Who we are

KMC is a cooperative owned by Danish starch-potato farmers. For more than 90 years, we have been growing, developing, and producing potato-based ingredients for the global food industry – serving more than 80 countries across the globe.   

Visionary farmers

The beginning

KMC is the story of a group of Danish starch-potato farmers who have managed to create an international company with activities all over the world. 

To understand KMC’s impressive journey, we need to go back to 1933. The year it all started.

In 1933, the Danish state decided that Denmark should produce its own potato starch to meet the country’s needs. This led to the formation of KMC (then “Kartoffelmelcentralen”), which was given the task of selling the combined production of seven Danish potato starch factories which had been granted a concession from the Danish state.

More than 60 different potato-based products

Growing export

In 1988, KMC’s development department was established with the aim of improving existing products and, just as importantly, developing new ones. Through the 1990s, KMC focused on products for the food industry, which proved to open the doors to the land of opportunity. Among other things, the new focus resulted in KMC establishing a new factory in 2003 for the production of granules and flakes. 

From originally selling exclusively potato starch, KMC now has more than 60 different potato-based products on the shelves. 

In a very short number of years, KMC has succeeded, for example, in gaining footholds in China, which is now one of KMC’s largest markets. KMC has gone from mainly selling potato starch in Denmark to now exporting more than 90 percent of its production.

Our philosophy remains the same: Simple common sense is the foundation for greener food production for the benefit of all. 

Historical highlights

Membership of the EC, which provided increased growth opportunities
1973
Extraction of protein from the potato fruit juice
1990
Focus on foods and the start of application work
1995
Establishment of our first subsidiary and sales office in Russia
1996
Acceleration of the adventure in China and Vietnam
1996
Opening of factory for the production of granules
2003
First production of ColdSwell
2003
End of EU support
2012

Core values

In KMC, we all work from the philosophy “a great place to work”

Growing a plant-based future
We believe the future is plant-based and climate-friendly. We contribute by helping innovative food manufacturers replace animal ingredients with plant-based solutions – and integrate sustainability in everything we do to benefit our customers and the planet.

Fostering long-lasting partnerships
We are chosen for our high-quality standards, documented provenance, and strong environmental compliance guaranteed by our Danish roots. We strive to foster lasting partnerships tailored to our customer’s specific businesses.

Implementing intelligent ingredients 
Our extensive knowledge draws on long-standing university collaborations and our ground-breaking Food Innovation Centre.

Vision & mission

In KMC, our contribution lies in helping innovative food manufacturers make their products greener. And by becoming increasingly sustainable ourselves. Our work supports the following vision and mission:

Vision 
That the global food industry considers KMC the natural first choice as supplier of sustainable and value adding potato-based ingredients.

Mission 
To further develop the potato as an attractive raw material for ingredient solutions in the food industry to benefit the entire value chain.

This is achieved through activities based on the principles of circular economy, sustainability, and innovative product approach, ensuring attractive workplaces, customer relationships, and ownership.

KMC Agro

KMC Agro is the first important link in the long chain that makes the potato increasingly attractive to the world. They are the fundament of the breeding work, and every year they conduct hundreds of experiments, to develop new varieties with stronger disease resistance. KMC Agro has built the fundament to what KMC is today, and will continue to do so alongside all our farmers.