AGROPUR ADDS AULT MILK OPERATIONS
By Adnews Staff
Granby, Quebec-based Agropur has signed an agreement to acquire the Ontario fluid milk operations of Ault Foods Ltd. of Toronto. The deal also includes Ault's manufacturing and national distribution operations for yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, dips and non-dairy beverages. The sale is estimated at $145 million and is expected to boost Agropur's sales to almost $1.4 billion. Brands in the deal include Sealtest, Lactancia Purfiltre, Royal Oak and Copper Cliff. The sale comes on the heels of Ault's December announcement that it was selling its ice cream and frozen yogurt operations to NestlŽ Canada Inc. An Ault spokesperson said the company will concentrate on its cheese, butter and margarine products, which include the Lactancia, Black Diamond and Parkay brands. Ault also produces products such as skim milk powder and baby formula and markets its production technologies internationally. Montreal-based Natrel Inc. is responsible for Agropur's fluid milk business. Natrel's advertising is handled by Palm PublicitŽ Marketing Inc. of Montreal. Toronto-based Holmes Donin Alloul handles Ault's advertising. A Natrel spokesperson told Adnews the company had no plans to change the advertising arrangements for the former Ault brands. Agropur is an agri-food co-operative owned by 4,600 dairy farmer members.