Become a Client

News

22 Feb 2012 New Export Deal for Bega Cheese
Australian dairy Bega Cheese announced the expansion of its Tatura plant following a new export deal with the Middle East. The $7.8m expansion project will allow for the cream cheese production to increase from 15,000 to 22,000 tonnes.
15 Feb 2012 UK: Milk Link to Upgrade Production Plants
UK dairy co-op Milk Link announced its plan to upgrade two production facilities to meet growing demand for its cheese. Most of the investment (£2m) will be spent on a new line at the Oswestry site to improve packing rates.
09 Feb 2012 Saputo's Earnings Boosted
Montreal-based Saputo reported that its net earnings for Q3 2011 rose by 15.8% to reach €98.1 m . The multinational dairy’s profits and revenue were boosted by the acquisition of the American firm DCI Cheese in March 2011.
08 Feb 2012 New US Plant for Groupe Bel
Groupe Bel, via its subsidiary Bel Brands USA, announced the construction of a new cheese production plant in South Dakota. Bel Brands USA currently imports over 50% of its Mini Babybel business in order to meet the growing demand, which amounted to around 8000 tonnes last year.
07 Feb 2012 Lactalis: New Production Plant in the US.
Lactalis American Group – the US division of the French group – announced its plan to build a new cheese production plant in the US by spring 2013. The new Idaho plant will be situated next to an existing plant and will produce around 18,000 tonnes of Galbani brand fresh mozzarella. Lactalis will continue producing string cheese, plus bulk and shredded mozzarella in its existing plant nearby.
06 Feb 2012 Swiss Cheese Exports Up in 2011
Despite a strong currency, Swiss cheese exports increased 1.4% in 2011. Cheese, cheese spreads and fondue mixtures exports amounted to 64,528 tonnes, 40% of which reached the German market. In the meantime, Switzerland cheese imports also increased 4.3% in 2011.
02 Feb 2012 FrieslandCampina to Acquire Imlek and Mlekara Subotica
FrieslandCampina is set to acquire shares in Western Balkans dairies Imlek and Mlekara Subotica following an agreement with Salford Capital Partners, who currently hold majority stakes in the two companies. This acquisition will strengthen FrieslandCampina's position in South Eastern Europe and give them access to about 76 million consumers.
31 Jan 2012 Bel: New Cheese Production Plant
Bel Brands USA, a subsidiary of French Fromageries Bel, has announced the creation of a 3rd cheese production plant in the US. The Brookings manufacturing facility, due to open in 2013, will be devoted to producing the wax-wrapped Mini Babybel line of semi-soft snack cheeses.
27 Jan 2012 UK: Middle-East Orders for Prima Cheese
Prima Cheese Ltd has secured its first two overseas contracts, worth about £50,000 each, with orders from the Lebanon and Dubai. The North-East based firm, which produces a range of cheese products including Pizza Cheese blends and Burger Slices, mainly supplies restaurants and takeaways.
26 Jan 2012 Italy: 3A Latte Arborea-Fattorie Girau Partnership
Sardinia-based dairies, 3A Latte Arborea and Goat’s and Sheep’s milk products specialist Fattorie Girau, just entered a new partnership. 3A Latte Arborea, which started producing and retailing Fattorie Girau products earlier this month, sees the move as a way to increase its market share, both on a national and international level.
25 Jan 2012 Vika Enters New Partnership
Dutch firm Vika Food Ingredients aims to focus its efforts on convenience food via a new partnership with A-ware Food Group. The cooperation between the two Netherlands-based companies will allow Vika to enter the retail market in Belgium and Scandinavia where A-ware is already active.
24 Jan 2012 Spain: Grated Cheese Rising Popularity
Several Spanish dairy companies entered the Grated Cheese segment in the past few years and Spanish volume sales have been rising steadily since. In 2011, this segment increased the most, both in terms of volume (8.6%) and value (6%). The arrival of new branded products on the market helped the industry increase its market share against supermarkets own labels.
20 Jan 2012 Cheese Consumption Rising Fast in Germany
Cheese consumption continued rising fast in Germany in 2011 and reached an annual per capita level of 23 kg. Although Germany remained the 4th largest cheese consumer in Europe, consumption levels increased an extra 200g on 2010 levels and an extra 3 kg on 2000 levels. This rapid increase is due to the growth in cheese use in the cheeseburger and pizza fastfood industry nationwide.
