Lactalis plant to end speciality cheese production

French dairy giant Lactalis is to stop making speciality soft cheeses at its plant in Xertigny, eastern France from the start of 2012. The plant’s activities will be reduced to milk collection and primary processing with the loss of 128 jobs out of a total workforce of 162.

Staff will be offered alternative employment at other Lactalis plants, including the one closest to Xertigny, a distance of 60 kilometres away. Last year, Lactalis stopped production of ‘oval’ cheeses at the plant and transfered activity to another plant in Brittany, France.