Grupo Lala is a Mexican food processing company founded in 1949 in Torreón, Coahuila. The company is headquartered in Gómez Palacio, Durango. Together with its acquisition of Dairy Farmers of America subsidiary National Dairy (of which it owns 87.5%) is one of the largest dairy companies in the world.[2][3][4]

Grupo Lala, S.A.B. de C.V.
Grupo Lala
FormerlyPasteurizadora La Laguna
Company typeSociedad Anónima Bursátil de Capital Variable
BMVLALA B
IndustryFood processing
Founded17 April 1950; 74 years ago (1950-04-17)
Headquarters,
Area served
Latin America and the United States
Key people
Alberto Arellano Garcia (CFO)
Arquimedes Celis Ordaz (CEO)
Eduardo Tricio Haro (President)
ProductsMilk, juice, cream, desserts, cheese, yogurt, butter and processed meats
Total assets3.5 billion USD (2022) [1]
OwnerTricio Family
Number of employees
39,953 (2022) [1]
SubsidiariesBorden
Lala US
Vigor
Websitewww.grupolala.com

History

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The company was founded in 1949 in Torreón, Coahuila. It expanded into the United States in 2008, acquiring a manufacturing plant in Omaha, Nebraska, and in 2009, LALA acquired National Dairy, Farmland Dairies and Promised Land. The company's Chairman is Eduardo Tricio and the CEO is Arquimedes Celis Ordaz. LALA is now the largest dairy company in Latin America. The company name makes reference to its origin "La Laguna", a region located in Northern Mexico where the Mayran Lagoon is located.[2]

Grupo Lala was listed 12th in Dairy Foods magazine's list of the top 100 North American dairies. It was the only dairy from Mexico to be listed in the top 100.[5]

Grupo Lala purchased National Dairy from Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA), in 2009.[6] Prior to its purchase by Grupo Lala, National Dairy encompassed numerous dairy brands including: Borden, Dairy Fresh, Velda Farms, Flav-O-Rich, Sinton's, Cream O’ Weber, Meyer Dairy, Dairymen's, Coburg Dairy, Goldenrod and Georgia Soft Serve Delights.[citation needed]

In 2009, Grupo Lala purchased National Dairy Holdings L.P. from the Dairy Farmers of America.[7] In 2011, Grupo Lala spun off its American operations under the name Laguna Dairy (now Borden Milk Products).[8] In 2016, Grupo Lala reacquired three plants from Laguna Dairy and reentered the US.[9]

In November 2014, Grupo Lala entered the processed meat segment with the introduction of Nutri Deli,[10][11] this was followed by Lala Plenia in 2021.[12][13]

In August 2017, Grupo Lala agreed to acquire Brazilian dairy firm Vigor, and its stake in Itambé for BRL 5.725 billion (US$1.84 billion).[14]

Grupo Lala was listed 39th in Food Processing magazine's list of the top 100 Food and Beverage companies for 2017, based on products produced in the U.S. and Canada only.[citation needed]

Marketing

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Yogurting campaign

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In early 2016, LALA U.S. launched its first nationwide advertising campaign to promote its drinkable yogurt smoothie products. The campaign uses the hashtag "#yogurting" in television and internet ads, as well as in social media.[15]

The launch included the introduction of LALA Greek Yogurt Smoothies plus three new LALA Yogurt Smoothie flavors: cherry vanilla, pomegranate blueberry and vanilla almond cereal. That's in addition to the LALA Yogurt Smoothies 14 original flavors.[16]

LALA Yogurt Smoothies are available at various retailers across the country including Walmart, Albertson's Safeway, Publix, HEB, ShopRite and others.[17] LALA has targeted a demographic called "Shapers On the Go" who value health and convenience. About 60% of the target audience is made up of millennials.[18]

On Feb. 23, 2016, LALA Yogurt Smoothies were featured as the sponsor of a comedy sketch on Jimmy Kimmel Live, in which Jimmy's sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez is tricked into jumping over a pit of live snakes.

On March 4, 2016, LALA Yogurt Smoothies were the commercial sponsors of another well-received comedy skit, this time on Conan featuring Conan's prop Master Bill Tull.

LALA was also the featured sponsor for a game sketch called "View Your Tune" in March on ABC's The VIew. The segment was hosted by Paul Shaffer.

Brands

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  • Lala
  • Yomi Lala
  • Peti Zoo
  • Bio4
  • Lalacult
  • Nutri
  • NutriDeli
  • Los Volcanes
  • Monarca
  • Mileche
  • Plenia
  • Boreal
  • Break
  • Bio Balance
  • Siluette
  • Natural'es
  • Las Puentes
  • Borden
  • Bell (Lala has a minority stake)
  • Vigor
United States
  • Borden (Texas, Louisiana)
  • Coburg Dairy (South Carolina)
  • Cream O'Weber (Utah)
  • Dairy Fresh (Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi)
  • Dairymens (Ohio)
  • Farmland (New Jersey)
    • Clinton
    • Special Request
    • Welsh Farms
  • Flav-O-Rich (Kentucky)
  • Gilsa Dairy (Nebraska)
    • Frusion
    • La Creme
  • Goldenrod (Kentucky)
  • Meyer Dairy (Cincinnati)
  • Promised Land (Texas)
  • Sinton's (Colorado)
  • Velda Farms (Florida)

Factories

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Grupo Lala Company Profile: Stock Performance & Earnings | PitchBook".
  2. ^ a b "Grupo Lala S.A.B. de C.V. Series B". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Global Dairy Top 20 - Rabobank". Rabobank (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 October 2019.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Lala compra empresa en Estados Unidos". Expansión (in Spanish). 11 May 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Nestle, Dean, Saputo are North America’s largest dairies". Dairy Foods. August 17, 2015.
  6. ^ "GRUPO LALA Purchases National Dairy from DFA". May 8, 2009. Dairy Farmers of America. (press release)
  7. ^ "DFA sells National Dairy Holdings". Farm and Dairy. 13 May 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Got IPO? Mexican dairy looks to go public". Financial Times. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Mexico's Grupo Lala creates a separate U.S. dairy business". Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Grupo Lala entra al mercado de las carnes frías". expansion.mx. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Lala entra a competir con dos 'gigantes' en la industria de carnes frías". expansion.mx. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Luego de 72 años en la producción de lácteos, Lala incursiona (oficialmente) en el segmento de carnes frías". expansion.mx. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  13. ^ González, Lilia (6 April 2021). "Grupo Lala apuesta por el negocio de carnes frías en México". El Economista. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  14. ^ Mexico's Lala could seal Vigor purchase on Thursday (August 2017). "Mexico's Lala could seal Vigor purchase on Thursday". Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  15. ^ "Borden's LALA Expands Nationally With First-Ever Yogurt Smoothie Ad Campaign #Yogurting". Feb 12, 2016. LALAFoods. (press release)
  16. ^ Demetrakakes, Pan. "Drinkable Yogurt Smooths Borden's Path". Retail Leader. March 2016.
  17. ^ "With new products and flavors, LaLa expands its drinkable yogurts". Dairy Foods. April 28, 2016.
  18. ^ Buss, Dale. "Yogurting on the Go: 5 Questions with LALA Director of Marketing Desiree Johnson". brandchannel.com. March 18, 2016.
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