Main Street Ingredients signed an acquisition agreement with Agropur, Canada’s largest dairy cooperative.

“Becoming part of the Agropur organization gives Main Street Ingredients broader resources and expertise to continue its impressive growth and innovation, serving food industry customers around the world,” says Dave Clark, Main Street’s current chief executive officer.

Main Street will operate under its own licensed name and will continue to be overseen by the current president, Bill Schmitz. The operation and employees in the La Crosse, Wis., headquarters will remain the core of the Main Street business.

“This most recent acquisition represents a great fit with our current operations and will allow us to keep building a strong foundation for continued growth,” says Pierre Claprood, Agropur’s chief executive officer. Agropur cooperative is a Canadian dairy industry leader with more than 5,600 employees and 27 plants in Canada, the United States and Argentina.

Within the Agropur organization, Schmitz will report to Sylvain Melancon, the vice president, sales for cheese and functional products. “Main Street Ingredients is in direct line with our strategic plan and will allow us to develop that specific niche,” Melancon says.

About Main Street Ingredients
Main Street Ingredients is a leader in providing high-quality food ingredients to the dairy, nutritional and food processing industries. Applications include ice cream, frozen desserts, cheese, bakery, nutritional beverages, confections, and more. The corporate office and manufacturing facilities are located in La Crosse, Wis., with distribution outlets across North America. Recognized for its functional stabilizer systems, expertise in proteins, private label nutritional systems and custom-formulated blends, Main Street Ingredients provides innovative concepts to customers worldwide. Main Street Ingredient’s manufacturing facility is organic-, USDA-, Grade A- and GMA-SAFE-certified, rated superior by the American Institute of Baking, GMP certified by NSF and kosher compliant. For more information, visit us at www.mainstreetingredients.com.

About Agropur
Founded in 1938, Agropur cooperative is a Canadian dairy industry leader with $ 3.4 billion in sales. It has 3,459 shareholders and further to this latest acquisition, 5,626 employees distributed among its 27 plants and numerous distribution centers and offices across Canada, the United States and Argentina. It processes 6.8 billion pounds of milk annually and offers an impressive array of products, including such popular brands as Schroeder, Quebon, Oka, Sealtest, Natrel, Island Farms, Yoplait and La Lacteo. For more information, go to www.agropur.com.