FDBusiness.com

Dutch dairy co-operative Royal FrieslandCampina has doubled profit to Eur156m, due to improved margins and volume growth, and increased revenue by 5.5% to Eur4.3b for the first half year of 2010, compared with the corresponding period last year. Revenue growth was driven by higher sales of consumer products in Asia and Africa, sales of basic and special ingredients to the food industry and also as a consequence of higher selling prices for products such as foil cheese, milk powder and caseinates (milk proteins). Currency movements had on balance a positive effect on revenue to the amount of Eur51m.

The group’s Ingredients business managed to convert an operating loss of Eur45m in the first half of 2009 to a positive contribution of Eur43m in the first half of 2010. This was due mainly to the positive results achieved by special ingredients and the higher selling prices of standard products that resulted in improved margins.

Cees ’t Hart, chief executive of Royal FrieslandCampina.

The Consumer Products International Division delivered very good results. However, Consumer Products Europe reported a 48% drop in operating profit to Eur57m due to lagging margins on cream and butter products at FrieslandCampina Professional. In order to maintain the market shares of the branded consumer products, a relatively large number of price promotions were necessary.

The Cheese & Butter business posted an operating loss of Eur31m but this was an improvement on the Eur51m deficit in first half of 2009.

The guaranteed price for milk supplied by the member farmers of FrieslandCampina rose by 16% to Eur30.25 per 100 kilograms of milk. The pro forma milk price (guaranteed price plus performance payment) amounts to Eur31.58 per 100 kilograms of milk.

“The economic recovery in Europe lags behind developments in other areas in the world. In addition, there is fierce competition and consumers continue to be cautious with their spending,” says Cees ’t Hart, chief executive of Royal FrieslandCampina.