Strategies developed by leading EU agrifood cooperatives in their growth models

The objective of this article is to identify the factors that have brought about the greatest degree of competitiveness in some of the principal agrifood cooperative groups in the European Union (EU), using pertinent case studies from a range of sectors including the dairy, meat and fruit and vegetable sectors from three EU member states: Holland, Ireland and Denmark. With this purpose in mind, seven cases were identified for inclusion: Kerry Group, the Irish Dairy Board, Arla Foods, The Greenery BV, Danish Crown, Agrifirm and DLG. The article identifies the main barriers and problems faced by this type of cooperative and shows the strategies developed by leading cooperatives in their sector within the current comparative context and familiarizes readers with the different growth models these cooperatives use to achieve and maintain their market standing.