Report on the Top 100 European Agricultural Cooperatives

Mapping and challenges of the largest European agricultural cooperatives

Analysis of the financial and extra-financial performance of the Top 100 European Agricultural Cooperatives

AN EXCLUSIVE REPORT THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO :

  • Assess the weight of agricultural cooperatives in the main European countries in terms of turnover and employment 
  • Understand the differences in cooperative statutes in the different European countries
  • Map the main agricultural coops in Europe
  • Have an exclusive financial analysis of the 100 largest agricultural cooperatives in Europe over the 2017-2021 period.
  • Analyze the strategic ambitions of the different European agricultural cooperatives
  • Evaluate the objectives and concrete achievements of the largest European cooperatives in terms of sustainable development and fight against climate change

More than €255 billion in cumulative revenue for Europe’s top 100 agricultural cooperatives in 2021 (up €17 billion from 2020)″

Source : Olivier FREY, 2023

Agricultural cooperatives are still relatively unknown economic actors. However, they have a significant weight in most European agricultural and agri-food sectors. They are owned by farmers and have developed over the years both upstream and downstream of the sectors, by developing processing activities and even distribution channels.

FRENCH AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES ARE THE MOST NUMEROUS AND THE MOST DYNAMIC IN THE EUROPEAN TOP 100 BUT ARE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES

With 29 cooperatives in the European top 100 in 2021, French agricultural cooperatives are well represented, ahead of Germany, which has 15 representatives. However, French cooperatives are not the largest: only 3 French agricultural cooperatives have revenue in excess of 5 billion euros in 2021, and only one is in the European top 10. Europe’s largest agricultural cooperative has sales of €19.8 billion in 2021, more than three times the revenue of the leading French cooperative.

Southern European countries such as Italy, Spain and Portugal have a few co-operatives in the top 100, but there are no Spanish or Portuguese co-operatives in the top 50 and only 2 Italian co-operatives

FRENCH AND GERMAN AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES ARE STILL LITTLE INTERNATIONALISED COMPARED TO COOPERATIVES IN NORTHERN EUROPE

Cooperatives in Northern Europe countries (Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands) are the most internationalised: due to a saturated domestic market, they were quick to focus on exporting and setting up internationally. Danish Crown has made almost 90% of its turnover abroad (exports + establishments), Arla Foods and Friesland Campina around 75-80%. In contrast, French and German cooperatives, which have a larger domestic market, are naturally less export-oriented. Thus, only a handful of French and German cooperatives achieve more than 50% of their turnover internationally.

EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES ARE INCREASINGLY COMMUNICATING ON THEIR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

At a time when the fight against climate change has become a priority for many European citizens, and when agriculture is often called into question, European agricultural cooperatives are becoming increasingly transparent about their impact on the environment. Some have set quantified targets and implemented strategies validated by reference bodies. However, we deplore the fact that 33 cooperatives have not published a sustainable development report for 2021. We also note that it is difficult to compare the sustainable development reports of agricultural cooperatives because there is no common strategy in this area.

SYNTHETIC SUMMARY

I) Key figures about agricultural cooperation in Europe

II) Focus on agricultural cooperation in some European countries (specificities, key figures, top 10 per country)

  • Main legal characteristics of cooperatives by country
  • Key figures for agricultural cooperation by country
  • Ranking of the main agricultural cooperatives by country

III) The top 100 agricultural cooperatives in Europe

  • Top 100 ranking based on 2021 sales revenue
  • Mapping of the top 100 by country and main activity

IV) Financial analysis of the top 100 European agricultural cooperatives

  • Evolution over 5 years of the turnover of the European top 100 cooperatives
  • Top 100 ranking in terms of operating margin
  • Top 100 ranking in terms of EBITDA margin
  • Top 100 ranking in terms of financial autonomy
  • Top 100 ranking in terms of debt ratio
  • Top 100 ranking in terms of financial leverage
  • Top 100 ranking according to the share of international sales revenue
  • Study of the different above ratios according to countries and sectors

V) Analysis of the extra-financial performance of European agricultural cooperatives

THE + OF THE REPORT 

  • An exclusive financial analysis of the 100 largest European agricultural cooperatives for the 2016-2020 financial years
  • A mapping of the main European agricultural cooperatives and business cases on some key agricultural cooperatives
  • A comparison of the sustainable development indicators developed by European agricultural cooperatives
  • A focus on the strategies of European agricultural cooperatives at the international level

HOW TO ORDER THE REPORT

You can download the purchase order below and send it back via email to contact(at)olivierfrey.com

Purchase Order Study European Coops 2023Download

You can contact me at contact(at)olivierfrey.com if you need more information.

Mapping of the co-operatives analyzed in the study