Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a farmer-owned global dairy cooperative owned by 9,500 family dairy farmers, today announced the acquisition of W&W Dairy in Monroe, Wis. This acquisition includes the W&W Dairy business, their licensed brands, and the manufacturing facility in Monroe, Wis., which produces a variety of Hispanic cheese products including queso fresco, cotija, queso blanco, quesadilla, panela, and para freir.
“The growth trajectory for the Hispanic cheese market is more than three times that of the cheese category,” says Ken Orf, President of the Cheese, Taste, and Flavors Division for Dairy Farmers of America. “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.”
The addition of a second Hispanic cheese plant allows DFA to create operational synergies between the new Monroe facility and our existing Houston, Texas, plant, which is home to our farmer-owned La Vaquita® brand. Known throughout the Southwest for its premium Hispanic cheeses, cremas, and drinkable yogurts, La Vaquita will now be strategically supported by not only our Houston facility, but also Monroe, further enhancing the brands’ product diversity and market reach.
Despite the change in ownership, there will be no disruption in operations at the Monroe facility. The existing plant management team will continue to manage all day-to-day operations and employment with DFA has been offered to all the plant’s approximately 97 employees.
Additional cheese capabilities
Earlier this year, DFA purchased another cheese plant with the acquisition of Winona Foods’ Lineville facility in Green Bay, Wis., which produces processed cheese products, cheese sauces, cheese spreads, and non-dairy sauces and condiments. “DFA is dedicated to bringing value to our farmer-owners through strategic investments, and these acquisitions will help enhance DFA’s cheese capabilities in Hispanic and other consumer cheese offerings,” Orf says. “These moves also reflect our commitment to driving new innovation in the cheese category, ensuring we stay ahead of evolving consumer tastes and market trends.”
Both plants will become part of DFA’s Cheese, Taste, and Flavors Division.
About Dairy Farmers of America
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) is a farmer-owned leading global dairy cooperative focusing on sustainability, innovation, community, and the future of family dairies. While supporting and serving 9,500 farmer-owners, DFA manufactures nearly every form, function, and flavor of high-quality nutritional dairy products, including fluid milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, dairy ingredients, and more. These products connect our Cooperative’s family farms to family tables with national and regional brands, such as Alta Dena® Dairy, Meadow Gold® Dairy, Friendly’s®, Borden® Cheese, Plugrà® Premium Butter, and Kemps®, to name a few. On a global scale, we work with some of the world’s leading food companies to develop ingredients that deliver the greatest source of nutrition to consumers around the world, while staying committed to social responsibility and ethical farming. For more
