Polish dairy co‑op Mleczarnia sees kefir sales rise 50% as milk prices tumble

Mleczarnia reported a 50% increase in kefir sales while raw milk and cream prices fell sharply. President Tadeusz Proczek highlighted a drop in cream price from 14.80 zł to 5.60 zł per unit, a 62% decrease, and noted that milk procurement volumes have risen despite a shrinking herd. He warned that the Polish market cannot absorb the surplus, urging higher exports of processed products and criticizing EU imports sold at dumping prices.

Proczek also mentioned the difficulty of negotiating with large retail chains that dictate purchase conditions, and cited forthcoming EU regulations on producer‑retailer cooperation that could curb current practices. Despite the challenging market, the cooperative closed 2025 with solid financial results, with the extra‑fat milk class accounting for 99.95% of purchases.