Zentralkäserei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Zentralkäserei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern GmbH (ZMV) is a German milk-processing company based in Dargun, in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of DMK Deutsches Milchkontor GmbH & Co. KG, one of Germany's largest dairy groups. The company operates a modern cheese plant that processes hundreds of millions of kilograms of milk annually, producing foil-ripened sliced cheeses such as Edam, Gouda, butter cheese and Steppenkäse, along with by-products including milk concentrate, cream and lactose concentrate. In 2008 ZMV reported revenue of 122 million euros and processed 358 million kilograms of milk, yielding 33,527 tonnes of sliced cheese, 30,001 tonnes of milk concentrate, 14,847 tonnes of cream and 10,220 tonnes of lactose concentrate. The Dargun site has a dairy tradition dating to 1888, when a cooperative dairy was founded in a side building of the former Dargun monastery. By 1989 the Dargun dairy was the largest cheese producer in the German Democratic Republic, processing about 50 million kilograms of milk and making more than 4,500 tonnes of hard and sliced cheese. After German reunification, the Dargun dairy and Nordmilch planned a new cheese factory; Zentralkäserei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was founded on 30 January 1991, and cheese production at the new facility began on 18 May 1993 after ten months of construction. Investments in new processing technologies followed in 2008 and 2009. Today the company forms part of the DMK Group's production network and remains a notable cheese producer in northeastern Germany.

The Dargun site's dairy history began in 1888, when a cooperative dairy (Genossenschaftsmeierei) was founded and operated in a side building of the former Dargun monastery. Over the following decades the operation expanded and gradually merged with other regional dairies. By 1989 the Dargun dairy processed approximately 50 million kilograms of milk and produced more than 4,500 tonnes of hard and sliced cheese, making it the largest cheese producer in the German Democratic Republic. After the Wende (the peaceful revolution and reunification period), the Dargun dairy and Nordmilch planned the construction of a new cheese factory. Zentralkäserei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern GmbH was founded on 30 January 1991. After ten months of construction, cheese production at the new processing facility began on 18 May 1993. In 2008 and 2009 the company invested in new processing technologies. By 2008 ZMV processed 358 million kilograms of milk and generated revenue of 122 million euros, producing 33,527 tonnes of foil-ripened sliced cheese (Edam, Gouda, Butterkäse and Steppenkäse), 30,001 tonnes of milk concentrate, 14,847 tonnes of cream and 10,220 tonnes of lactose concentrate. The company is wholly owned by DMK Deutsches Milchkontor GmbH & Co. KG.

• 2008

  Processed 358 million kg of milk and generated revenue of 122 million euros; investments in new processing technologies followed in 2008 and 2009.

• 1993

  Cheese production began at the new facility on 18 May after ten months of construction.

• 1991

  Zentralkäserei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern GmbH founded on 30 January.

• 1989

  Dargun dairy processed about 50 million kg of milk and produced over 4,500 tonnes of hard and sliced cheese, becoming the largest cheese producer in the GDR.

• 1888

  First cooperative dairy founded in Dargun in a side building of the former Dargun monastery.

Regional German cheese producer and DMK Group subsidiary focused on sliced and semi-hard cheeses for the German market.

• 2008

  Foil-ripened sliced cheese (Edam, Gouda, Butterkäse, Steppenkäse)

• 2008

  Milk concentrate

• 2008

  Cream

• 2008

  Lactose concentrate

1. 1Zentralkäserei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Zentralkäserei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Wikidatawikidata.org