FDBusiness.com

Swiss cheese producer Emmi has expanded its international business with the acquisition of US cheese specialist Cypress Grove Chevre. Based in California, Cypress Grove is well known in the US for fresh and ripened premium goat’s cheese specialties. Emmi has also increased its stake in New York-based CASP (Contract Aseptic & Specialty Packaging) to 100%. CASP specialises in contract manufacturing of aseptic milk products and forms an important pillar in Emmi’s fresh products business in the US. The purchase price for both deals was not disclosed.

Emmi plans to continue its international growth, focusing in particular on the Italian, German, Austrian, UK and US markets. The US cheese market is worth about $16.4b, with the fast-growing speciality cheese segment – in which goat’s cheese plays an increasingly important role – accounting for around $1b. Emmi generated sales of around $175m in the US last year.