and DOC Kaas.”
Schwaiger insisted the transaction would not only benefit the German and Dutch dairy markets but also the wider European dairy industry.
At the end of last year, the merger plans were put on hold. At the time, the companies said it was due to “the complexity of the markets for dairy products demand[ing] a more extensive portrayal of market conditions”.
“The parties concerned therefore believe that retracting and then resubmitting the merger is the most efficient and quickest option for achieving the desired approval,” they said at the time.
