Saputo to acquire the specialty cheese business of Lion-Dairy & Drinks

Saputo Inc.  has announced for acquisition of the specialty cheese business of Lion-Dairy & Drinks Pty Ltd. is expected to further enhance Saputo’s Australian Dairy Division, as well as diversify its product offering which will fuel the global cheese market in future time

Global: Canadian firm Saputo has entered an agreement to acquire the Specialty Cheese Business of Lion-Dairy & Drinks in Australia for A$280m ($197m). Lion-Dairy & Drinks is a subsidiary of Japanese company Kirin. The Speciality Cheese Business operates two manufacturing facilities located in Burnie and King Island, Tasmania. The Specialty Cheese Business produces markets and distributes a variety of specialty cheeses under a wide portfolio of Australian brands, including South Cape, Tasmanian Heritage, Mersey Valley, and King Island Dairy. The acquisition of the Specialty Cheese Business is expected to further enhance Saputo’s Australian Dairy Division, as well as diversify its product offering by adding and complementing its current activities.

According to BlueWeave Consulting, the longer shelf life of cheese products, rise in disposable income, and increase in demand for protein-rich food will propel the cheese industry in the upcoming period. Cheese contains a host of nutrients like calcium, protein, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin B12. The major health benefits of cheese include relief from hypertension and osteoporosis. It also helps in maintaining bone health, gaining weight and dental care.  Moreover, Cheese proven health benefits include supporting healthy bones, a great source of fats, supporting healthy heart, a great source of protein, may help prevent cancer, a great source of carbohydrates, management, and prevention of osteoporosis, supporting healthy teeth and reducing stress.

Other benefits include promoting brain function, promoting immunity and supporting gut health. Additionally, the high-quality protein in cheese provides the body with essential building blocks for strong muscles. Further, cheese contains linoleic acid and sphingolipids, which helps prevent cancer. Also, vitamin B present in cheese can reduce blood pressure, provided the sodium content is low in cheese. Preparation of cheese involves standardization, pasteurization, the addition of desired starter cultures, and other processes leading to the formation of its different varieties. Besides, advancement in cheese processing, such as the use of nanoliposomes in micro-encapsulation, results in increased vitamins and minerals content of cheese. Increase in consumption of fast food items, such as pasta, pizza, and burger, in different quick-service restaurants (QSRs), drive cheese industry in the future timeline.

According to BlueWeave Consulting‘s report, Titled- “Global Cheese Market, by Type (Natural and Unprocessed), by Product (Mozzarella,Cheddar, Feta, Parmesan, Roquefort & Others), by Distribution Channel(Retail stores, Specialty Stores, Online, and Others), by Region (North America,Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa) – Size and Forecast, 2015-2025’’- Global cheese market is expected to grow with a significant rate in the forecast period,2019-2025, owing to an increase in process food consumption and the growing fast-food industry. The growing demand for unprocessed cheese and improvements in packaging technology is expected to boost the cheese market over the forecast period.

The rising number of populace adopting diet pattern consume cheese as it has high protein content which helps in gaining weight and building up bone strength thus, likely to fuel the growth of the cheese market. With an increase in the marketing initiatives taken by major players through various advertising mediums, such as newspaper, television, etc., the product increase awareness amongst the population will augment the cheese market globally.