Latteria Sociale Merano

What Latteria Sociale Merano does

Latteria Sociale Merano Soc. Agr. Coop. is an agricultural cooperative dairy headquartered at Via Cava 5, Merano (BZ), South Tyrol, Italy. Founded in 1954, the company processes pasteurized fresh milk from member mountain farms located at approximately 1,350 meters altitude around Merano, with each farm averaging roughly 9 animals to enable individual animal care under traditional Alpine husbandry. It produces and distributes yogurt, milk, butter, and cream under the Linea Merano, Bella Vita (including lactose-free Bella Vita Free), AC Active, and Heumilch brands, all positioned as 100% South Tyrol origin, GMO-free, and free of artificial additives; selected SKUs include functional probiotic drinks (10 billion L. Casei per serving) fortified with vitamins D and B6, lactose-free products (less than 0.01g/100g lactose), and double-layer hay-milk yogurts. The company does not sell directly from its facility and operates without on-site retail.

The business model is a product-led, retail-channel distribution model: Latteria Sociale Merano sells packaged dairy products through grocery and retail outlets across South Tyrol, with a bilingual Italian/German website (lattemerano.it) supporting brand and recipe content, a newsletter signup for consumer engagement, and social-media pixels (Facebook, Instagram) for remarketing. It holds the South Tyrol Quality Mark (Qualitätszeichen Südtirol) and subjects member-farm milk to laboratory controls conducted by the Verband der Südtiroler Sennereigenossenschaften (Association of South Tyrolean Dairy Cooperatives). Headcount is reported at 51-100 employees, and the cooperative has received two rounds of EU FEASR co-financing under the CAP Strategic Plan — 1,167,000 EUR (2023 renewal project) and 2,068,600 EUR (2025-2027 modernization project covering production, energy, logistics, and IT infrastructure). Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the geographic operating scope documented in the source material is regional (South Tyrol), with a bilingual web presence indicating potential DACH-region adjacency.

Name

Latteria Sociale Merano

Legal name

Latteria Sociale Merano Soc. Agr. Coop.

Website

https://lattemerano.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Latteria Sociale Merano is an agricultural cooperative dairy in Merano, South Tyrol, producing pasteurized yogurt, milk, butter, and cream from local mountain farms at 1,350m altitude for regional retail and grocery channels. Approximately 51-100 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Drinkable Yogurt & Cultured Dairy Beverages (Lassi, Ayran, Probiotic Dairy) (AFAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organic & Specialty-Claim Fluid Milk Processing (Organic, A2, Grass-Fed) (AFAHAAAH), Cultured/European-Style Butter Manufacturing (AFAHACAB), Dairy-Based Beverages Manufacturing (Flavored Milk, Lassi, Drinkable Yogurt) (AFAKAKAH)

Keywords

• Dairy products
• Yogurt production
• Lactose-free dairy
• Alpine farming
• Cooperative dairy

Headquarters

HQ city

Merano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dairy Product Sales: Revenue generated from sales of yogurt (classic, probiotic, lactose-free, low-fat), drinking yogurt, cream, milk, and butter products. Products are distributed through retail channels across South Tyrol and surrounding regions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Latteria Sociale Merano is an agricultural cooperative dairy based in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy. The company processes fresh pasteurized milk from local mountain farms (at 1,350m altitude) into yogurt, drinking yogurt, fermented milk drinks, fresh cream, and butter. All products are made exclusively from 100% South Tyrol milk with no GMOs, no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors, and are available in classic, lactose-free, fat-free, and probiotic varieties under the Merano, Bella Vita, and AC Active brands.

Product overview

Latteria Sociale Merano is an agricultural cooperative dairy company based in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy, processing fresh milk from local mountain farms. The product portfolio consists of two main yogurt lines: Linea Merano (classic yogurt with natural, fruit, and specialty flavors) and Linea Bella Vita (health-focused products including lactose-free Bella Vita Free, probiotic Bella Vita Drink, and AC Active fermented milk drinks). Additional offerings include Heumilch (hay milk) in various fat contents, mountain butter (classic and lactose-free), fresh cream, and double-layer hay milk yogurt. All products are made exclusively from 100% South Tyrol milk, pasteurized, and subject to laboratory quality controls. The company emphasizes natural ingredients, traditional Alpine farming methods, and absence of GMOs, artificial flavors, and preservatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bella Vita: Product line focused on wellness, lightness, and natural healthy products including lactose-free and fat-free yogurts
• Bella Vita Free
• AC Active
• Linea Merano

