A new South Tyrolean dairy giant is born. Delegates from Latte Montagna Alto Adige (Mila) have approved the merger with Centro Latte Bressanone (Brimi), officially creating the new Latteria Südtirol, one of Italy's largest dairy cooperatives in terms of size, production capacity, and number of member suppliers.
The decision, approved during the ordinary delegates' meeting, represents a historic step for the South Tyrolean agricultural and livestock sector, aiming to strengthen the sector's competitiveness in an increasingly concentrated market characterized by severe cost pressures and organized distribution.
The new entity will bring together approximately 3.100 associated farms, 750 employees, and over 275 million kilograms of milk delivered annually. The production system will range from fresh milk to yogurt, mascarpone, cheeses, mozzarella, ricotta, and butter, while maintaining the focus on promoting the South Tyrolean origins.
"Our members have made a courageous and far-sighted decision today," said Joachim Reinalter, President of Mila. "We are walking this path together, with clear values, established brands, and a solid shared foundation."
Klaus Faller, president of Brimi, agreed, saying the favorable vote "laid the foundation for a stable future," aiming to meet member expectations and ensure continuity for the sector.
From an industrial perspective, the merger aims to generate significant synergies in logistics, purchasing, and administrative activities, while also strengthening negotiating power with large-scale retailers. The two cooperatives have complementary product lines: Mila has historically specialized in milk, yogurt, mascarpone, and cheeses, while Brimi has consolidated its leadership in mozzarella, ricotta, and butter.
For Matthias Baumgartner, General Manager of Mila, "today is an important day for mountain farming in South Tyrol," because the new structure will ensure "a stable supply price" for farmers and position products even more effectively on the markets.
Martin Mair, CEO of Brimi, also emphasized that the priority now will be to "rapidly implement the integration," joining the forces of the two organizations without losing continuity and reliability towards members, employees, and business partners.
One of the most significant aspects of the transaction concerns the preservation of the current production and employment structure. All production sites will remain operational, and all employees will retain their jobs. The Mila and Brimi brands will also continue to be present on the market as consolidated references for consumers, albeit within a shared long-term strategy.
The merger was also welcomed by the South Tyrol Dairy Federation. Director Annemarie Kaser emphasized that the operation represents "a significant step for the South Tyrolean dairy sector," assuring that the federation will continue to play its role of representing and supporting all member cooperatives.
Support also comes from the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. Provincial Councilor for Agriculture Luis Walcher spoke of "ideal conditions for even more effective marketing of quality South Tyrolean dairy products," emphasizing the importance of preserving the high quality standards built daily by local farmers.
The economic sustainability of the operation was also verified by an international auditing firm, which independently analyzed all economic and legal aspects of the merger, confirming its soundness.
With the creation of Latteria Südtirol, a new entity is taking shape, destined to have a growing influence on the national dairy landscape, at a time when the sector is increasingly focusing on mergers, industrial efficiency, and the valorization of quality local products.