19 Jan 2012 Deal Between WCB and Coles
Australian dairy company Warrnambool Cheese and Butter (WCB) has announced a 5-year deal with Coles. WCB will source an extra 50 million litres of milk a year to supply Coles Supermarkets with a new brand of cheese and fresh milk.
17 Jan 2012 New Russian Partnership for Arla foods
Arla Foods is to start producing yellow cheese via a partnership with Russian Molvest Group. Arla’s Russian subsidiary, Arla Foods Artis, will convert one of Molvest’s existing dairies to yellow cheese production.
15 Jan 2012 SherlockCheese Bought by Milcobel
Belgian dairy Co-op Milcobel has acquired the Dutch cheese company SherlockCheese. This latest acquisition will strengthen Milcobel’s position in the cheese industry and provide access to new cheese types. Milcobel already owns Jan Dupont Kaasimport and Camal.
11 Jan 2012 Lactalis A Step Closer to Controlling Skanemejerier
The latest negotiations on the sale of Swedish dairy Skanemejerier to Lactalis revealed that the French group could take control of Skanemejerier from March 2012. This move would not only give Lactalis further milk products brands and access to new markets, it would also reduce its reliance on cheese products, in line with its current strategy.
11 Jan 2012 First Milk: New Cheese-Making Facility
UK dairy First Milk announced that it will install a new cheese-making facility at its Campbeltown site where its Mull of Kintyre Cheddar is produced. The new factory will allow for increased production and processing efficiencies.
06 Jan 2012 Possible Merger for Bongrain and Berthaut
French cheese makers Fromagers de Thiérache (a Bongrain subsidiary) and Berthaut are looking to merge. The merger would help the two French firms meet the growing demand for regional and specialty cheeses and develop their international markets. Fromagers de Thiérache specialises in Maroilles while Berthaut specializes in the production of AOC Epoisses.
30 Dec 2011 Omnes Volumus Plus Starts Production
Spanish firm Omnes Volumus Plus will start trading its first cheeses in January under the “El Viejo Mundo” brand. The new firm is planning to produce 2,000 Casin and Gorolla Casin cheeses a week.
28 Dec 2011 Auricchio buys Colombo
Italian dairy processor Auricchio has announced the acquisition of Giovanni Colombo, another Italian cheese manufacturer. Auricchio already produces a large selection of cheeses under the following brands: Auricchio, Riserva Esclusiva Auricchio, Ceccardi, Gloria and Locatelli (for the US market).
20 Dec 2011 Kaiku Acquires 45% of CLM-Vitalait
Spanish dairy Kaiku announced the acquisition of 45% of Tunisian dairy CLM-Vitalait. CLM-Vitalait, which holds a 20% share of the Tunisian dairy market, will benefit from Kaiku’s experience and its main shareholder Emmi.
19 Dec 2011 Bongrain Enters Culinary Grated Cheese Segment
French dairy firm Bongrain, a majority shareholder in the Italian company Giovanni Ferrari , enters the culinary grated cheese market with the launch of products under the Italian brand. Grated cheese segment represents around 20% of total cheese volume sales in France.
13 Dec 2011 Tnuva to Quit Romania
Israeli Dairy Tnuva intends to withdraw its investment from a joint-venture in Romania. Tnuva Romania has lost over $100 million since its establishment in 2007 and Tnuva will decide soon whether to sell or shut down completely.
13 Dec 2011 Groupe Bel Opens Plant in Vietnam
French dairy processor Groupe Bel, has opened its first production plant in Vietnam. Groupe Bel is already very active on this market and has made its famous “Laughing Cow” cheese the leading brand in Vietnam.
09 Dec 2011 US Natural Cheese Consumption Up
The International Dairy Foods Association reported in its latest Dairy Facts Book that US per capita Natural Cheese consumption reached 15.1kg, surpassing the previous 2007 record.
08 Dec 2011 Reduced-Fat Swiss Cheese Production Up
Since the beginning of 2011, the Swiss dairy industry has been using 5,300 tonnes of milk every month to produce reduced-fat cheese while only 2,900 tonnes were used each month between May 2009 and December 2010.
