Rabobank named the key global dairy producers in 2018

According to the annual rating prepared by Rabobank, Nestle remains the leader among the global dairy producers, infagro.com writes.

It is noted that Lactalis climbed to the second position having exceeded the turnover of Danone.

The TOP-5 global leaders in dairy production are as follows:

1. Nestle — with USD 24.2 bln turnover in 2017;
2. Lactalis — USD 19.9 bln;
3. Danone — USD 17.6 bln;
4. Dairy Farmers of America — USD 14.7 bln;
5. Fonterra — USD 13.7 bln.

Experts note that the recovery in prices for dairy products in 2017 positively affected the aggregate turnover of the 20 largest companies, which in 2017 grew by 7.2% in US dollars and by 5.1% in euros.

M&A activity in the dairy sector boosted in 2017 increasing, as in other sectors, the availability of cheap capital. However, unlike other food and agribusiness sectors, the mega deals that actually took place — Danone/WhiteWave and Saputo/Murray Goulburn — had a limited impact on the ranking within the Global Dairy TOP-20. As a result, the second year in a row, there are no new members on the list.