The manufacturing of milk products in our country is known for a long time, but the second half of the 19-th century can be considered the beginnings of milk industry, as at that period rather good separators were invented and it allowed manufacturing milk industrially.

The foundation of ‘Latvijas Piensaimnieku Centrālā Savienība’ started at July 24, 1906. At that time Latvian agricultural central society was founded, including 42 agricultural associations and their purpose was the development and modernization of agriculture, as well as searching for a market to sell the produce. It is important to note, that already at this time, agronomist (but later president and prime minister) Karlis Ulmanis greatly invested in the development of milk manufacturing.

First World War brought serious loss to Latvian milk manufacturers, but in April 2 and 3, 1921 in the congress of milk manufacturers in Smiltene, a new merging of milk producing companies took place – later the united organization was named ‘Latvijas Piensaimnieku Centrālā Savienība’ (‘Central Union of Latvian Milk Manufactures’). The foundation meeting was held in 18 August, 1921.

After the restoration of ‘Latvijas Piensaimnieku Centrālā Savienība’, turnover of the main sectors significantly increased. For example, in 1925 it reached 20 million lats, but in 1930 the turnover already had exceeded 40 million lats. During the period of independent Latvia, milk was considered a national treasure, ‘the white gold’, and there was significant support from the state for manufacturing and export.

The work of ‘Latvijas Piensaimnieku Centrālā Savienība’ was stopped after the loss of Latvia’s independence and restored after the recovery of the independence in 1995.