Whether measured on the domestic or international stage, dairy’s top processor list has a different look and most of the changes involve Dairy Farmers of America (DFA).

DFA climbed from sixth to third in Rabobank’s annual Global Dairy Top 20.

Topping Rabobank’s list once again was Nestle. The company based out of Switzerland had $22.1 billion in turnover (sales). Lactalis held down the second position. The French company had $21 billion in sales. Both dairy processors maintained their rankings when compared to last year.

DFA came in a close third with a project $20.1 billion in turnover with fourth-placed Danone at $18.2 billion. The distance between fourth and fifth was considerable with China’s fifth-placed Yili at $13.4 billion.

As for other substantial dairy processors with a North American footprint:

• No. 11 Saputo, $11.3 billion
• No. 17 Agropur, $5.5 billion
• No. 18 Kraft, $5.4 billion
• No. 19 Schreiber, $5.1 billion

DFA tops North America

Turnover and sales may be slightly different measures. In either case, DFA topped that category, too. In its latest Top 100 Dairy Companies list, Dairy Foods listed DFA with $11.4 billion in sales. That caused DFA to leap frog from No. 8 to No. 1 when looking at its North American footprint. That additional growth came when DFA acquired a large majority of the assets from Dean Foods as noted in Dean Foods dust still has not settled.

• No. 2. Saputo, $11.2 billion in sales (ranked No. 2 in 2019)
• No. 3. Nestle USA, $11 billion in sales (ranked No. 1 in 2019)
• No. 4. Danone North American, $6.5 billion in sales (ranked No. 4 in 2019)
• No. 5. Agropur, $5.4 billion in sales (ranked No. 6 in 2019)