Skip To Content
Transaction Experiences Bigelow Advises Vermont Creamery on its Acquisition by Land O’Lakes
goats milk

Transaction Experience

Bigelow Advises Vermont Creamery on its Acquisition by Land O’Lakes

Vermont Creamery

Vermont Creamery (www.vermontcreamery.com), founded in 1984, is a rapidly growing producer of premiere fresh and aged goat cheese, crème fraîche and cultured butter. By combining European traditions with Vermont’s terroir for over 30 years, Vermont Creamery pioneered the artisan cheesemaking movement in America. The Company’s specialty products have won over 100 national and international awards.

Land O' Lakes

Land O'Lakes, Inc., (www.landolakes.com) headquartered in Arden Hills, Minnesota is one of America's premier dairy and consumer food companies. The company is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that has spanned more than 95 years. With 2016 annual sales of $13 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 215 on the Fortune 500. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries.

Vermont Creamery, Inc. announced that it has been acquired by Land O’Lakes a leading farmer-owned cooperative with significant dairy operations and consumer brands. Vermont Creamery will become an independently operated subsidiary of Land O’Lakes and will continue to produce its award winning fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter and fresh dairy specialty products at the creamery in Websterville, Vermont. This transaction is the successful culmination of an initiative led by Bigelow LLC to first proactively seek out, and then “hand-pick” the next new owner, and accomplish their personal and professional goals of the founders.

“We have always taken seriously our commitment to our farmers, employees and Vermont’s working landscape – these values are at the core of our decision to sell the business. As we experience unprecedented growth, we need a partner who can bring the resources and expertise necessary to help us realize our vision and the potential of our business.” Allison Hooper and Bob Reese Vermont Creamery Overview
Co-founders Allison Hooper and Bob Reese will transition to advisors and brand ambassadors for the business. Vermont Creamery President Adeline Druart and the leadership team will remain in place, as will all employees.  Vermont Creamery was the second cheesemaker in the world to earn B Corp certification and will maintain this certification and commitment to their community, employees and environment under new ownership.
“After years of thoughtful planning and a rigorous selection process, we are confident that we have found the best steward of our business, values and people in Land O’Lakes.  We are both respected dairy brands with deep connections to farmers and an unyielding commitment to quality and innovation,” said co-founders Allison Hooper and Bob Reese.
“We purchased Vermont Creamery and welcome them to the Land O’Lakes family because we loved their brand and would like to help bring it to even more people. We share a value-added, branded approach to marketing our products, a meaningful respect for our customers and deeply rooted rural values.” Chris Policinski, President and CEO Land O’Lakes

Adeline Druart, President of Vermont Creamery remarked, “Bob and Allison have been such incredible entrepreneurs building Vermont Creamery’s success and mentoring the team on their vision and values for the business. Partnering with Land O’ Lakes adds the next key ingredients for our growth: additional resources and dairy expertise.  This transaction positions Vermont Creamery for continued success in the future.”

Websterville, Vermont

has been acquired by

Arden Hills, Minnesota

The undersigned initiated this transaction
and acted as M+A advisor to
to Vermont Creamery, Inc.

Bigelow
Back To Top