03 Dec 2011 Branded vs. Own Label
The dynamic between branded and own label cheddar cheese is beginning to shift. Indeed, with a 0.1% increase in volume sales, branded cheddar now accounts for 45.8% of the market but own label cheddar still remains in the lead with a 54.2% market share.
30 Nov 2011 Die Käsemacher Expands
Austrian dairy Die Käsemacher, which produces 1500 tonnes of cheese each year, will open a new production plant in the summer 2012. The firm also announced that 2011 turnover will be about €27M, up 8% on 2010 figures.
24 Nov 2011 Goodman Fielder's Decline Stopped
Australian Goodman Fielder announced that the group’s earnings decline for Q1 2011/12 had been stopped. The company is struggling to recover profitability after the disappointing FY2010/10 results with a 17% decline in net profit.
16 Nov 2011 Lactalis eyes Skanemejerier
French dairy manufacturer Lactalis has confirmed its interest in buying Swedish Skanemejerier. The Swedish firm, which produces dairy products and fruit juices, had a 15% market share in Sweden and a €300 million turnover in 2010.
15 Nov 2011 Growth Slows at Bel Group
Fromageries Bel Group admitted that 2011 operating margin will be lower than expected. The French cheese manufacturer’s Q3 sales dropped 18.1% in Eastern Europe and 12.5% in the Middle East. Despite the setbacks, YTD September 2011 Bel’s consolidated sales rose 3.7% compared to the same period in 2010.
11 Nov 2011 Britannia Q2 net profit up 18.8%
India’s Britannia Industries Ltd reported a net profit increase of 18.8% in Q2 resulting in a YTD September net profit increase of 23.2% at €11.6 M.
10 Nov 2011 Dairy Crest’s Interim Results
Dairy Crest announced a 9% pre-tax profit for the Half Year ended Sept. 30th. The UK dairy processor managed to offset higher input costs with increased selling prices, particularly in Spreads and Cheese.
08 Nov 2011 Bongrain sales up in YTD Sept 2010
YTD to September 2010 turnover was up 5.8% to €2.554 billion.
02 Nov 2011 Lactalis acquires Fromageries de l’Etoile
French Fromageries de l’Etoile is the latest acquisition made by giant dairy processor Lactalis. Fromageries de l’Etoile has 3 production plants in France and one in Poland and produces 4200 tonnes of cheese a year.
26 Oct 2011 Arla-Milko merger agreed
Arla’s merger with struggling Swedish dairy processor Milko, which will start November 1st 2011, will save Milko from bankruptcy and provide Arla with much needed milk supply. As part of the deal, Arla must sell 5 Milko brands to a third party within 6 months and reduce capacity at Milko’s dairy in Dalarna.The integration process should be completed by December 31st 2012.
14 Oct 2011 DMK and DOC Kaas plan merger
German Deutsches Milchkontor (DMK) and Dutch Drents-Overijsselse Coöperatie Kaas BA (DOC Kaas) have announced their intention to merge their business operations. CEO of DMK, Josef Schwaiger, stressed the importance to combine forces in order to open up key non-European markets. A final decision is due to be made in the next few weeks.
12 Oct 2011 FrieslandCampina repositions Milner brand
Dutch dairy FrieslandCampina has refreshed the packaging of its Milner brand in an attempt to give low-fat cheese products a new and consistent image. The new design, available in the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece and Spain (2012), aims to move away from a restricting dieting image and appeal to all consumers.
10 Oct 2011 New Adams Foods-Tesco partnership
Adams Foods is launching Mu, a new cheddar cheese brand, in partnership with Tesco. The family friendly name and fun design are targeting families and the new cheese product will fill the gap between Tesco’s own label and branded cheese.
08 Oct 2011 Net profit up 1.2% for Almarai Company
Almarai announced a 1.2% net profit increase for Q3 2011 compared to Q3 2010. Measures had been taken by Saudi dairy in order to diversify its product portfolio and sales had subsequently increased 14.8% but profit growth was impacted by higher raw material prices and expansion investment.
05 Oct 2011 Bega Cheese-Tatura merge
Bega Cheese, which already owned 70% of Tatura Milk Industries, finalized the merger of the two Australian dairy companies. Executive Chairman, Barry Irvin, agreed that Bega could add value to other infrastructures and might increase their stake in Warrnambool but denied acquisition rumour.
