Lactalis Enters Exclusive Talks to Acquire Triballat for €365M

Lactalis, a leading global dairy company, is in exclusive talks to acquire 100% of Laiteries H. Triballat, a family-owned French dairy business established in 1901. This acquisition aims to integrate Triballat's specialty cheese and dairy dessert products into Lactalis's operations, pending employee consultation and regulatory approvals.

Triballat, headquartered in Rians, Cher, runs 17 production facilities, including 14 in France, one in Spain, and two in the United States. The company employs approximately 1,600 people and generates an annual turnover of €365 million (€415.5 million), with international sales contributing 30% of this revenue. Its product range includes well-known brands such as Rians, Époisses, Crottin de Chavignol, and Selles-sur-Cher, along with goat's milk cheeses and traditional dairy desserts.

Triballat's acquisition by Lactalis highlights a strategic consolidation move within the European dairy industry, as large processors seek to expand their portfolios with high-margin specialty products. Both companies' chairmen, Hugues Triballat and Emmanuel Besnier, emphasized their shared commitment to maintaining Triballat's traditional cheesemaking identity while leveraging Lactalis’s commercial scale to enhance growth prospects.

Industry experts point out that the merger represents a significant step in the ongoing consolidation trend in the dairy sector, particularly in high-value segments like PDO cheeses. It is important to note that this transaction does not involve Olga, formerly Triballat Noyal, a separate entity known for its plant-based products under the Sojasun brand.