Lactalis Ukraine

What Lactalis Ukraine does

Lactalis Ukraine is a dairy production and distribution company operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupe Lactalis, the French family-owned global dairy leader. Established on February 15, 1996, as a French-Ukrainian Joint Venture based at the Mykolaiv City Dairy Plant, the company was the first foreign investor in the Ukrainian dairy industry and has since grown to approximately 800+ employees producing around 250 SKUs across 11 brands. Operations are anchored on three manufacturing facilities located in Mykolaiv (the original dairy and butter production base), Pavlograd (chocolate glazed curd snacks and UHT milk under Fanni brand, acquired in October 2007), and Shostka (cheese production with FSSC 22000 EU export certification). The product portfolio combines international brands (President, Galbani, Lactel, Leerdammer, Castelli) with local Ukrainian brands (Shostka, Fanni, Loko Moko, Lactonia, Dolce), spanning ultra-pasteurized milk, hard and processed cheeses, spoonable and drinkable yogurts, fermented dairy drinks, functional probiotic products, butter, cream, and desserts.

The company's core technology revolves around conventional dairy processing with UHT (ultra-pasteurization at 137°C for 4 seconds) using Tetra Pak aseptic packaging, integrated management systems certified to ISO 9001, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, and HACCP standards, and EU export authorization obtained in January 2016. Distribution is executed through an extensive domestic retail network spanning all major Ukrainian supermarket chains (Silpo, Varus, Fora, Fozzyshop, Metro, Auchan, Ekomarket, Cosmos, Ultramarket, Megamarket, Tavriav, Novus, Vostorg), online delivery platforms (ZAKAZ.UA), and international export channels reaching over 25 countries including Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, UAE, and EU member states. Revenue is generated through wholesale and retail sales of branded dairy products, with pricing handled at the retail-partner level rather than directly disclosed. The company was recognized as the No. 1 dairy company supplier in Ukraine in 2024 by the Advantage Report survey of the 10 largest retail chains, and serves broad consumer segments including general households, children and parents (via the Loko Moko brand), lactose-intolerant consumers (via Lactel Comfort), and international markets.

Name

Lactalis Ukraine

Legal name

SC "LACTALIS - UKRAINE"

Website

https://lactalis.com.ua

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Lactalis Ukraine is a Kyiv-headquartered dairy producer and wholly-owned subsidiary of France's Groupe Lactalis, operating three manufacturing plants and producing approximately 250 SKUs under 11 international and local brands, serving Ukrainian consumers and exporting to over 25 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Yogurt & Cultured Dairy Products Manufacturing (Kefir, Sour Cream, Labneh) (AFAKAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dairy-Based Beverages Manufacturing (Flavored Milk, Lassi, Drinkable Yogurt) (AFAKAKAH), Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL), Lactose-Free & Reduced-Lactose Fluid Milk Processing (AFAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Dairy products manufacturing
• Milk processing
• Cheese production
• Yogurt and fermented dairy
• Ultra-pasteurized dairy

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyiv

HQ country

Ukraine

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dairy Products Manufacturing and Sales: Lactalis Ukraine generates revenue through manufacturing and selling dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, sour cream, curd, and desserts under multiple brands. Products are sold domestically through retail networks and exported to over 25 countries worldwide.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lactalis Ukraine manufactures and sells a portfolio of approximately 250 dairy SKUs including ultra-pasteurized milk (including lactose-free), hard and processed cheeses, spoonable and drinkable yogurts, curd snacks and desserts, fermented dairy drinks, butter, and cream. The company produces under both international brands (President, Galbani, Lactel, Castelli, Leerdammer) and local Ukrainian brands (Shostka, Fanni, Loko Moko, Lactonia, Dolce) across three manufacturing facilities in Mykolaiv, Pavlograd, and Shostka.

Product overview

Lactalis Ukraine operates as a dairy production company offering a diverse portfolio of approximately 250 SKUs across international and local brands. The product portfolio includes milk (ultra-pasteurized, lactose-free), cheese (hard, soft, processed, fresh), yogurt (spoonable, drinkable, functional), curd products, desserts, fermented milk drinks, and cream products. Key international brands include President (French butter and cheese), Galbani (Italian cheeses), Lactel (French milk), Castelli, and Leerdammer. Local Ukrainian brands include Dolce, Lactonia, Loko Moko, Fanni, and Shostka. The company operates three manufacturing plants in Mykolaiv, Pavlograd, and Shostka, producing about 250 product SKUs under 11 brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• President: French dairy brand offering butter, cheese, curd products, sour cream, and cream products.
• Galbani
• Lactel
• Dolce
• Lactonia
• Loko Moko
• Shostka
• Fanni
• Castelli
• Leerdammer

