Wikipedia

Midwest Yogurt

Midwest Yogurt Inc., doing business as Lactalis Midwest Yogurt and Yoplait USA, is an American company specializing in the production of dairy products, sold under various brands of the French company Yoplait, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota.[2] Yoplait USA, Inc. was established in 1977 when General Mills acquired the U.S. operating rights to the Yoplait brand license from the French company of the same name.[3]

Midwest Yogurt Inc.
Lactalis Midwest Yogurt
Yoplait USA
FormerlyYoplait USA, Inc. (1977-2025)
Company type
Private
IndustryDairy products
Founded1977; 49 years ago (1977)
Headquarters
Minnetonka, Minnesota
,
United States
Area served
North America (U.S. only)
ProductsOriginal Yoplait, Go-Gurt, Trix Yogurt, Yo-Plus, Oui by Yoplait
RevenueIncrease $1.5bn (2025)[1]
OwnerBesnier family via Lactalis
Number of employees
1,000
ParentGeneral Mills (1977-2025)
Lactalis (since 2025)
Websitewww.midwestyogurt.com

When the French cooperative Lactalis acquired General Mills U.S. yogurt business in 2025, including Yoplait USA, the entity was succeeded by Midwest Yogurt, which operated under the name Lactalis Midwest Yogurt.[4][2]

History

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General Mills era (1977–2025)

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The Yoplait brand first entered the United States in 1974 when it was licensed by the Michigan Cottage Cheese Company.

In 1977, General Mills established a separate corporate, Yoplait USA Inc., following acquisition of the U.S. marketing rights to Yoplait from that company, along with the Michigan Cottage Cheese yogurt plant in Reed City, Michigan, still in operation.[4][5]

Yoplait USA opened a plant in Carson, California to manufacture Yoplait for the West Coast, where it became the best-selling yogurt brand. In 1981, General Mills began selling Yoplait on the East Coast.[6]

In 2011, Yoplait USA held the No. 1 brand position in the US yogurt market.[7]

Lactalis era (2025–present)

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On June 30, 2025, Lactalis acquired Yoplait USA and other U.S. yogurt brands from General Mills. General Mills yogurt business in the United States contributed approximately $1.2 billion to General Mills' net revenue in 2025.[1][8]

As a result, Lactalis established Midwest Yogurt in June 2025, with its headquarters in Minnetonka, Minnesota.[2] In July 2025, Lactalis announced plans to invest in the Yoplait plant in Reed City, Michigan.[9]

Products

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Under the Yoplait label, General Mills also markets Trix Yogurt, based on the flavors of their breakfast cereal of the same name, and Go-Gurt, where various flavors are packaged in plastic tubes for spoonless eating; these brands are targeted to children. A probiotic line of yogurt is marketed under the brand name Yo-Plus.

As of Autumn, 2023, Original Yoplait states on the package that it contains bio-engineered ingredients, which is corroborated by a general statement on its website.[10]

Locations

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Midwest Yogurt has factories in Reed City, Michigan and Murfreesboro, Tennessee.[1]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "General Mills Completes Sale of U.S. Yogurt Business to Lactalis". investors.generalmills.com. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Midwest Yogurt 2026 Company Profile: Valuation, Investors, Acquisition | PitchBook". pitchbook.com. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  3. ↑ "SODIMA v. INTERNATIONAL YOGURT CO., INC., (D.Or. 1987), Civ. No. 86-706-PA. | D. Or., Judgment, Law, casemine.com". www.casemine.com. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Exhibit 10.32 to General Mills, Inc. Form 10-K for fiscal year ended May 27, 2007". www.sec.gov. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Cover Story | Dairy Foods". www.dairyfoods.com. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  6. ↑ Miller, Larry (March 11, 1981). "Yogurt From France Moves East in U.S." The New York Times. p. C12. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  7. ↑ "General Mills Completes Yoplait Acquisition". Consumer Goods Technology. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  8. ↑ "General Mills Sells North American Yogurt Business | Food Engineering". www.foodengineeringmag.com. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  9. ↑ "New owner to invest in Reed City Yoplait plant after deal". www.crainsgrandrapids.com. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Do you use GMO ingredients in your product?". General Mills. Retrieved October 3, 2023. (archived by Wayback machine March 2021 and April 2022 but archive is blank)
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