Emmi joins US yogurt market with siggi

Emmi is geeting into the US yogurt market with a joint venture with siggi in New York, a manufacturer of Icelandic and Scandinavian-style yogurts. The US is Emmi’s largest foreign market. The majority of sales there are generated by the exports of Swiss cheese as well as locally produced cow’s and goat’s milk specialty cheeses.

Emmi’s stake is around 25% in the yogurt operations of siggi’s, and it will also collaborate in the manufacturing of its yogurts. Sales are expected to reach $17 million (€12.4m) in 2013. Emmi Penn Yan, the former CASP dairy plant, is located in the New York area and specialises in producing high-quality yogurts for the local market. Emmi has formed a strategic partnership with siggi’s and will produce siggi’s full product line in 2014 at Emmi Penn Yan.

Founded in 2005, siggi‘s supplies yogurt inspired by the traditional Icelandic dairy product “skyr”. The Icelandic-style yogurts have a creamy texture, are low in fat and sugar, and high in protein. Emmi will handle all of the production needs of siggi’s and further support this health- and lifestyle-oriented brand with a stake of around 25 %. This will allow Emmi to participate in the growth of this unique brand. Siggi’s products are available in premium organic and health-food stores in the US.

Matthias Kunz, head of international business at Emmi, says:  “This stake gives Emmi an interesting involvement in an innovative and fast-growing company. In addition, Emmi and siggi’s have a common understanding of what makes a good dairy product that is clearly distinct from the competition.”