Dairy Farmers of America acquires W&W cheese manufacturer

USA – Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a farmer-owned cooperative, has acquired W&W Dairy, a USA manufacturer of Hispanic cheese products, expanding its footprint in the region.

This acquisition encompasses the W&W Dairy business, Monroe facility, its licensed brands and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility dedicated to producing an array of traditional Hispanic cheese products, including queso fresco, cotija, queso blanco, quesadilla, panela and para freir.

Despite the change in ownership, daily operations at the Monroe facility will remain uninterrupted, with current management staying in place and employment opportunities extended to its 97 employees.

DFA said the addition of the Monroe facility allows the business to create operational synergies with its existing plant in Houston, Texas, which produces the La Vaquita dairy brand.  

It explained that La Vaquita, known for its Hispanic cheeses, cremas, and drinkable yogurts, will be strategically supported by the new facility, benefiting from the enhanced production capacity and market reach. 

Ken Orf, President of the cheese, taste, and flavors division at DFA, highlights the significant growth potential within the Hispanic cheese market.

“The growth trajectory for the Hispanic cheese market is more than three times that of the cheese category. This strategic acquisition adds a second plant in our network focused solely on producing Hispanic cheese, moving DFA into a stronger position for growth with this important dairy category for both our owned brands and our customers’ brands,” he said.

DFA acquires two processing facilities to expand investment

In 2022, the Dairy Farmers of America acquired two extended shelf-life (ESL) processing facilities from dairy manufacturer SmithFoods.

The processing plants, which are located in Richmond, Indiana, and Pacific, Missouri, produce a variety of ESL dairy and non-dairy beverages, as well as ice cream and shake mixes, for both retail and foodservice customers.

Although financial terms were not disclosed, the facilities will officially assume the names Richmond Beverage Solutions and Pacific Dairy Solutions, respectively.

According to DFA, the existing management team will continue to oversee the plant’s day-to-day operations to avoid disruption during the shifting of ownership.

Pat Panko, executive vice president of DFA, said: “There is increasing consumer interest in extended shelf-life dairy products and this acquisition aligns with our strategy to increase commercial investments and expand our ownership in this space”.

Panko added that DFA has an opportunity to grow its customer base and create synergies between other extended shelf-life and aseptic facilities, using this acquisition.

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