Arla Foods almost doubles British farmer owners as it looks to China

Dairy cooperative Arla Foods has nearly doubled the number of British farmers that are owners in its business as the company works to raise sales in international markets like Africa and China, where demand for dairy products is growing.

European farmers are particularly keen to access those markets since the European dairy industry will see an end to production quotas in 2015. The change is expected to flood the market with new milk that could push down prices.

“That’s why we’re being so successful in attracting new milk at the moment, because farmers are looking to the future and realising that Arla is a good long-term bet,” Ash Amirahmadi, the company’s head of milk, told Reuters.