The North American dairy sector underwent significant structural changes in the ‘Dairy Top 100’ ranking for 2026, recently published by the trade journal *Dairy Foods*. The Kansas City-based co-operative Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) retained the top spot for the fourth consecutive year, achieving an annual turnover of US$23.1 billion – an increase of US$100 million on the previous year. Montreal-headquartered Saputo defended its second place and maintained its strong position in the cheese, drinking milk and milk ingredients sectors.

The most spectacular rise among the processing companies was achieved by Lactalis USA, which climbed four places on the list from 7th to 3rd. This rise was driven by the strategic acquisition of General Mills’ US yoghurt business. With a turnover of US$1.2 billion, nearly 1,000 employees and two large production facilities, the newly established ‘Midwest Yogurt’ division took over well-known brands such as Yoplait, Go-Gurt, Oui and :ratio, as well as the existing brands Siggi’s and Stonyfield Organic, thereby consolidating Lactalis’s position as the third-largest player in the highly competitive US market for fresh dairy products.