Royal FrieslandCampina N.V. is a Dutch multinational dairycooperative which is based in Amersfoort, Netherlands. It is the result of a merger between Friesland Foods and Campina on 31 December 2008. It is the world’s largest dairy co-operative and one of the top 5 dairy companies in the world with annual revenue of 11 billion euros. FrieslandCampina has branch offices in 33 countries and employs a total of 21,927 people. Its main brands are Friesche Vlag, Chocomel, Fristi, Friso, Dutch Lady, Milner, Campina, Landliebe, Optimel, Mona and "Mix'it". FrieslandCampina’s products are sold in more than 100 countries.
History
Royal FrieslandCampina is organized as a cooperative, with roots going back to 1879. It has grown through mergers and takeovers. In late 1997, four Dutch dairy cooperatives merged to form Friesland Coberco Dairy Food. In June 2004, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands granted FCDF Royal status. FCDF renamed itself Royal Friesland Foods. Campina was created in 1989 by the merger of two regional dairy cooperatives, Melkunie Holland and DMV Campina. After this merger the company was named Campina Melkunie until it dropped the Melkunie part of the name in 2001. In 2004, Campina and Arla Foods, a Danish dairy cooperative, announced plans for a merger, but the plan was canceled in April 2005 for undisclosed reasons although plans for other forms of cooperation are still said to be under consideration. On 19 December 2007, Campina and Friesland Foods announced that the companies were exploring the possibility of a merger. The EU approved the merger of the two cooperatives provided that they sold off certain cheese and dairy drink divisions.
In Vietnam, the U.S. and Canada the company is well known for its canned condensed milk product, Sữa Ông Thọ, popularly used in Vietnamese iced coffee with milk drinks, and in various other Vietnamese desserts. Sữa Ông Thọ was mass-produced in the Saigon-Biên Hòa area and widely consumed in the Republic of Vietnam, produced by Friesland Foods prior 1975. It was used in coffee, mixed with hot water to produce hot milk for babies and young children to drink, dipped with French bread or in other dessert applications. After the 1975Fall of Saigon, the factories manufacturing Sữa Ông Thọ, along with all other commercial and private properties were collectivized by the communists, and the facilities came under the state companyVinamilk, who continued to produce Sữa Ông Thọ condensed milk under the same name and used domestically and elsewhere in Indochina. Friesland Foods continued production of Sữa Ông Thọ - Longevity Brand after 1975 in the U.S. and Canada for the North American market, especially catering to Overseas Vietnamese consumers, and increasingly to Western consumers as the popularity of Vietnamese coffee and cuisine in general, increases. In North America, Longevity Brand - Sữa Ông Thọ is widely available in Asian supermarkets, and increasingly in conventional supermarkets.
Brandnames
In Greece the company is known through the Nounou brand. In Indonesia the company is known through the Frisian Flag brand. In Malaysia and Hong Kong the dairy product for adult market is known through the Dutch Lady brand. In Nigeria the company is known through the PEAK MILK brand. Other brands include Yazoo milkshakes. Brands with health benefit claims:
Campina Optimel : differentiated into age groups of +50s, +60s and +70s
Campina Optiwell
Campina Vifit
Campina Fruttis
Campina Betagen - joint venture with Thai Advanced Food