Royal Honour for J. Grin

ZALTBOMMEL, The Netherlands, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- J. (Joop) Grin, former Vice-Chairman Board/Supervisory Board of the co-operative dairy organisation Campina, was today awarded the title Companion of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Grin, (63) and residing in Slootdorp (Netherlands), devoted many years of effort to the development of the co-operative dairy industry and co-operative herd improvement. Grin received the royal honour in the Cheese Museum in Alkmaar from the Mayor of the Municipality of Wieringermeer, Mrs L.A.G.M. de Zeeuw-Lases.

C.H. (Kees) Wantenaar, chairman of the Board/Supervisory Board is delighted with Grin's royal honour. "As a member of the Board/Supervisory Board, Joop Grin was one of those responsible for Campina's evolvement into a leading international dairy organisation with member-farmers in three countries. As a dairy and arable farmer with an important pioneering role in his environment, Grin is an advocate of strengthening the position of farmers via the co-operative form."

Grin has been active at executive level in the co-operative dairy industry for more than twenty years. In 1985 he was appointed as a member to the Supervisory Board of Melkunie Holland. This co-operative merged in 1991 with Campina to form Campina Melkunie. From 1991 up to and including April 2006 he was a member of the Board/Supervisory Board of Campina, holding the function of vice-chairman since 2001. In the period 2001-2002 he was chairman of the Harmonisation Committee that formed the basis for the integration of Milchwerke Köln/Wuppertal (Germany) and De Verbroedering (Belgium) in Campina, creating the first European dairy co-operative with an international member base.

From 1987 up to and including 1998 Grin was a member of the Board of Rundveeverbeteringsorganisatie Noord-Holland (the North-Holland Herd Improvement Organisation/RON) and from 1998 up to and including 2002 he held the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of CR-Delta, the national herd improvement organisation which came into existence as a result of mergers of regional organisations in the field of breeding and herd books.

For years Grin was also active in the management of what is now Rabobank Alkmaar and Heerhugowaard, in the co-operative sale and purchase association Wieringermeer (CAV) and in a number of organisations whose goal is to safeguard and disseminate the rich history of dairy, cheese and herd improvement, as can be seen in the Dutch Cheese Museum in Alkmaar and the Herd Improvement Archives.

Note for Editors:

Campina is an international co-operative company active in the development, production, sale and distribu-tion of dairy and dairy-related consumer products and advanced ingredients for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Campina has an annual turnover of around EUR 3.6 billion and some 6,800 employees. The company holds leading positions in the markets in which it operates, with consumer brands such as Campina, Landliebe and Mona. Campina's Industrial Products group operates on a global scale. This ingredients group, with the DMV International division, is a successful partner for the food and pharmaceutical industries, among others.

Website: www.campina.com

For further information, please contact: Campina Corporate Communication, Tel: +31-418-571316