In your acquisition Doric companywhich was the spin-off cheese arm of Minerva Olive Oil Enterprises, the Hellas Dessert, subsidiary of Berglandmilch.
As announced a short while ago, the respective agreement was signed and according to information “N”, the deal essentially concerns the production facilities owned by Doriki, which was created this year with the aim of separating the cheese industry from the Minerva group.
Now under the control of Dessert the cheese making unit in Episcopal Ioanninawhich joined Minerva’s workforce in 2008 and includes cheese production lines and an organic milk storage and cheese production line. Also included in the agreement is the milk collection point in Andravida, which has been operating since 2009 as a key link in the supply chain serving the Ioannina plant. It has a milk concentration and transshipment line, with separate production lines for organic and conventional products.
In terms in the Horio brand remains in the possession of Minerva, while the production of the codes will be carried out by Desserta.
It is understood that Desserta Hellas, based in Athens, is a subsidiary of Berglandmilch for the markets of Greece, Cyprus and the remaining countries of South-Eastern Europe. It operates under the alpiland brand and in terms of size, in 2023 it had a turnover of 28.9 million euros, profits before taxes of 764 thousand euros and net profitability of 595 thousand euros, with total liabilities of 2.6 million euros.
“New chapter for the company”
As Desserta Hellas President and CEO Athanasios Platanias stated: “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for our company in the best possible way. A capital of dynamic extroversion in terms of production and penetration into new markets outside Greece. We are proud and together with our strategic partner Berglandmilch e-Gen we will work hard to justify the development policy we have planned.”
Josef Braunshofer, CEO of Berglandmilch and shareholder of Desserta Hellas, spoke of the know-how, but also of the experience in the cheese industry and international markets: “At Berglandmilch we had a wide range of cheeses, but no feta. Today, this issue is closed. We have managed to add a factory that produces excellent quality feta cheese. Together with our strategic partner Desserta Hellas, we are here to offer our strong sales network throughout Europe and best practices that will help in the transformation of the factory, but also of the dairy farmers. We are producers, just like you. We believe, invest and support our long-term strategic choices.”
Minerva SA CEO Katerina Vlachou said: “We thank our colleagues at the Ioannina factory for their excellent cooperation over the years. We wish them success in the new chapter that is beginning and are confident that new development paths will open up through the network and experience of Desserta Hellas and Bergalndmilch in the cheese sector.”