Dairy

Global companies dominate the sourcing, processing and distribution of dairy products. While the sale of fresh milk has declined, the supply of dairy products and ingredients to food processing, food service, pharmaceutical manufacture and food and drink supplements is growing.

The world’s largest food and beverage companies, Nestlé, Danone and Unilever, source and sell dairy products. Dairy specialist conglomerates such as Lactalis, Fonterra, Arla, Dairy Farmers of America, Saputo and Friesland Campina are expanding far beyond their geographical origins. Chinese companies like Mengniu and Yili are growing their market share to enter the top 20.

Established in 2011, the IUF Dairy Division coordinates our work in the dairy processing sector where affiliates are organizing around a Charter of Rights: freedom to join a union, collective bargaining rights, freedom from discrimination, a safe and healthy workplace, direct employment, fair wages, decent conditions of work and protections against rights violations in the supply chain.

As awareness has grown of dairy’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, the IUF is also prioritizing work on the transition to more climate friendly methods of production.