Lactalis USA to spend $55 million to expand feta cheese production

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Brief description of the dive:

• Lactalis USA will invest $55 million in its Tulare, California plant, which will significantly increase production of Président Feta cheese in the United States. The company plans to build a 38,000 square foot production line that will be operational in 2027. President Feta was first introduced to the United States in 1996.

• The project, which is expected to create 20 full-time positions in Tulare, comes as feta cheese is growing in popularity among American consumers. The investment will create Lactalis’ largest feta line in the Americas. Feta is also produced at a facility in Belmont, Wisconsin.

• For years, Lactalis North America, a division of the French dairy company, sold its popular Parmalat shelf-stable milk brand and Président cheese in the United States. Kraft Heinz and the recent announcement that it will purchase several yogurt brands, including Yoplait, from General Mills in the US and Canada.

Dive Information:

While Lactalis is expanding its US portfolio through acquisitions, it is not losing sight of key brands such as President. “This expansion helps us meet the growing demand for Président Feta cheese in the United States, which is good news for our retail customers and consumers who continue to choose Président Feta for cooking at home and creates new ways to enjoy feta,” Esteve Torrens, CEO Lactalis USA.

As consumers cook more at home (a holdover from COVID-19 and recent inflation that has caused people to dine out less), cheeses like feta have been a major beneficiary. Despite being high in sodium and saturated fat, feta is also rich in calcium, protein and probiotics, all of which are sought after by today’s consumers.

According to Straits Research, North America is the second largest consumer of feta, with sales expected to reach $4.3 billion in 2030, at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5%. Lactalis is positioning itself to capture this growth by adding a new product line while expanding the reach of its popular products. Presidential brand with consumers.