LACTALIS GROUP

The Besnier company is born in Laval.

André Besnier starts making camembert under the “Le Petit Lavallois” brand name.

His Son, Michel Besnier

Takes over the reins of the company, which then had fifty staff. He continues the diversification.

Launch of the President brand

The President brand is launched in 1968. It will become the world’s biggest multicategory dairy brand.

First UHT milk in France

A visionary, Michel Besnier launches the very first milk packaged in UHT Tetra Pak cartons.

The company first expands overseas, in the U.S.

Brie is a very popular cheese in the U.S., accounting for the bulk of overseas sales. Brie Lafayette and Joan of Arc are created for the American market. Their names emphasize their French origins.

Lactalis becomes the sole owner of Lactel

which belonged to the company Genvrain, with its famous slogan "L’essentiel est dans Lactel".

Lactalis also continues its international expansion (Ukraine, Poland, Egypt, Italy).

In the same year, Michel Besnier opens Lactopôle, the first museum dedicated to milk, in Laval.

Following his father’s death, Emmanuel Besnier moves to Group Chairman and accelerates its international growth.

2006 is marked by the start of the joint venture with Nestlé and the acquisition of Galbani in Italy, the world leader in Italian cheeses.

Lactalis rises to the top of dairy product world rankings after acquiring a majority stake in Parmalat, the Italian fluid milk company.

First presence in South America & Asia with the acquisition of Balkis in 2013 and the dairy division of BRF Brazil in 2014. In India, we acquire Thirumala Milk Products.

In 2018, the Group celebrates ten acquisitions in seven years, including Weber in Germany, Siggi’s in the U.S. and Greenland in Egypt. The Lactalis Group also takes over Nestlé’s chilled dairy business line in Malaysia, becoming the world’s second biggest fresh food producer.

Following the acquisition of Aspen, Lactalis SANULAC brings together all its child, medical and sports nutrition business lines. The acquisition of Kraft’s cheddar business line in Canada consolidates Lactalis’s position in cheesemaking. Integration of the dairy cooperative in Brazil makes the Group the country’s leader in dairy products.

As part of Lactalis’s takeover of Nestlé in Uzbekistan, Lait Nestlé Sutim ranges are renamed Nestlé Lactel Sutim.

Meeting its ambitions, the Group achieves revenue of 20 M in 2020 and continues its local expansion internationally, particularly Kraft Heinz’s natural cheese business line in the U.S.