Evaporated Milk Remains Peru’s Most Consumed Dairy Product
Unlike much of Latin America, where pasteurised or UHT liquid milk commonly dominates daily consumption, Peru continues to consume more evaporated milk than any other dairy product. Official information circulated by MIDAGRI and Inacal places the category ahead of cheese in household consumption.
Evaporated milk is made by removing part of the water in milk, producing a more concentrated product. Its storage and transport characteristics were significant in a country with long distances and sharply different coastal, highland and jungle regions. The product is used in breakfasts, coffee, drinks, desserts and other home cooking.
Production began in Arequipa
The category’s development is closely associated with Gloria. Production of Gloria evaporated milk began in Arequipa on May 4th 1942. During its first year, the factory made about 52,000 cases, with each case containing 48 tins. The milk initially came from approximately 320 farmers.
More than eight decades later, Gloria retains a large share of national production. At December 2025, Leche Gloria accounted for 78.3% of Peru’s evaporated-milk output, according to a report submitted to the Superintendency of the Securities Market. The figure records the position of one company and the concentration of production within a long-established dairy category.
The role of the tin
Packaging has also remained part of the product’s history. The tin protects the milk from air, light and other external factors, while supporting storage and distribution. Gloria says the format provides a long shelf life and a high level of food protection. These characteristics were particularly relevant for distribution across Peru’s varied geography.
UHT milk and other formats later entered the market, but the traditional tin retained a familiar place in Peruvian households. Historical data from the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics, known as INEI, already showed evaporated milk well ahead of other milk formats in average household consumption. Decades later, official bodies continue to identify it as the country’s most consumed dairy product.
