Gay Lea Foods acquires Salerno Dairy

Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd announced that an agreement has been reached, effective February 1, 2014, to acquire Salerno Dairy. Salerno, a family-owned company in Hamilton, Ontario, has manufactured specialty Italian cheese for more than 50 years.
“With this acquisition we are merging two of Ontario’s best traditions: a farmer-owned co-operative and a family-owned business,” said Paul Vickers, Gay Lea chairman.
Angelo Fidanza, Salerno chief executive officer, said, “We believe Gay Lea Foods will do an excellent job of carrying forward our heritage of quality and our dedication to fine cheese.”
A cheese producer since 1962, Salerno has its main plant in Hamilton. It has a warehouse and distribution center in Montreal, Quebec and its Gos & Gris manufacturing plant in Hannon, Ontario. It employs 185 people among the three locations.
Gay Lea, founded in 1958, is Ontario’s largest dairy co-operative with 1,200 members and 650 employees. It has a head office in Mississauga and six production facilities across Ontario. Its brands—Gay Lea, Nordica, and Ivanhoe Cheese— have a strong presence in the retail, foodservice, and industrial ingredients sectors.
Access www.gaylea.com or www.salernodairy.com for further information.