Lactalis
French multinational dairy products corporation
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Key Takeaways
- Groupe Lactalis S.
- The company's former name was Besnier S.
- It owns brands such as Parmalat, Président, Kraft Natural Cheese, Siggi's Dairy, Skånemejerier, Rachel's Organic, and Stonyfield Farm.
- In the same year, net sales amounted to 21,1 billion euros.
- In 1990, it acquired Group Bridel (2,300 employees, 10 factories, fourth-largest French dairy group) with a presence in 60 countries.
Groupe Lactalis S.A. (doing business as Lactalis) is a French multinational dairy products corporation, owned by the Besnier family and based in Laval, Mayenne, France. The company's former name was Besnier S.A. until 1999.
Lactalis is the largest dairy products group in the world, and first milk seller in France. It owns brands such as Parmalat, Président, Kraft Natural Cheese, Siggi's Dairy, Skånemejerier, Rachel's Organic, and Stonyfield Farm.
En 2020, Lactalis employs approximately 85,000 people in 51 countries and 266 plants around the world. In the same year, net sales amounted to 21,1 billion euros.
History
André Besnier started a small cheesemaking company in 1933 and launched its Président brand of Camembert in 1968. In 1990, it acquired Group Bridel (2,300 employees, 10 factories, fourth-largest French dairy group) with a presence in 60 countries. In 1992, it acquired United States cheese company Sorrento. In 1999, la société Besnier became le groupe Lactalis owned by Belgian holding company BSA International SA. In 2006, they bought Italian group Galbani, and in 2008, bought Swiss cheesemaker Baer. They bought Italian group Parmalat in a 2011 2.5B € takeover after its bankruptcy and have since sought to delist it. In 2013, the Sorrento and Precious brands in the US were renamed Galbani, and the Sorrento Lactalis division was renamed Lactalis American Group.
In 2006, the company formed a joint venture with Nestlé, Lactalis-Nestlé Fresh Products.
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