29 Sep 2011 Milk Link expands in Scotland
British dairy Milk Link has announced a £20 million investment to transform its Lockerbie processing site. Milk Link’s intention is to enhance its capacity and capabilities and increase its annual cheese production from 12,000 tonnes to 37,000 tonnes.
29 Sep 2011 Arla to recentralize
Arla Foods has announced its decision to sell its Mozzarella production plant in Poland in order to centralize the production in Denmark. Arla Foods has not revealed the identity of the potential buyer but the transaction is due to be finalized by the end of 2011.
27 Sep 2011 Irish Dairy Board expands in Algeria
Irish Dairy Board, Ireland’s main exporter of dairy products, has announced the opening of a new office in Algeria. IDB’s flagship brand Kerrygold, active in Algeria since 2007, is planning on opening another packaging plant. Algeria is IDB’s second largest market for its cheese products and Algeria's dynamic population makes it a market with great growth potential.
22 Sep 2011 Fonterra recalls Mainland cheese products
Fonterra has announced the recall of some batches of Mainland Tasty Blocks (500/700/1000g) and some Mainland Cracked Pepper processed cheese sliced (250g) following the discovery of a metal fragment in a single pack.
21 Sep 2011 Blaze at Adams Foods’ Warehouse
UK Dairy firm Adams Foods, producer of Pilgrims Choice Cheddar, suffered important loss following a blaze at its Somerset warehouse. It is believed that this warehouse was a key store for hundreds of tonnes of Cheddar cheese.
20 Sep 2011 Finns looking for growth in Russia
Dairy firm Valio is one of the many Finnish foodstuffs manufacturers to see great potential for growth in neighbouring Russia, a market with a large population and a relatively high standard of living. Russia’s cheese consumption is expected to increase further quickly and Valio is planning to install a new cheese slicing machine in its Moscow plant in order to respond to the increased demand for sliced cheese.
20 Sep 2011 Carrefour recalls selected cheeses
French Supermarket chain Carrefour has recalled a large amount “Petit Munster Fermier” cheeses and a batch of “Assortiment de Fromages Au Lait Cru” from its affected stores (in France and Monaco) after potentially deadly Listeria Monocytogenes bacteria was discovered. The cheeses recalled were sold between 25th August and 13th September 2011.
19 Sep 2011 Dairy Crest expects H1 profits increase
UK dairy manufacturer Dairy Crest announced that, despite a fall in volume sales, H1 profits were expected to be up on last year’s due to higher selling prices.
08 Sep 2011 Dutch cheese importers merge
Dutch cheese importers, Verbakel & Seggelink and Ravoska, announced the merge of the two companies to form SherlockCheese. The two Dutch companies share an extensive experience in importing fresh cheese and foreign delicacies as they already supply 80% of speciality cheese shops in the Netherlands.
07 Sep 2011 EU cheese market changing
New Rabobank report states that high growth for cheese producers is coming to an end in Europe as mature markets are currently experiencing falling growth and shrinking margins due to increased raw milk prices. Rabobank also predicts almost static growth for France and Germany between 2011 and 2015.
06 Sep 2011 Bega Cheese to supply Coles
Australian dairy firm Bega Cheese is to supply all of Coles’ own-label natural and processed cheddar as well as mozzarella products. The deal between Bega Cheese and Australia's second-largest retailer will run for five years with initial anticipated volumes set to be around 19,000 tonnes a year.
01 Sep 2011 Granarolo acquires Lat Bri
Italian dairy manufacturer, Granarolo, has announced the acquisition of Lat Bri, the third top fresh cheese manufacturer in Italy.
30 Aug 2011 Bel’s margins fall 39.9%
French Dairy group Bel announced a 39.9% drop in net profit for the six months to the end of June. With the exception of the Middle East markets which were hit by the geopolitical environment, Bel saw its sales rise 4.7% but higher commodity prices meant profits were lower. The company added that it did not expect trading conditions to improve in the second half of the year.
26 Aug 2011 Arla to enter Indian dairy food market
Arla Foods is set to launch a new range of dairy products which will include traditional Indian products such as lassi, raita, paneer and dahi. The Savera brand will be available from major UK supermarkets where the majority of modern Indian women like to shop according to Arla research.
