Top 100 - Articles - Page 2

A deeper dive into the top 100 dairy processors

Our exclusive ranking of North America’s largest dairy processors shows the sales, brands, products and plant locations. Here, I look at the companies through a lens of ownership and productivity.

James Carper

August 4, 2017

Coverage of our 24th annual ranking of the largest dairy processors in North America is available here. Nestle USA once again heads the list and Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery holds down the No. 100 spot.

Largest dairy processor Nestle tops annual Dairy 100

With Danone acquiring WhiteWave, the new dairy processing company lands at No. 4 on our 24th annual Dairy 100. This detailed dossier includes brands, products made and plant locations for the largest processors of fluid milk, ice cream, cheese, butter, cultured dairy products, dairy ingredients and other dairy-derived foods and beverages.

James Carper

August 3, 2017

The state of North America’s dairy industry is constantly in motion. Since our last report, dairies have been on an acquisition spree. And the deals kept happening even after we finished tabulating the 2016 revenues of the 100 largest dairy processing companies based in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Keith Grove of Bongards in Humboldt Tennessee

Cheese news

Bongards Creameries plans $35 million expansion in Tennessee

The Minnesota dairy co-op will add 80,000 square feet to its plant in Humboldt, Tenn.

July 28, 2017

Minnesota dairy co-op Bongards Creameries will nearly double the size of its production facility in Humboldt, Tenn. The move will add 95 jobs.

Swiss Valley Farms headquarters Davenport Iowa

Co-operation

Dairy co-ops Prairie Farms, Swiss Valley Farms plan merger

The merger will give Prairie Farms a cheese and dairy powders business, and ready-made access to export markets.

December 16, 2016

Prairie Farms Dairy and Swiss Valley Farms announced today that they have entered into a merger agreement.

Financials

Cheese/dairy sales improve at Kraft Heinz, drop for Dean Foods

The dairy cooperative said its Land O Lakes brand benefitted from strong volumes in Foodservice.

November 11, 2016

Dairy processors report quarterly sales. They increased for Lifeway Foods, Kraft Heinz and Land O’Lakes.

Earnings report

Sales of dairy products at Nestle, Danone increase in first 9 months

Canada delivered solid growth with chocolate and ice cream for Nestle. Danone’s U.S. market share is 36%.

October 21, 2016

Nestle reported sales increased to CHF 65.5 billion for the first nine months of the year. Danone also reported that sales increased through three quarters of 2016.

Honors

Swiss Valley Farms is named the Dairy Foods 2016 Exporter of the Year

From its headquarters in Iowa, the dairy co-op exports to countries in the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania.

September 15, 2016

Dairy cooperative Swiss Valley Farms is the 2016 recipient of the Tom Camerlo Exporter of the Year award given by Dairy Foods and sponsored by the U.S. Dairy Export Council.

The 2016 Dairy 100 go shopping

Though some dairies saw sales fall last year, others reported increases. As they looked at the long-term prospects of the industry, businesses opened their checkbooks to acquire companies and to expand their processing capabilities.

James Carper

August 17, 2016

Just as Dairy Foods was wrapping up its research into the 100 largest dairy processors in North America, the French dairy giant Danone announced it was buying Colorado-based WhiteWave Foods, a processor of organic dairy and plant-based beverages.

Dairy squeeze

French dairy giant Bel plans to buy MOM Group

MOM’s 2015 sales were 362 Euro million ($386.3 million), double what they were five years ago.

August 1, 2016

The Bel Group (maker of Laughing Cow and Mini Babybel snack cheeses) said it is in negotiations to acquire the MOM Group, maker of GoGosqueeZ yogurt and fruit snacks.

Acquisitions

Grupo Lala CEO says time was right to acquire Laguna Dairy

The acquisition gives Grupo Lala a local platform for production and sales to serve the Hispanic market in the United States.

June 2, 2016

Grupo Lala said among the reasons it bought Laguna Dairy is that drinkable yogurts have been successful with major U.S. retailers and there are “firm commitments” to buy the products.