Mersey Valley Cheese

Saputo Inc.

Company type	Public
Industry	Dairy
Founded	1954
Founder	Saputo family
Headquarters	Montreal , Canada
Area served	Worldwide (over 60 countries)
Key people	Lino A. Saputo (Chairman), Lino Saputo Jr. (CEO)
Products	Cheese, fluid milk, cream with extended shelf life, cultured dairy products, dairy ingredients
Number of employees	19,400 (2025)
Website	saputo.com

Saputo Inc. is a prominent Canadian dairy enterprise based in Montreal, Quebec, established in 1954 by the Saputo family. The company specializes in the production, marketing, and distribution of an extensive array of dairy items such as cheese, fluid milk, cream with extended shelf life, cultured dairy products, and various dairy ingredients. Saputo is recognized as one of the leading dairy processors worldwide.

The firm’s expansion has largely been driven by mergers and acquisitions, with its products available in more than 60 countries globally. Between 2006 and 2013, Saputo maintained operations in Wales and Germany and previously held the Canadian licensing rights for Hostess Brands products.

History

Giuseppe Saputo, a master cheesemaker, along with his son Lino Saputo and other family members, emigrated from Montelepre, Italy to Montreal during the early 1950s. In September 1954, Lino convinced his father to launch their own venture. Armed with $500 to purchase basic equipment and a bicycle for deliveries, the Saputo family initiated their cheesemaking enterprise. By 1957, they had established their first major production facility in Montreal’s Saint-Michel district. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the company experienced substantial growth, becoming Canada’s top producer of mozzarella cheese by the 1980s.

Saputo entered the US market in 1988 through the acquisition of two cheese manufacturing plants. During the 1990s, it broadened both its product portfolio and geographic presence via numerous acquisitions. The company went public in 1997 and subsequently tripled its size following the purchase of Stella Foods in the United States.

In 2001, Saputo acquired Dairyworld Foods, which included brands such as Dairyland milk and Armstrong cheese, for C$407 million. Further expansion occurred in 2003 with acquisitions in both the US and Argentina (Molfino Hermanos S.A.). That same year, Lino Saputo relinquished his roles as president and CEO to his son Lino A. Saputo but remained chairman.

In 2008, Saputo bought Neilson Dairy from George Weston Limited for C$465 million. The company revealed a US$1.45 billion deal to acquire Morningstar Food in 2012. In January 2014, it secured Scotsburn Co-operative Services Limited’s fluid milk operations for $61 million. By February 2014, Saputo had acquired an 87.92% interest in Victoria-based Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory Company Holdings Limited; it completed full ownership by March 2017.

On February 3, 2015, Saputo divested its bakery division to Canada Bread Company Limited (a subsidiary of Mexico's Grupo Bimbo) for C$120 million.

In September 2017, Saputo finalized the acquisition of Southeast Milk Inc.’s Extended Shelf-Life Dairy Product segment in the United States. Later that year, it purchased Betin Inc., a specialty cheese producer based in Wisconsin employing 319 people.

On February 22, 2019, Saputo announced its agreement to acquire British dairy firm Dairy Crest for C$1.7 billion (£975 million), completing the transaction on April 15, 2019.

Defamation lawsuits

In March 2008, Saputo Inc. initiated defamation proceedings against three Canadian newspapers following December 2007 reports that suggested connections between Lino Saputo and organized crime. The lawsuits targeted CTVGlobemedia (publisher of the Globe and Mail), Quebecor Inc. (owner of Sun Media Group), and Gesca Ltd (publisher of Montreal's La Presse). CEO Lino Saputo Jr. asserted that these articles contained unfounded accusations against both Lino Saputo and Saputo Inc. Additionally, an Italian weekly publication, L'Espresso, faced legal action over similar articles published in November 2007. Documented historical associations exist between Lino Saputo and American mobster Joe Bonanno spanning from 1964 to 1979.

Major Shareholders

As of July 15, 2025:

Jolina Capital (Saputo family)	164,228,100	38.86%
Lino Saputo	6,500,000	1.54%
Cardinal Capital Management, Inc.	5,573,504	1.32%
Placements Italcan, Inc.	2,500,000	0.59%
Joey Saputo	2,484,931	0.59%
Franklin Bissett Investment Management	1,876,737	0.44%
ATB Investment Management, Inc.	1,227,130	0.29%
Mackenzie Investments Corp.	452,568	0.11%
Sjunde AP-fonden	368,512	0.09%
Storebrand Asset Management AS	244,061	0.06%

Key Metrics

• Revenue: CAD 19.06 billion as of March 31, 2025
• Workforce: Approximately 19,400 employees as of July 15, 2025
• Operational sites: Total of 59 facilities worldwide (18 located in Canada, 26 in the United States, 9 internationally outside North America, and 6 across Europe) as of July 15, 2025

Brand Portfolio

Saputo’s extensive brand collection features notable names including Saputo, Alexis de Portneuf, Armstrong, Cathedral City, Cheer, Clover, Cracker Barrel (under license), Dairyland, DairyStar, Devondale, Friendship Dairies, Frigo and Frigo Cheese Heads, Frylight, Joyya, La Paulina, Milk2Go, Montchevre, Murray Goulburn Ingredients, Neilson, Nutrilait, Salemville, Scotsburn (licensed), Sheese, South Cape, Stella, Sungold, Tasmanian Heritage, Treasure Cave, Woolwich Dairy, and Yorkshire Wensleydale. These brands underpin Saputo’s approach to offering a broad assortment of products across various sectors such as cheese varieties, dairy ingredients and enhanced dairy goods.

Operating Segments

• Canadian Dairy Division
• United States Dairy Division
• Argentine Dairy Division
• Australian Dairy Division
• United Kingdom Dairy Division

See also

• List of dairy product companies in the United States