Lactalis History

The Lactalis story began in 1933 when founder André Besnier made 17 camemberts in Laval, France. André continued to grow the brand and expand on innovative products until 1955 when his son Michel took over the family business. Under Michel’s leadership the brand saw extensive growth and continued to expand throughout Europe. By 1980 Lactalis opened its first U.S. office in New York City and continued expansion with more offices, plants, and distribution centers across the country.

For nearly 90 years Lactalis has been growing, adding beloved brands, and following our passion to provide exceptional dairy products to the family table. Lactalis is now led by André’s grandson, Emmanuel Besnier, and has over 85,000 employees in 94 countries; people who care about providing healthy products, by connecting people across the globe.

Lactalis Heritage Dairy History

As Lactalis continues to grow within the United States we are proud to add the Kraft Natural Cheese business to our story. The Kraft company has been a staple in homes since 1930 with a variety of products and brand, including Breakstone’s, which resonate with American consumers daily.
In 2021, Kraft Heinz’s natural cheese business joined the Lactalis family, allowing for the brands and products you’ve trusted for decades to now be supported by the expertise of Lactalis, the largest dairy company in the world. With over 90 years of experience in cheese making innovation we combine the rich history of French-based Lactalis and the beloved products from Kraft Natural Cheese. Our mission as Lactalis Heritage Dairy is to bring people closer together with healthy and tasty dairy products.
Breakstone’s Brand History

Breakstone’s high standards for quality and passion for bold flavors have been ingrained in the brand since its inception in 1882, when Lithuanian immigrants Joseph and Isaac Breakstone opened a dairy store on New York’s Lower East Side. The brothers created a long‐standing tradition of making only high-quality dairy products, including the cottage cheese and sour cream we have today.

What it Means to be OU Kosher

Breakstone’s dairy products have been well-known and loved among our Jewish customers for over a century. We’re proud to be a partner of, and certified by, OU Kosher for decades. Served at holiday time and many other celebrations, our kosher cottage cheese and sour creams are family staples.

Having our cottage cheeses and sour creams OU Kosher certified was important to us both for the observant Jewish community, as well as for all consumers who seek the purest and highest quality ingredients when cooking for their families. We thank our customers for their continued loyalty.