22 Aug 2011 Fonterra reduces its organic production
The world's biggest dairy manufacturer, Fonterra, announced its intention to cut back its organic produce operations as growth in the market has significantly slowed since the global financial crisis. The New Zealand-based dairy said it would remain committed to the organic market but that it would be focusing on cheese, which provides the best returns, and on emerging Asian and Australian organic markets, where the returns and growth potential were stronger.
11 Aug 2011 Leprino Foods Co. expands further in Asia
US-based Leprino Foods Co. has announced further international expansion with the opening of a new facility in Singapore. Leprino explained that their international sales have more than doubled in the past two years due to Asian markets cheese consumption boom and increased demand for whey and lactose which are used in confections and protein drinks.
11 Aug 2011 US cheese sales up 41%
Latest customs statistics reveal that US bulk cheese sales were 41% higher in the five first months of this year compared to the same period last year. This sales surge was mainly noticeable in Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia and Panama.
08 Aug 2011 Chinese dairy giant's 136.7% profit
Yili, a major Chinese dairy producer, has announced a 136.7% increase in first-half profits despite a continued lack of public confidence in domestic products and rising costs.
04 Aug 2011 Swiss cheese exports dropped 2.4% in 2011.
A strong Swiss franc and cheap imitation abroad explain why Switzerland’s cheese exports fell 2.4% in the first half of 2011. The biggest decline hit the nation’s best seller, Emmental, which dropped by 17% or 7,548 tonnes compared with the same period last year and Switzerland’s second largest export variety, Gruyère, saw its sales go down by more than 2%.
27 Jul 2011 UK: First Milk looking to expand at home and abroad
UK dairy co-operative First Milk is set to expand at home and internationally and diversify its portfolio of products. Last month, First Milk acquired two Scotland-based cheese makers - Kingdom Cheese and Kingdom Dairies – and the UK co-op is looking to purchase two new businesses in the next two years to add new capabilities or technologies to the company.
21 Jul 2011 Campina eyeing Belarus’ dairy industry
The Dutch dairy company Campina has expressed interest in investing in the Belarusian dairy industry. Foreign investors started showing interest in the Belarus dairy industry ever since Belarusian dairy products began to penetrate new markets. Campina already operates on the Russian market under the brands Fruttis and Nezhny.
19 Jul 2011 Fonterra invests US$40m in third Chinese dairy farm
New Zealand dairy co-op Fonterra has announced that it is investing US$40 million to develop a new 40 hectare dairy farm in China. This will be Fonterra’s third farm in the country and is part of the company’s strategy to build a sustainable fresh milk supply for customers in China.
16 Jul 2011 Cheddar prices up 53% this year
Asia’s growing appetite for pizza and cheeseburgers has prompted the U.S. cheese industry to increase shipments to the region by 68% in the first four months of 2011. South Korea, Asia’s biggest buyer, almost tripled imports while China’s imports more than doubled. This increase in demand has resulted in wholesale cheddar cheese prices to rise by 53%.
16 Jul 2011 A new snack cheese aimed at adults
UK cheese supplier Bridgehead Food Partners is to launch of a new range of on-the-go adult snacking cheeses from September. Each 40g piece of The Chunky Cheese Co. snack is likely to compete with Cathedral City 80g trial-size pack and Babybel twinpacks.
13 Jul 2011 Tetra Pak predicts decade of high global dairy growth
New research from Tetra Pak reveals that Asia – in particular China and India – is expected to lead a 30% increase in global liquid dairy consumption in the next 10 years. This planned boom in global dairy sales is based on data on population growth, rising prosperity and increased urbanisation.
11 Jul 2011 Fonterra eyes new dairy markets
Fonterra chairman announced that this year they were to ship more dairy products outside of Europe than within, which has never happened before. New Zealand dairy giant sees its main expansion opportunities in larger developing countries such as India, Indonesia and Vietnam, rather than its traditional markets of Europe and North America.
08 Jul 2011 Arla Foods amba's interest in Allgäuland-Käsereien
A few months after Arla Foods merged with the German dairy Hansa-Milch and after long discussions and negotiations, the Danish dairy giant has now made a firm offer to acquire Allgäuland-Käsereien.
