BelGioioso Acquires Polly-O Cheese from the Lactalis Group
BelGioioso Cheese has entered into an agreement to acquire Polly-O, the historic cheese brand founded in 1899, for an undisclosed purchase price from the Lactalis Group. The Polly-O brand of cheese will expand BelGioioso’s footprint in the dairy category in addition to its existing Casaro brand. Last year, Polly-O achieved net sales of roughly USD $177 million.
“We are thrilled to add the Polly-O brand to our portfolio and want to thank the teams at Kraft Heinz and Lactalis Group for their assistance and dedication to finalizing the agreement in such a short time,” says Errico Auricchio, President BelGioioso Cheese. “I am confident this will benefit consumers thanks to healthy competition in the category as a result of this acquisition.”
Kraft Heinz agreed to sell the Polly-O business to the Lactalis Group in autumn 2020 as part of a natural cheese transaction previously announced by Kraft Heinz and the Lactalis Group. In fulfilment of conditions identified during the customary antitrust review of that transaction by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Lactalis Group has agreed to sell the Polly-O business to BelGioioso Cheese. BelGioioso’s acquisition of the Polly-O business also remains subject to final approval by U.S. regulators and the satisfaction or waiver of other customary closing conditions.
About BelGioioso Cheese
BelGioioso Cheese is a family-owned and operated company specializing in artisan Italian cheesemaking. Using only natural ingredients and fresh, local Wisconsin milk, Master Cheesemakers hand-craft a full line of exceptional cheeses guided by a commitment to quality and a respect for tradition. At BelGioioso, every cheese is a specialty.
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