The best payers of milk money in 2025 in a row

At the beginning of this year, Boerenbusiness the affairs provisionally in a row by comparing prices excluding back payments. The two largest cooperative dairy companies in the Netherlands (and Northwest Europe), Arla Foods and FrieslandCampina, have now published their figures. Several smaller cooperatives will follow suit, but a clearer picture can already be drawn.

Another difference with the previous comparison is that the focus is now on the average payment per processor, rather than on the price an individual dairy farmer can receive.

Comparable milk price with unequal contents
At first glance, the Arla and FrieslandCampina cooperatives don't seem to differ significantly. Arla reports an average paid milk price of €56,40 per 100 kilos for the whole of 2025, including supplementary payments. FrieslandCampina reports a paid milk price of €56,93 in its annual report. FrieslandCampina therefore appears to be paying the better price. However, this price is paid for different fat and protein contents. According to the annual report, Arla pays the price for 4,2% fat and 3,4% protein. FrieslandCampina uses higher average contents. When Arla's milk price is adjusted for this and made fully comparable with FrieslandCampina's, Arla's price comes to €58,38 per 100 kilos, which represents a difference of €1,45 in favor of the latter.

The prices mentioned include payments for organic milk. At FrieslandCampina, according to the annual report, 13 cents should be deducted from the average milk price, resulting in an average conventional milk price of €56,80. At Arla, the organic contribution has a greater impact. According to Arla itself, 11% of its dairy farmers are organic, but the organic contribution cannot be calculated precisely. Therefore, a 25-cent correction is used as a precaution. This results in an average conventional milk price of €58,13 per 100 kilos.

A-ware in between
The private dairy industry doesn't quite match Arla's, but A-ware can keep up with FrieslandCampina. Based on the WP (weighted average paid conventional milk price), A-ware paid a milk price of €56,91 per 100 kilos in the Netherlands last year. See the data from the Boerenbusiness Dutch Milk price calculator.

Cono Cheesemakers, which has struggled to keep up in recent years, could very well come close to A-ware and FrieslandCampina. The condition is that the additional payment remains at approximately the same level as last year. According to Boerenbusiness This amounts to €55,17 per 100 kilos. There's always a 25-cent membership fee on top of that, plus a subsequent payment. If this were the same as last year (€1,23), Cono would arrive at €56,65 per 100 kilos.

Cono, Hochwald, Leerdammer
Hochwald Foods in Bolsward averages around €56,60 per 100 kilos, but this cannot be determined precisely, as the average payment this company makes for its sustainability program is unknown.

Lactalis Leerdammer is close behind with an average of €56,59 per 100 kilos. The company doesn't have any top-quality feeds that significantly increase the average price, but it does offer a relatively high pasture premium and, for example, a bonus for loyal suppliers.

DOC and Vreugdenhil
DOC Kaas is facing a slightly more difficult time, averaging €55,71 based solely on advance payments. In addition, a provisional back payment of just over 6 cents has been paid. Whether there will be a further back payment is unclear. Last year, €1,08 was paid. Whatever the outcome, 2025 will almost certainly be the last year DOC Kaas will pay its own milk price. The final approval for a merger with Arla is expected next spring.  

Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods struggled last year due to low milk powder prices and is therefore paying slightly less on average, likely between €54,50 and €55,00 per 100 kilos. This is a one-time anomaly for now. On average over the past five years, the company has paid the highest milk price. Moreover, milk powder prices have been rising sharply again in recent weeks. Furthermore, Vreugdenhil can still receive above-average milk prices, depending on the package of benefits.