08 Jul 2011 Lactalis secures 83.3% of Parmalat
French dairy group Lactalis, who already owned 29% of Parmalat, bought an extra 54.3% of Italy’s biggest listed food group for 2.5 bln euros.
07 Jul 2011 LALA-USA renamed Borden Dairy
LALA-USA is to change its name to Borden Dairy Co. This initiative is part of the company’s transformation process in an attempt to provide a single corporate identity throughout the U.S.A. Focus will be put on their two core brands Borden - one of the most recognized brands in the U.S.A. - and LALA.
06 Jul 2011 Emmi acquires Rutz Käse AG
Swiss dairy giant Emmi has signed a purchase agreement for Rutz Käse AG which specializes in the production, ageing and pre-packaging of Swiss semi-hard and hard cheese. This acquisition will reinforce Emmi's position as the leading cheese supplier in Switzerland and as an exporter of Swiss cheese.
05 Jul 2011 New Dairy Innovation Centre in Moorepark.
The Irish Dairy Board (IDB) and Teagasc are set to create a new Dairy Innovation Centre based in Moorepark. The aim of this new project is to boost the development of market-led product concepts and widen the IDB’s expansion opportunities in order to enable the Irish Dairy sector to be better prepared for the end of the EU milk quotas in 2015.
01 Jul 2011 General Mills buys 51% stake in Yoplait
U.S.-based food company General Mills Inc. - who has been manufacturing and distributing Yoplait products in the USA since 1977 - has acquired a 51% stake, worth $1.2 billion, in French dairy group Yoplait from PAI Partners and dairy cooperative Sodiaal.
01 Jul 2011 PepsiCo to buy rest of stake in Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods
Soft drink and snack maker PepsiCo Inc. will buy the remaining 23% stake in Russian dairy and juice company Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods after having acquired a 77% stake in the company in February for $3.8 billion. This latest deal makes PepsiCo the largest food-and-beverage business in Russia and strengthens its position in the fast-growing Eastern European and Central Asian markets.
26 Jun 2011 Amul to enter US and Europe markets
Indian Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Ltd - better known as Amul Dairy – has announced its intention to set up manufacturing plants in the USA where 4 million Indians and 6 million Asians live. Amul will initially produce ghee and paneer and the exact location for the proposed facilities will be announced next month.
21 Jun 2011 Fonterra seeks European joint-venture
Koert Liekelema, the European general manager of Fonterra, the New Zealand dairy giant, expressed an interest in linking with a hard cheese manufacturer. The Fonterra boss added that Ireland, Britain, Holland, Germany, France and Poland had the most scope to expand in a post quota Europe, but that Ireland had more potential than most.
03 May 2011 Emmentaler experts attempt to save Swiss reputation
From this month, Swiss experts will be tracking down fake emmentaler in Europe and North America. Any suspicious block will be shipped back to Switzerland for DNA testing. Most counterfeit emmentaler originates from Italy and costs millions in lost revenue to Swiss producers.
01 Dec 2010 Unimilk-Danone merger completed
The French dairy finalised its merger with the leading Russian dairy Unimilk which sees the French company take a 58% stake in the new business.
01 Dec 2010 PepsiCo takes huge stake in Russia's Wimm Bill Dann
PepsiCo has taken to acquire in Russia's leading dairy, juice and baby food company Wimm-Bill-Dann for an estimated $US5,400 million.
27 Nov 2010 Saputo recalls cheese in Canada over possible Listeria issue
The Canadian super dairy is recalling 2kg packages of its Faith Farm Ribbon processed cheese slices with a best before date of 05 May 2011 after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned the product may be contaminated with Listeria bacteria. The recall was Canada wide.
26 Nov 2010 Nestlé and Fonterra expand Dairy Partners Americas JV to Chile
Nestlé and Fonterra announced the agreement to establish a joint venture for chilled and liquid dairy products in Chile between the local subsidiaries Nestlé Chile S.A. and Soprole S.A. The new venture, subject to regulatory approval, is to market liquid milks, yogurts, cheese, cream, butter and margarine.
24 Nov 2010 China's Mengniu acquires Junlebao dairy
The leading dairy company in China by market value, Mengniu Dairy, acquired a leading Chinese yogurt manufacturer Junbelao Dairy for Y470 million ($70 million).
News archive