Products and services

• Klassischer Joghurt (Classic Yogurt Line) Classic yogurt line made from 100% South Tyrol fresh milk, available in natural, skim, and fruit varieties with a naturally creamy texture achieved without chemical thickening agents.
• Linea Bella Vita Health and wellness-focused yogurt line for consumers seeking wellbeing, lightness, and quality natural products without sacrificing taste. Includes lactose-free, probiotic, and fat-free options.
• Bella Vita Free (Lactose-Free Yogurt) Lactose-free, fat-free, and gluten-free yogurt line made from 100% South Tyrol milk with a light but satisfying taste and no artificial flavors, preservatives, or GMOs.
• Bella Vita Drink (Probiotic Drinking Yogurt) Probiotic drinking yogurt enriched with vitamin B6, vitamin D, and 10 billion live L. Casei lactic acid bacteria per serving. Supports immune system and bone health, available in 7 fresh fruit flavors.
• AC Active (Probiotic Fermented Milk Drink) Fermented milk drink with Lactobacillus Casei L. Casei 431, enriched with vitamin D for immune system support and vitamin B6 to combat fatigue. Gluten-free.
• Heumilch (Hay Milk) Fresh milk from South Tyrolean cows fed exclusively on fresh grass in spring/summer and hay in autumn/winter, with no fermented feed used. Produced at mountain farms at 1,350 meters altitude.
• Die Butter (Mountain Butter) Mountain butter made from South Tyrol fresh cream, available in classic and lactose-free varieties, with natural taste reflecting the quality of mountain dairy farming.
• Die Sahne (Fresh Cream) Fresh cream made exclusively from 100% South Tyrol fresh milk, versatile for both sweet and savory recipes, with a minimum 35% fat content.
• Heumilchjoghurt Doppelschichtig (Hay Milk Double-Layer Yogurt) Double-layer hay milk yogurt made from 100% South Tyrol hay milk, a premium product reflecting the natural quality of Alpine farming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lactose content reduced to <0.01g/100g in lactose-free products
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Xplace SrlminorOthersExternal data processor nominated by Latteria Sociale Merano, processing data on behalf of the data controller. Located in the European Economic Area and operating in compliance with European regulations.
• Verband der Südtiroler Sennereigenossenschaften (Association of South Tyrolean Dairy Cooperatives)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaboratory quality controls conducted by the Association ensure product quality through constant testing throughout the production process of milk from member farms.
• South Tyrol Member FarmerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of approximately 9 animals per farm on average, providing fresh milk daily from farms located at 1,350m altitude. Farmers deliver milk every morning to the dairy located only a few kilometers from the farms.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Hochland: European dairy company with Alpine-sourced cheese and dairy specialties; comparable Alpine-terroir positioning and cross-border DACH/Italian distribution footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Parmalat (Lactalis): Major Italian dairy incumbent within the Lactalis group producing UHT and fresh milk, yogurt, and butter at national scale; dominant private-label and branded presence in Italian grocery channels where Latteria Merano competes.
• Zott: German dairy company with a significant yogurt and dessert portfolio (including Monte dessert brand); overlapping product categories and potential DACH distribution competitor as Latteria Merano expands north of the Alps.
• Granarolo: Italy's largest dairy company, with a broad portfolio of fresh milk, yogurt, cheese, and plant-based beverages; competes head-to-head in Italian retail yogurt and lactose-free categories but at significantly larger scale.
• Müller (Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller): Large German dairy group with major presence in yogurt, lactose-free, and probiotic dairy categories; competes in the same functional/healthy sub-segments (lactose-free, probiotic drinking yogurts) where Latteria Merano differentiates.
• Danone (Italy): Global dairy and plant-based leader with a strong Italian yogurt portfolio (Activia, Danone, Vitasnella); a benchmark competitor in probiotic and functional yogurt segments where Latteria Merano's AC Active competes.

Direct peers

• Mila Südtirol / Latteria Merano (no relation): South Tyrol dairy cooperative producing fresh milk, yogurt, and traditional dairy from member mountain farms; directly comparable origin, scale tier, and product mix to Latteria Sociale Merano.
• Latteria Soresina: Italian dairy cooperative producing fresh milk, yogurt, and cheeses through member farms in Lombardy; comparable cooperative structure, Italian retail distribution, and dairy product portfolio.
• Berchtesgadener Land: German dairy cooperative from the Bavarian Alps producing milk, butter, and cheese with an Alpine-origin provenance story; highly comparable cooperative structure, premium positioning, and DACH-region distribution overlap.
• Milchhof Sterzing / Latteria Vipiteno: Direct regional peer: another South Tyrolean dairy cooperative based in Sterzing/Vipiteno, producing yogurt, milk, butter, and cream from local mountain farms under the same Alpine provenance positioning and Qualitätszeichen Südtirol umbrella.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/latteriamerano
• Facebookfacebook.com/latteriamerano
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/latteria-merano

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Latteria Sociale Merano