The pyramid shifts

There is no point in thinking small sometimes when it comes to dairy. For example, the Tetra Pak folk are thinking big – the packaging giant estimates in its latest Dairy Index that there is an untapped 2.7 billion consumers for its products in developing markets. These consumers, who the company terms DiP, or Deeper in the Pyramid, are said to moving up the hypothetical pyramid and will be buying more dairy as a result. In fact, the Swedish firm will be focusing more on getting packages into more consumers’ hands in the coming years, and these will no doubt be filled with dairy products. A good sign.

Also thinking big is Arla Foods, who announced a merger with both the UK’s Milk Link and with Germany’s MUH as part of its drive to grow the business. The plan is that the Danish co-operative will be the largest dairy in the UK and the third largest in Germany by 2015. Quite a tall order and one that DMK and Müller might take issue with. Still, this is the sort of event that has been predicted for a long time in the dairy world with respect to consolidation.

Will it be a good thing for those dairies involved? I do hope so and the people involved are optimistic. Neil Kennedy, Milk Link’s chief executive, says of the merger: “We strongly believe that it will create a strong platform for a sustainable future for Milk Link Members and the long term growth of a vibrant British dairy industry.”

In other news, this month we celebrate the Queen’s Dimaond Jubilee here in the UK. In a few years, she will be the longest serving monarch ever, and is already the one with the longest tenure since Queen Victoria. Quite an accomplishment.

I admit to not being the staunchest of monarchists (having shipped over here from the rebel colonies years ago), but I have to say Queen Elizbaeth II is very good value for whatever amount of money we pay per head to keep her on the road. She seems endlessly cheerful and is still trooping up and down the country at the tender age of 86. I suspect there are not a lot of octagenarians doing the kind of work she does every day. She sets an example to us all.