Wells’ Dairy sells Omaha NE yogurt plant

Le Mars IA-based Wells’ Dairy has exited the fresh and cultured dairy business by selling its Omaha NE yogurt facility to Grupo LaLa. Financial terms were not provided. A licensing agreement will permit Torreon, Mexico-based Grupo LaLa to market Wells’ Blue Bunny brand yogurt for as many as four years. According to Wells’, LaLa will keep operating the Omaha facility and is offering jobs to all 115 current employees.

In December 2007, Wells’ sold its Le Mars milk plant to Dean Foods of Dallas TX. A 95-year-old company, Wells’ had owned the Omaha plant since 1982. The firm plans to concentrate on its core business of producing ice cream and frozen novelties and certain foodservice items.

A leading dairy company in Mexico and Latin America, Grupo LaLa has sold its products in the United States since 2005.