Evolution, Masterrind and Vikinggenetics (owned by Faba, Växa and VikingDanmark) are announcing their intention to create a leading cattle breeding cooperative. This merger will result in the largest cattle breeding company in Europe – Arcowin – with more than 53.000 members. The new cooperative will work on ensuring the most sustainable and highest possible genetic progress of different breeds, for the greatest benefit of the members and worldwide customers within the dairy and beef industry.
On 1st December 2020, the three companies Evolution, Masterrind and Vikinggenetics, announced the foundation of the new cooperative Arcowin from 1st of January 2021. Arcowin was established to support dairy and beef breeding programs from Evolution, Masterrind and Vikinggenetics, with the main objective to take advantage of their respective genetic resources and start some R&D collaborations.
In December 2020, the three companies agreed to investigate further synergies of collaboration. Based on the analysis of the synergies, the board of directors of the cooperatives announces their intent to merge activities related to R&D, breeding, production and international sales and international marketing.
The merger is conditioned on receipt of regulatory approvals and is expected to take effect on 1st January 2022.
‘We have realized that the three companies will gain further synergies and have the same foundation being a cooperative, owned by the farmers and working for the farmers. Being united we will stand together with 53,000 dairy and beef farmers relying on us to secure them the best genetic progress for the success of their farms’, says Vincent Rétif, Chairperson of the board of Arcowin.
Evolution, Masterrind and Vikinggenetics are leading cooperatives within cattle breeding with strong bases in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, and Sweden. All three cooperatives have been pioneers in driving progress, sustainability and profitability of the dairy and beef industry, not only in their home markets, but also around the world. The member driven companies, Evolution, Faba, Masterrind, Växa and Vikingdanmark will continue servicing the members within the five home market countries.
‘As Arcowin gives full exchange of genetic information across all breeds and countries, we are able to identify the best animals in Europe, by taking advantage of the huge variation in our breeds, and thereby maximizing the genetic gain in all the breeding programs. This opens a great potential for the farmers, to get access to superior genetics and benefit of a trend-setting development in Europe’, says Dr Josef Pott, CEO Arcowin.
After the merge, Arcowin will strengthen the global distribution setup with affiliates in 10 countries, distributors in 65 countries and with the strongest European base.
‘By combining our global marketing and sales activities, we will extend our global footprint thanks to a broader and more segmented offer, but also being able to focus more on individual markets to the benefits of dairy and beef producers globally´, says Dr Josef Pott, CEO Arcowin.
About the three founding partners
EVOLUTION
A major player in French and European bovine genetics, present on strategic world markets, Evolution is also the world’s leading insemination service cooperative with more than 12,000 inseminations per day.
Genetic creation and services to breeders are our core businesses and lead us to work with 26,000 French breeders on a daily basis. Evolution combines the development and distribution of excellent genetics, adapted to the different breeding and product development contexts, with global support for herd reproduction and renewal. We focus our strategy on analysing and anticipating the needs of our members, breeders and customers, for a dynamic of innovation at the service of the sustainable performance of livestock farms.
Faithful to its co-operative nature, Evolution’s main aim is to guide and support farmers to contribute, together to nutritional and environmental challenges at worldwide level and to ensure the continued existence of the company and livestock farms for future generations.
MASTERRIND
Achieving the best together – at home and in the world.
Masterrind is one of the leading cattle breeding organizations in Europe. Science-based knowledge and practical experience gained over generations in more than 100 years provide both bovine genetic products and suitable and innovative services for successful dairy and beef farmers. A fair and professional partnership is the basis for the cooperation with our members and customers. More than 8,500 farmers in different German regions are owning the membership-structured enterprise. These breeders are keeping around 600,000 registered dairy and 12,000 beef cows. Masterrind breeders keep by far the largest population of registered Holstein cows in Germany.
Driven by innovation, traditional values and sustainability Masterrind combines advanced technology and proven procedures to supply genetics that offers productive but healthy cows. Various service tools round off the supply of suitable solutions for the farmers through the use of 600 employees in the several business areas. For example, more than 1.6 million insemination services are carried out annually for farmers in the home markets, while Masterrind also cooperates with customers and farmers in more than 50 countries worldwide.
Masterrind focus is to support the farmers to gain additional value. Due to this strategy the company has accomplished the German market leadership by achieving the best together.
VIKINGGENETICS
VikingGenetics help feed the world’s expanding population and sustain the earth’s natural resources by breeding healthy, efficient, trouble-free cows. VikingGenetics provide science-based bovine genetic products and solutions for progressive dairy and beef producers around the world. As a co-operative, VikingGenetics is owned by 19,000 dairy and beef farmers in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. The unique combination of breeding for health traits as well as production has led to a position as domestic market leader in the Nordic countries and strong player globally.
VikingGenetics´ passion is to help farmers achieve their business goals, farm sustainably, and enjoy life. The company employ 155 people.
Provided by Masterrind