Improvement in animal care: EDEKA Alliance purchases over 1.5 billion liters of milk from farms rated 3 or higher
In 2024, EDEKA, one of Germany's largest food retailers, achieved a turnover of 75.3 billion euros with around 10,900 markets and approximately 413,000 employees. Supported by seven regional wholesale operations, the company continues to make strides in promoting animal welfare and sustainability in its dairy and meat products.
EDEKA has been transitioning various cheese segments, such as mozzarella and mascarpone, and dairy products like yogurt and cream to higher husbandry forms. The company is already the largest marketer of meat and sausage products from higher husbandry forms in the German food retail sector.
By the end of 2024, EDEKA aims to source 100% of its own-brand drinking milk from husbandry forms 3, 4, and 5. Currently, 100% of the own-brand drinking milk comes from husbandry form 3 and higher. Examples of drinking milk products from EDEKA's own brands include pasture milk, milk of the German Animal Welfare Federation, and association goods like Bioland and Naturland.
The coordination of EDEKA's strategy is handled by the EDEKA headquarters in Hamburg. The company invests in higher husbandry levels and pays its partner farms a surcharge for the additional costs. By early 2026, the entire natural quark range will be switched to husbandry level 3 or higher.
EDEKA's commitment to animal welfare and sustainability is not limited to its own brands. More than half of all pigs kept in Germany in husbandry forms 3 and 4 are already offered via the regional brand programs of the EDEKA Group.
Industry trends suggest that EDEKA, like other major European retailers, is likely advancing supplier requirements, increasing transparency, and aligning with certification schemes to improve animal welfare. The company is one of the leading training providers in Germany, with more than 19,200 trainees.
EDEKA's subsidiary, Netto Marken-Discount, makes a successful impact in the discount business. Customers can recognize this from the corresponding packaging labeling. The company group also offers a wide range of drinking milk products from its own brands, both regionally and nationally.
Specialty retail formats like trinkgut, NATURKIND, or budni, the cooperation with the online-based delivery service Picnic, and the wholesale business with EDEKA Foodservice round off the broad range of services offered by the company group. EDEKA remains one of the most important drivers for more animal welfare in the German food retail sector, characterised by its medium-sized and cooperative nature with around 3,200 independent retailers nationwide.
- As an entrepreneur in the finance sector, one might find it inspiring to see EDEKA's commitment to sustainable living, as evidenced by their transition to higher husbandry forms in their dairy and meat products.
- For those interested in lifestyle and healthy cooking, EDEKA's move towards producing more animal welfare-focused food-and-drink products could have a significant impact on their personal-finance considerations, as they prioritize purchasing sustainable options.
- Small-business owners in the home-and-garden sector might take note of EDEKA's success in the discount business through their subsidiary, Netto Marken-Discount, and consider potential partnerships or replication of their strategies.
- Wealth management professionals could observe EDEKA's investment in higher husbandry levels and surcharges to partner farms as a case study in corporate social responsibility (CSR), and its potential positive impact on market perception and brand loyalty.
- In the field of entrepreneurship, EDEKA's alignment with certification schemes to improve animal welfare, such as Bioland and Naturland, demonstrates the importance of transparency and adherence to standards in attracting customers who prioritize sustainable living.
- Whether one has a passion for cooking, runs a small business, or specializes in wealth management, EDEKA's focus on various aspects of sustainability in their food-and-drink offerings, from animal welfare to training programs, reflects a broader industry trend that prioritizes not only financial success but also a positive impact on society and the environment.
