Mapping and challenges of the largest European agricultural cooperatives Edition 2022
Analysis of the financial and extra-financial performance of the 100 largest agricultural cooperatives in Europe
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 2016-2020 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
238 billion euros : the total turnover of the 100 largest european agricultural coops in 2020″
Source : Olivier FREY, 2022
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 31 cooperatives in the European top 100 in 2020, French agricultural cooperation is well represented and is ahead of Germany, which has 15 representatives. However, French cooperatives are not the largest: only two French cooperatives will have a turnover of more than 5 billion euros in 2020 and only one is in the European top 10. The largest European cooperative has a turnover of 17.2 billion euros, which is almost three times the turnover of the first French cooperative.
Southern countries like Italy and Spain have a few cooperatives in the top 100, but there is no Spanish cooperative in the top 50 and only 2 Italian cooperatives.
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. The Irish cooperative Glanbia achieved almost 100% of its turnover internationally in 2020. 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 agriculture is often called into question, European agricultural cooperatives are increasingly transparent about their impact on the environment. Some of them have set very ambitious targets. For example, the dairy cooperative group Arla Foods wants to reduce its total CO2 emissions by 30% per kilo of milk by 2030 and move towards net zero carbon by 2050.
SYNTHETIC SUMMARY
1) Key figures on agricultural cooperatives in Europe
- Key figures about agriculture in Europe
- Key figures about agricultural cooperation in Europe
2) Financial analysis of the top 100 European agricultural cooperatives
- Top 100 ranking based on 2020 sales revenue
- 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
3) Focus on agricultural cooperation in some large European countries (Germany, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Sweden)
- Main legal characteristics of cooperatives by country
- Key figures for agricultural cooperation by country
- Ranking of the main agricultural cooperatives by country
4) Analysis of the extra-financial performance of European agricultural cooperatives
For the groups publishing this information, we will study in detail some of the key CSR indicators for the year 2019 and their evolution compared to previous years (CO2 emissions, energy consumption, water consumption, share of women among employees, among managers and on boards of directors, etc.).
We will also highlight various initiatives put in place by European cooperatives in the field of sustainable development and the fight against global warming.
5) Case studies on a dozen European cooperatives
THE + OF THE REPORT
- An exclusive financial analysis of the 100 largest European agricultural cooperatives for the 2016-2020 financial years
- A study complemented by interactive graphics and maps that can be viewed online
- 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 contact me at : contact(at)olivierfrey.com if your need more information.
Mapping of the co-operatives analyzed in the study