Lactalis
The Lactalis Group is a French dairy industry group, one of Europe's largest dairies. Lactalis is specialized to 90% on the division cheeses and brands and seen the leader in France before Bongrain, on the whole dairy products area second in France after the Danone Group.
Company History
André Besnier founded in October 1933 in Laval under his name a dairy. On the first day 35 liters of milk were sold and produced 17 camemberts. 1950 the annual milk sales, the Camembert annual production had risen to three million liters, at 725,000 pieces.
After the death of André Besnier 1955, his son Michel took over the management. With Le Président he succeeded in 1968, the production of the world's first brand Camembert made from pasteurized milk, in 1969 he developed the first UHT milk. In the following decades, acquired Besnier more dairies and opened new production plants.
In the 1980s, carried out by buying up the U.S. soft cheese producers " Belmont " in entering the international market. This is followed by further acquisitions. Besnier in 1999 was renamed for reasons of globalization Lactalis. 2001 after the death of Michel Besnier, his son Emmanuel Besnier management.
The end of 2005, the company with Lactel first offered a long-life milk in fresh milk quality.
At the beginning of 2006 Lactalis bought the Italian cheese manufacturer Galbani ( brand: Bel Paese and mozzarella Santa Lucia) of the Investment Company BC Partners. On 1 July 2008, the Baer AG, the largest Swiss soft cheese manufacturer, was acquired (previous shareholders were the Baer family with 65 % and Emmi AG with 35%). In July 2011, Lactalis took control of the Italian dairy group Parmalat industry.
Corporate structure and data
The company has been owned by the founding family Besnier. Lactalis has a presence in 140 countries and generated with 20,500 employees in 2004 a turnover of about 5.67 billion euros ( including 39 % in exports ). Worldwide 97 production process in 6.5 billion liters of milk to 530,000 tons of cheese, 150,000 tonnes of butter and 105,000 tonnes of cream, but the main work in Domfront produces about half a million camemberts daily. Lactalis is one of the largest dairy companies in Europe.
The branch Lactalis Germany GmbH was founded in 1986 based in Kehl. 25 percent of French cheese exports to Germany today come from Lactalis. 2004 Lactalis Suisse GmbH was founded with headquarters in Würenlingen. The Austria - seat Himberg Velm.
In September 2006, the European Commission gave its approval for the end of 2006 incipient joint venture between Lactalis (60 %) with Nestlé (40 %) in the fresh products under the name Lactalis Nestlé Produits Frais ( LNPF ). The cooperation project covers eight EU countries ( France, Belgium, Luxembourg, UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Portugal), and Switzerland. This action Lactalis moved up to second place in the global dairy industry behind Nestlé and before the corporations Dean Foods ( USA) and Danone ( France).
Lactalis holds 24.06% of the Bel Group ( as of 31 May 2010). Since July 2011, Lactalis holds 83.3 % of the Italian Parmalat group and has thus become the world's biggest dairy industry group.
Beginning of 2012 has taken the second largest Swedish dairy producers Skånemejerier Lactalis.
Range of products and brands
The products of Lactalis cover in the segment " of high-quality self-service " a full assortment from and since early 2006, the area of " cheese counter " by a field service cooperation with the country's market leader " Friesland Foods Cheese ".
Main trademark of Lactalis in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is the soft cheese brand Le Président, more well-known cheese brands are Société ( Roquefort, and others), Salakis ( Schafmilchfeta ) and Galbani ( mozzarella, Bel Paese, Santa Lucia, including ), in the dairy sector Lactel.