Dairy 100 | Dairy Foods

The 2022 Dairy 100: Some changes in the air

Unlike previous years, this year’s Dairy 100 rankings reflects changes in the market — with some new companies joining the list and others experiencing major growth or declines.

Barbara Harfmann

August 16, 2022

Unlike previous years, this year’s Dairy 100 rankings reflects changes in the market — with some new companies joining the list and others experiencing major growth or declines.

The 2021 Dairy 100: Steady as she goes

Unlike in many previous years, this year’s Dairy 100 rankings reflect no deletions or additions — or even major losses or gains, with a few exceptions.

Kathie Canning

August 9, 2021

A lot can happen in a year. The COVID-19 pandemic-spurred doom-and-gloom situation that existed when we last published our annual Dairy 100 — ranging from lost dairy sales in foodservice to dairy export-related roadblocks — has transformed into a decidedly sunnier situation.

The 2020 Dairy 100: changes at the top

Dairy Foods’ 27th annual Dairy 100 ranks the largest public and private companies, as well as the largest cooperatives, in the North American dairy industry.

Kathie Canning

August 18, 2020

It's been a year since we last published our annual Dairy 100. To say the 12 months in between have been eventful for the dairy industry would be quite the understatement.

2019 Dairy 100: Big, Bigger and Biggest

Our 26th annual Dairy 100 ranks the largest companies and cooperatives in the North American dairy industry.

Kathie Canning

August 13, 2019

The past year brought challenges to many North American dairy processors, from tariffs threatening export sales to a growing array of dairy alternatives squeezing limited shelf space. Some dairy processors fared better than others when it came to addressing those challenges.

2018 Dairy 100: Meet Dairy's Giants

Our 25th annual Dairy 100 ranks the biggest private and public companies, as well as cooperatives, within the North American dairy industry.

Kathie Canning

August 6, 2018

As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus once famously noted, "Change is the only constant in life." And dairy processors certainly aren't immune to that reality. Expansions, acquisitions, divestitures, partnerships, new business and lost business bring ups and downs, large and small, to a number of individual companies in any given year. Our latest Dairy 100 rankings, based on 2017 (or latest available) revenue, reflect those changes.

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.

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.

Annual report

Dairy processor Dean Foods reports 2015 profit despite net sales decline of $1.4 billion

The company bought an ice cream plant in Utah in the fourth quarter of 2015.

February 22, 2016

Dairy processor Dean Foods Co. said adjusted net sales in 2015 fell to $8.1 billion from $9.5 billion in 2014. Net income was $115.3 million in 2015.

Earnings report

Yoplait shows gains in volume, sales and market share in Q1

While net sales for General Mills' U.S. Retail segment dipped 5% from the prior year, the Snacks, Yoplait and Small Planet Foods divisions achieved net sales gains.

September 17, 2014

"In U.S. Retail, our Yoplait yogurt business returned to growth, with volume, sales, and market share gains,” said General Mills Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ken Powell in a statement today.