Our Story
American Dairy with French Expertise.
At Midwest Yogurt, we understand the power of food in connecting people and enriching daily life.
Our beloved brands have been trusted for generations and are part of the world’s largest dairy company, Lactalis. For nearly 100 years Lactalis has brought the world’s best dairy products to the family table.
The Lactalis Story
We began with a simple and ambitious mission and have since grown into the world’s leading dairy organization.
The Lactalis Group story began in 1933 when founder André Besnier made 17 camemberts in Laval, France. André continued to grow the brand and expand on innovative products until 1955, when his son Michel took over the family business. Under Michel’s leadership, the brand grew extensively and expanded throughout Europe. By 1980 Lactalis Group opened its first U.S. office in New York City and continued expansion with more offices, plants, and distribution centers across the country. For nearly 90 years Lactalis Group has been growing, adding beloved brands, and following our passion to provide exceptional dairy products to the family table. Lactalis Group is now led by André’s grandson, Emmanuel Besnier, and has over 85,500 employees in 94 countries, people who care about providing healthy products by connecting people across the globe.
André Besnier
Michel Besnier
Emmanuel Besnier
“Lactalis is a family business that offers each and every day healthy and tasty products that bring us closer together.”
– Emmanuel Besnier
“Lactalis is a family business that offers each day healthy and tasty products that bring us closer together.”
– Emmanuel Besnier
The Yoplait Story
In 1964, six regional French dairy cooperatives, representing over 100,000 French dairy farmers, united to bring their high-quality dairy products to the national stage. By 1965 this new company was ready to debut its signature yogurt: Yoplait. The name was created from a blend of two of the founding dairy cooperatives, Yola and Coplait.
The Yoplait yogurt’s rise expanded internationally when William Bennet, President of the Michigan Cottage Cheese Company, obtained the licensing rights to sell Yoplait in the U.S. in 1975. Bennet quickly set up a yogurt manufacturing plant in Reed City, Michigan, to meet the growing demand.
Today, we continue to innovate, offering various delicious yogurt products that cater to a wide range of tastes and dietary needs. From its humble beginnings in France to becoming a household name in the U.S. and beyond. The Yoplait brand remains a symbol of quality, flavor, and tradition in every cup.
The Midwest Yogurt Story
Midwest Yogurt was established as a division of Lactalis USA, a subsidiary of Lactalis Group, in 2025 with the Yoplait, GoGurt, Oui, Mountain High and :ratio brands.
Lactalis USA at-a-Glance
Lactalis is a family company and the world leader in dairy, offering an unrivaled range of beloved international and local brands. Lactalis divisions in the U.S. include Lactalis American Group, Lactalis U.S. Yogurt, Karoun Dairies, Lactalis Heritage Dairy, and Midwest Yogurt with offices, plants, and distribution centers across the country.
The Lactalis story has evolved over the years, enriched by the heritage and spirit of each new employee and each acquired business. From our wide assortment of cheeses and yogurts to our butters and UHT milks, American families have been welcoming the Lactalis portfolio of local and global product brands into their homes for decades.
Together, we understand the power of food to connect people, unite cultures, and enrich daily life. We’re passionate about bringing the world’s best dairy products to family tables across the U.S.