It placed third in the 2021 Dairy 100. It placed second in the 2022 Dairy 100. This year it is No. 1. Other companies saw major growth. Moving 33 spaces,  Valley Queen Cheese Factory Inc., Milbank., S.D., No. 87 in 2021 net revenue, moved to No. 54 with a 2022 net revenue of $600 million.

The Dairy 100 is a list of the Top 100 Dairy Processors based upon revenues during the past fiscal year.

Unlike previous years, this year’s Dairy 100 rankings reflects changes in the market — with some new companies joining the list and others experiencing major growth or declines. 

Coverage of our 24th annual ranking of the largest dairy processors in North America is available here. Nestle USA once again heads the list and Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery holds down the No. 100 spot.

The state of North America’s dairy industry is constantly in motion. Since our last report, dairies have been on an acquisition spree. And the deals kept happening even after we finished tabulating the 2016 revenues of the 100 largest dairy processing companies based in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Just as Dairy Foods was wrapping up its research into the 100 largest dairy processors in North America, the French dairy giant Danone announced it was buying Colorado-based WhiteWave Foods, a processor of organic dairy and plant-based beverages.