Saputo, Canada’s largest cheese producer, is buying two companies including one that makes “cheese” from plant proteins.
Bute Island Foods of Scotland makes and markets vegan cheese.
The other is Wisconsin Specialty Protein of Reedsburg which makes value-added ingredients such as goat whey, organic lactose and other dairy powders.
It is vertically integrated with organic producers of milk from cows, goats and sheep.
Saputo said the two acquisitions, which cost a combined $187 million, fit with the company’s new global strategic plan. It also said it wants to increase its presence in the alternative foods sections of retailers.
