USA – Dean Foods, the largest processor of milk and dairy in the USA, has said that strong performance from its dairy, soya and organic divisions in 2004 helped to bring volume growth.

The news came as the company released its result for the last quarter of 2004 and for the full year. It said that it had managed to pass on increased raw material prices for milk and for butterfat and that its dairy group and White Wave group, which includes its White Wave soy, Horizon Organic and Dean National Brands businesses, saw continued volume sales growth.

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2005, chairman and chief executive Greg Engles said that he expects operating income to grow by between five and eight per cent. However, he remained cautious about dairy performance. “Our dairy group operating income is expected to be relatively flat compared to last year,” he said.

Dean Foods recently announced that it intends sell off its speciality foods division to shareholders.

It said that the new company, which will be headed by Sam Reed, a former chief executive of snack food firm Keebler Foods, will have revenues of more than