Lactate Harghita tops 10m euros

Lactate Harghita, a middle-sized player on the dairy products market, reported a 38.9 million RON (10.6 million-euro) turnover for last year, an 18% increase against 2004, while its profit reached almost 170,000 RON, a 6% increase against the previous year. The company that owns the three production centres, in Harghita, Odorheiu Secuiesc and Cristuru Secuiesc, specialises in producing different cheeses. Lactate”s brands on the cheese market are Dalia, Muscel, Harlau and Cheddar, as well as Timis and Paltinis on the processed cheese market. In addition to these, the company also produces the Rucar yellow cheese variety. The milk collection structure covers Harghita county, as well as the neighbouring counties. The company works with retail chains from Transylvania, as well as with traditional stores in the Harghita area. Fragmentation of the milk collection system kept Western producers away from the local market for a long time. Since the arrival of Friesland, Danone and Hochland, the Israeli company Tnuva announced a 50 million-euro investment to build a dairy products plant near Bucharest. The first part of the project Tnuva will undertake is the opening of a farm, which will ensure that the company has the natural resources needed for cheese production. The dairy products market last year stood at some 800 million euros, with Friesland, Danone, LaDorna, Hochland, Albalact and Covalact being the leading players. ZF