About Us
District Dairy Cooperative in Giżycko
A modern plant with a rich, long-standing production tradition. Years of tradition, production experience, the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, the HACCP system, modern production lines built according to EU standards, and the high quality of milk sourced (exclusively extra class) from the Green Lungs of Poland region make our cooperative’s products highly popular among consumers nationwide.
From Pure Masuria
Tradition for Years
Simple Ingredients
History and Tradition – How Our Company Was Founded
Our dairy’s operations began just after World War II, in 1945. From a small plant producing butter in manual churns, it has grown into a dynamically developing entity that is now one of the pillars of the Polish food sector.
We began our production activities as early as 1945, employing 11 workers at the time and producing butter in a hand-operated churn.
The establishment of the Cooperative marked the beginning of a long-term process, initially of reconstruction and subsequently of plant expansion and product range diversification.
By the 1950s, the plant was already producing ripened cheeses as well as curd cheeses, butter, and skimmed milk powder.
An important period in the plant’s history was 1974–1976. During this time, the Giżycko plant was expanded, which included the creation of a second drying plant, the construction of a curd cheese department, the expansion of the dairy specialties department, and the addition of a vehicle wash building.
The name under which the Cooperative operates to this day was adopted at the request of the Founding Meeting of Representatives on January 1, 1981, when the District Dairy Cooperative in Giżycko was established.
A breakthrough moment in our history was July 1, 1989, when the District Dairy Cooperative in Giżycko became an independent entity.
On June 1, 1999, the District Dairy Cooperative in Giżycko merged with the District Dairy Cooperative in Szczytno, and on June 1, 2000, also with the Dairy Cooperative in Węgorzewo.
The District Dairy Cooperative in Giżycko operates in the Great Masurian Lakes region; therefore, out of concern for environmental purity, reverse osmosis whey concentration equipment was installed in 2000, allowing for the processing of all whey produced at our plant.
In 2001, a modern automated line for the production of Masurian curd cheese was commissioned, followed by a line for ripened cheese production in April 2002.
The years 2002–2007 were a period of intensive plant modernization. During this time, numerous investments were made, including the installation of a modern processing room and milk reception area, the commissioning of a newly built cold storage warehouse for dairy products, a new vehicle wash, and a modern cheese brewhouse with a milk processing capacity of approximately 700,000 liters per day.
Since May 1, 2004, we have been classified as a dairy plant approved for trade, which enables us to sell our products within the European Union.
In 2015, a modern ripening facility was opened, which can simultaneously hold approximately 4,000 tons of ripened cheese.
Currently, the District Dairy Cooperative in Giżycko employs approximately 480 people and produces the following products:
• ripened cheeses
• Italian-style cheeses
• smoked cheeses
• butter
• IWPC80 instant whey protein powder
• whey permeate powder
• whey powder
• cheese-like products
Milk sourcing is conducted in the Warmian-Masurian, Podlaskie, and Masovian voivodeships. We process approximately 500 million liters of milk annually.
