Dive Brief:
- Lifeway Foods, Inc., the U.S. leader in kefir cultured dairy products, announced it would begin production of its kefir lineup at the former Golden Guernsey dairy plant in Waukesha, WI.
- Lifeway acquired the plant in May 2013 to increase its manufacturing capacity, which has now more than quintupled in size thanks to the 170,000 square-foot plant
- "Lifeway has been processing raw milk and producing its own bottles at the plant for more than a year, following major renovations as well as food safety certification of the upgraded facility. ... The company plans to produce its top-selling products in Waukesha, taking advantage of both the large space and new high-speed manufacturing equipment to meet the demand for nutritious products from consumers throughout the country," the company said in a news release.
Dive Insight:
The global market for probiotics is predicted to reach $52.34 billion by 2020. With its new massive kefir production facility, Lifeway is well-positioned to capitalize on that market's growth.
Lifeway has already achieved steady growth itself, having reported $119 million for 2014 net sales in its annual report, a 22% increase from the year before. Its recent profits, however, have not been as promising, with 2014's annual net income reaching $1.96 million, a steep drop from 2013's $5 million.
"Renovating the building to meet our specific manufacturing and packaging needs has been a top priority, and the start of kefir production in Waukesha is an important milestone that will help drive the next chapter in the company's growth," Julie Smolyansky, president and CEO of Lifeway Foods, said in the news release.