Products and services

• President French dairy brand offering butter, cheese, curd products, sour cream, cream, and processed cheese products for Ukrainian consumers. The first product launched in the Ukrainian market was butter under President brand in July 1996.
• Galbani Italian cheese brand, the number 1 cheese brand in Italy, present in 140 countries, offering mozzarella, mascarpone, ricotta, parmesan, and gorgonzola. Founded by Egidio Galbani more than 130 years ago.
• Lactel Popular European French milk brand for over 50 years, offering ultra-pasteurized milk including milk with vitamin D3 and lactose-free Comfort milk for consumers with poor lactose digestion. Launched in Ukraine in 2011.
• Dolce (Дольче) Ukrainian brand offering desserts, spoonable yogurts, drinkable yogurts and smoothies, and glazed curd snacks for local consumers.
• Lactonia (Лактонія) Ukrainian brand offering fermented milk products including zakvaska (starter cultures), kefir drinks, drinkable yogurts, and Imun+ probiotic drinks with L.Rhamnosus and vitamins for immune support. Brand acquired in 2004 through the Food Master acquisition.
• Loko Moko (Локо Моко) Ukrainian children's dairy brand offering yogurts and drinkable yogurts enriched with the Intellect complex (Calcium, Vitamin D3, and Omega-3) for children's bone health and brain development support. Launched in 2013.
• Shostka (Шостка) Ukrainian cheese brand producing hard and processed cheeses using high-quality farm milk with Dutch and French cultures and enzymes. Produced at the Shostka factory which is FSSC 22000 certified for EU export.
• Fanni (Фанні) Ukrainian dairy brand with over 20 years of trust, offering drinkable yogurts, spoonable yogurts, jelly, desserts, glazed curds, curd masses, kefir, UHT milk, and processed cheese. Originated with the LLC Milk House (Pavlohrad) acquisition in October 2007.
• Castelli Italian cheese brand offering hard cheeses and fresh cheeses including mascarpone, distributed in Ukraine.
• Leerdammer Dutch cheese brand known for its authentic taste with nutty notes. Second largest sliced cheese brand in the world, naturally rich in calcium and protein, and lactose-free.
• Lactel Professionnel Milk Specialized coffee-grade milk under the Lactel brand, formulated for stable fine-textured milk froth at refrigerated temperatures, targeting professional coffee operators (HORECA). Launched March 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Regular consumption of dairy products enriched with Omega-3 contributes to improvement of children's mental development up to 30%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 3 Dairy Products Every Day InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Lactalis-Ukraine, together with the largest dairy manufacturers of the country and the government, became the initiator of a large informational and educational project '3 Dairy Products Every Day' in Ukraine. This project promotes dairy consumption and educates consumers about the health benefits of dairy products.
• European Business Association (EBA)minorOthersCooperating with field-specific national and international associations to effectively oppose unfair competition and frequent cases of falsification in the dairy market.
• American Chamber of Commerce (ACC)minorOthersCooperating with ACC to address unfair competition and market falsification issues in the Ukrainian dairy sector.
• DDB (International Marketing Agency)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational marketing agency DDB was invited to assist in positioning the brands and creating the first advertising campaigns for the Ukrainian market entry.
• French-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI France Ukraine)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLactalis Ukraine partnered with the French-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce for the Beaujolais Nouveau charity evening event, bringing businesses together around solidarity initiatives.
• 100 Solar Schools InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLactalis Ukraine supports the 100 Solar Schools Initiative, equipping three schools with solar power plants through the Loko Moko and Lactel brands, enabling students to continue education during power outages.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Savencia Fromage & Dairy: International specialty cheese group with branded cheese portfolios. Closely comparable in the branded cheese segment to Lactalis's Shostka, Galbani, and Leerdammer offerings.
• Bel Group: French global cheese and dairy snacks company (Laughing Cow, Babybel, Kiri). Comparable as a multinational dairy/cheese brand operator with overlapping cheese, kids, and snackable dairy categories.
• Arla Foods: Global dairy cooperative operating in multiple categories including cheese, milk, and yogurt. Comparable as a large international dairy peer with similar quality/safety positioning to Lactalis's premium tier (President, Galbani).

Direct peers

• Yagotynske: One of the largest Ukrainian dairy producers with a broad portfolio of milk, sour cream, cheese, and butter. Directly competes with Lactalis Ukraine on the same retail shelves across similar product categories in the Ukrainian market.
• Slobozhansky (Loostdorf/Slobojansky): Ukrainian dairy producer with a wide range of milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Competes with Lactalis on volume categories in mass-market retail.
• Danone Ukraine: Multinational dairy and plant-based producer operating in Ukraine with yogurt, milk, and kids nutrition brands (Activia, Actimel). Overlaps directly with Lactalis's yogurt, kids (Loko Moko vs. Danone kids), and functional dairy segments.
• Molokiya: Major Ukrainian dairy manufacturer producing UHT milk, butter, cheese, and dairy desserts. Competes head-to-head with Lactalis across mainstream dairy categories in Ukrainian retail.
• Molochny Kava: Ukrainian dairy company with broad product range in fluid milk, sour cream, and cheese, comparable in scale and channel mix to Lactalis's local-brand portfolio.

Others

• Tetra Pak: Packaging and processing equipment supplier used by Lactalis for UHT milk (Tetra Fino Aseptic, Tetra Brik Aseptic). Adjacent/ecosystem participant — not a competitor but a critical enabler of Lactalis's UHT and aseptic shelf-life advantage.

Regional players

• Müller (Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller): German family-owned dairy group with strong presence in yogurt, milk, and desserts across Europe. Comparable as a regional European private dairy with similar branded yogurt/dessert positioning to Lactalis's Dolce, Lactonia, and Fanni lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaWXTV78LK3I9IEW-SJJyAw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lactalis-in-ukraine
• Instagraminstagram.com/lactalisexperience_ua

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lactalis Ukraine