Swiss dairy company Emmi has agreed to acquire US based goat’s milk processor Jackson-Mitchell for an undisclosed sum to expand its international goat’s milk network.
Jackson-Mitchell does its goat milk products business under the Meyenberg brand.
Meyenberg’s acquisition is said to provide opportunities for Emmi especially in milk sourcing.
Emmi Group Americas vice president Matthias Kunz said: “Goat’s milk is in high demand and short supply in the US, but it is also a very challenging product as a result of its highly seasonal nature.
“We hope that Meyenberg’s excellent relations with goat’s milk farmers in California, Idaho, Kansas and Missouri will result in opportunities for both of our Californian goat’s milk processors, Cypress Grove and Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery, and that we will be able to even better meet the growing demand for these products as a result.”
Meyenberg supplies goat’s milk along with evaporated and powdered goat’s milk to supermarket chains, local retailers, specialty businesses and also through online channels in the US.
It has two production facilities in California and Arkansas, which put together have a staff of 30 and annual sales of around $30m.
Meyenberg CEO Robert Jackson said: “Since there is no successor in place from within the family, we took our time coming to a decision on the future of our family company.
"We saw how successful the acquisition of Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery was and became convinced that we would be able to trust Emmi with our company as well. Continuity is very important to us.”
Jackson will continue as CEO during the transition period while COO and Member of the Board Frank Fillman and CFO Dough Buehrle will be retained by Emmi.
Meyenberg will join other goat milk processors acquired by the Emmi group after US based Cypress Grove and Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery, Dutch based Bettinehoeve and Goat Milk Powder, Spain based Lácteos Caprinos and Dutch based global company AVH dairy.
