It is proposed that 50% of the joint venture will be owned by the Irish company, Glanbia, and the 50% balance will be owned by DFA, MMPA and Foremost Farms.
DFA, MMPA and Foremost Farms would supply all milk required by the plant while Glanbia will have full responsibility for all commercial, technical and operational aspects of the business.
Operational in 2019
If the project proceeds as planned, commissioning of the new facility is expected to take place in the second half of 2019. Upon completion, the plant is projected to process 8m pounds (3.6m liters) of milk per day.
Brian Phelan, CEO of Glanbia Nutritionals said the proposed venture will build on Glanbia’s position as the number one producer of American-style cheddar cheese and simultaneously expand its global position as a supplier of advanced technology whey protein to the nutritional sector.
Glanbia already operates in the US; it is the largest dairy processor in Idaho, and South West Cheese, a joint venture with the Greater Southwest Agency, based in Clovis, New Mexico, is one of the largest cheese and whey protein manufacturers in the world.
Michigan Milk Producers Association
The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) is a dairy farmer owned cooperative with 2,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.
MMPA operates two plants in Ovid and Constantine, Michigan and handles approximately 5bn pounds of milk annually. Products made at MMPA’s plants include butter, nonfat dry milk, whole milk powder, cream and condensed skim milk.
In addition, MMPA manufactures specialty cheeses at the recently-acquired Deutsch Käse Haus in Middlebury, Indiana.
Foremost Farms USA
Foremost Farms USA, based in Baraboo, Wisconsin, is a farmer-owned milk processing and marketing cooperative with 1,300 dairy farmers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
The nation’s eighth-largest dairy cooperative, Foremost Farms is a manufacturer and marketer of cheese, specialty whey ingredients, butter, and bulk fluid milk to customers around the world.