The slimming cure announced at the beginning of this year for German dairy Allgauland continues. Dropping bulk production and concentrating more on quality Alpine cheeses saw two plants stopping production this last winter and another – which produced only Emmental for the baking and catering sectors – now being put up for sale.
Milk processed is to be cut over this year from a present 340 million kg to around 220 m kg in 2012. Three plants are left under the cooperative’s name. But Allgauland report that all of these will increase production of the company’s best-selling cheeses such as the slicing “Bergbauern” (mountain farmers) and its organically produced equivalent.
Last available turnover report (EUR253 m) is for 2009 when Allgauland processed just over 450 m kg milk. The dairy says it will also continue to concentrate on its export business which last year earned an estimated 30% of turnover, mainly from France, Italy and Benelux and with 2% earned in Russia.