Grande Cheese has acquired a whey processing facility from PGP International, a US-based ingredients producer, for an undisclosed amount.

The former PGP facility is located adjacent to the Grande Cheese plant in Juda, Wisconsin.

Grande president and CEO Wayne Matzke said that Grande has been consistently growing its cheese and whey business.

"Because we had already been supplying some of our whey to the PGP facility, this acquisition makes sense."

" It will also help support our future growth and diversification, as well as play a significant role in the stability of the Wisconsin dairy industry as this location receives whey from several other local cheese plants," Matzke added.

Grande operates five cheese plants. With this acquisition, it will now have a total of three whey processing plants throughout Wisconsin. The products produced at the new Grande whey facility will be marketed under the Wisconsin Whey International Brand.

Grande's Custom Ingredients Group vice president Paul Graham said that as a leading international producer of Grade A whey isolates, whey proteins and lactose, this is an exciting acquisition.

"It will add significant capacity for our existing products as well as many new technologies to serve our customers," Graham added.

Grande noted that it will offer employment to PGPI's Juda associates, and continue to work with the plant's current suppliers and customers.

The company plans to make significant investments in the facility in the coming years, including adding equipment and technology, as well as product lines.

Grande, established in 1941, is a privately held company based in Lomira, Wisconsin. The company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of fine Italian Cheese and its Custom Ingredients Group is the firm's dairy ingredients business unit.