Dairy producers, stronger together

Commercial Association EPIKO (TÜ EPIKO) is a cooperative of Estonian dairy producers. Its purpose is to strengthen members’ economic position, improve their competitiveness and create opportunities for the long-term, sustainable development of milk production.

EPIKO has operated since 2008 and has become an important cooperation platform for Estonian dairy producers. Its members are regional dairy cooperatives, companies and producers who aim to achieve better terms together than they could alone.

EPIKO’s core activity is the joint collection of members’ raw milk, organising its marketing and reselling it to dairies. Pooling volume creates economies of scale, strengthens negotiating power and helps secure a competitive, stable milk price formed under market conditions.

It matters to us that all members are treated equally and that their economic interests are protected in our joint activity. Cooperative collaboration helps reduce market risks, increase producers’ confidence and create better conditions for investment and development.

EPIKO is not only an organiser of milk marketing. Our role is to stand for members’ shared interests and to support the development of the dairy sector as a whole.

To that end we:

A core principle of EPIKO’s work is that producer cooperation is not limited to joint milk sales. Over the years we have developed joint marketing and cooperation projects, organised training, farm visits and study trips, and built contacts with dairy producers and cooperatives in other countries.

EPIKO has also taken part in projects aimed at increasing the added value of Estonian dairy producers and their opportunities to market their produce. The cooperative has worked with dairies and retail chains and has contributed to the visibility of Estonian milk and dairy producers.

TÜ EPIKO acts in the shared economic interests of producers and has been a recognised producer organisation since 2023. A producer organisation’s role is to pool producers’ strength and enable them jointly to organise, among other things, the marketing of produce and other activities that improve their position on the market.

EPIKO’s work is based on members’ shared interests, trust and transparent cooperation. We consider it important that members are involved in decisions, receive the information they need in time, and feel that their interests are represented in the cooperative.

Our principle is simple: by acting together, the Estonian dairy producer is stronger.

EPIKO’s aim is to be a trustworthy, professional partner for its members and to help increase the competitiveness, stability and sustainability of Estonian milk production.