Lactalis facts for kids
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Trade name
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Lactalis |
|---|---|
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Formerly
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Besnier S.A. |
| Private | |
| Industry | Dairy products |
| Founded | 19 October 1933 |
| Founder | André Besnier |
| Headquarters |
,
France
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Emmanuel Besnier, CEO |
| Products | Cheese, butter, milk |
| Revenue | €28.30 billion (2022) |
| €318 million (2019) | |
| Owner | Besnier family via Belgian holding company BSA International SA |
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Number of employees
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85,000 |
| Subsidiaries | Lactalis-Nestlé Fresh Products Lactalis Nestle Chilled Dairy Co. Ltd. |
Lactalis is a huge French company that makes dairy products. It is owned by the Besnier family and is based in Laval, Mayenne, France. The company used to be called Besnier S.A.
Lactalis is the largest dairy company in the world! It is also the second largest food company in France, right after Danone. Lactalis owns many well-known brands. Some of these include Parmalat, Président, Siggi's Dairy, and Stonyfield Farm.
The Story of Lactalis
Lactalis started in 1933. A man named André Besnier began a small company that made cheese. In 1968, he launched a famous cheese brand called Président Camembert.
Over the years, Lactalis grew by buying other companies. In 1990, they bought Group Bridel, a large French dairy company. In 1992, they acquired Sorrento, a cheese company in the United States.
In 1999, the company changed its name from Besnier to Lactalis. They continued to expand. In 2006, they bought the Italian company Galbani. In 2008, they bought Swiss cheesemaker Baer.
A big step was in 2011 when Lactalis bought the Italian company Parmalat. In 2013, some of their US brands, like Sorrento, were renamed Galbani. The US division became Lactalis American Group.
In 2007, there was a discussion about "true Camembert" cheese. A French organization sets rules for special food products. They did not allow Lactalis to sell pasteurized Camembert as "true Camembert." But in 2018, the rules changed to include pasteurized Camembert.
Lactalis kept growing around the world. In 2012, they bought the Swedish dairy company Skånemejerier. In 2015, they bought a large part of the Turkish dairy company Ak Gida.
In 2017, Lactalis bought Stonyfield Farm from Groupe Danone. This helped Danone complete another big purchase. Also in 2017, Lactalis acquired the dairy company Itambé.
In 2018, Lactalis bought Siggi's Dairy, which makes skyr yogurt. Siggi's still runs independently. Later that year, Lactalis also bought Nestlé Malaysia's chilled dairy business.
Lactalis's company in India, Tirumala Milk Products, bought Prabhat's dairy business. This was Lactalis's third purchase in India. In 2020, Lactalis agreed to buy Kraft Heinz's natural cheese business in North America.
In 2023, Lactalis American Group announced plans to build a new facility. This will help them make 30% more whey, an important dairy ingredient.
How Lactalis Works
Lactalis is owned by the Besnier family through a company in Belgium. In 2015, Lactalis made about 16.5 billion euros.
The company has 85,000 employees all over the world. They have 237 production sites in 43 different countries. The main office for Lactalis in America is in Buffalo, New York.
Lactalis Brands and Products
Lactalis has many different divisions that make various products. Here are some of them:
- Lactalis Cheeses: They make cheeses like Président, Galbani, and Rondelé.
- Lactalis Butter & Creams: This division makes butter and creams, including Président.
- Lactel: This brand focuses on milk products.
- Lactalis AOC: This group makes special cheeses with protected names, like Roquefort Société.
- Lactalis Consumption AFH: This part of the company serves businesses, not just individual shoppers.
- Lactalis Industry: They produce ingredients for other food companies.
- Tendriade Veal: This division focuses on veal products.
- Lactalis International: This group handles sales of brands like Président and Galbani around the world.
- LNUF: This division makes fresh dairy products like yogurt and desserts, including The Milkmaid and Yoco.
Lactalis has 198 factories in 55 countries. These countries include the US, Italy, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Lactalis mostly makes yogurt, butter, cheese, powdered milk, baby formula, and milk drinks.
See also
In Spanish: Lactalis para niños
- List of cheesemakers
- List of companies of France
