VISITUS - Food Business Gulf & Middle East

30ARGENTINE UPDATEA LEADER IN THEARGENTINEANDAIRY INDUSTRYSucesores de Alfredo Williner S.A, basedin Argentina plays a leading role in theproduction and supply of dairy products.The company grew in a region that hasbeen economically and socially based on thesettlement of European immigrants who arrivedat the end of the 18th and the beginning of the19th centuries. These immigrants colonized theregion with deep values of sacrifice, work,honesty and community participation.Jose Maria Williner was one of thesepioneers, a determined person and lover ofprogress, who was born in Switzerland andcame all the way down to Argentina at the endof the 19th century. After many years of hardwork, Jose Maria managed to own severaldairy farms and pursued a dream: tomanufacture the best dairy products in thecountry.His wish was carried forward by his son,Alfredo, a visionary who in 1928 laid downthe foundations of the company and began toprocess the milk from his dairy farms in a tinyfactory in Bella Italia, a small town in Santa FeProvince.At present, this family enterprise operatesfive manufacturing plants, which are located inthe midwest of Santa Fe Province, a land that,due to the quality of its soils, varied climateand excellent pastures, allows for an ongoingquantitative and qualitative development ofdairy production.The plant processes 440 million liters of milkwhich are transformed into a varied line ofproducts marketed under the trademarks'ilolay', “ilolay vita” and “ilolay kids”.Williner has always shown a strongcommitment to quality. By strictly complyingwith international standards and GoodManufacturing Practices, it has become the firstdairy industry in the country to ensureconsistent quality from dairy farms tosupermarket shelves.The company has always managed tocombine distance, work, efficiency and service.Thus, it guarantees distribution all over thecountry through its 9 points of sale and anetwork of over 50 strategically locateddistributors and representatives.The high quality and worldwide acceptanceof Williner's products have allowed thecompany to gain access to internationalmarkets, servicing clients through its ForeignTrade Department and exporting to more than40 different countries. The company has anannual turnover of more than 180 milliondollars.Williner Group has also its own dairy farms,which account for about 20% of the total litersprocessed by the dairy industry, thus becomingone of the largest milk producers in LatinAmerica.High degree proved genetics is used in thesedairy farms. Feeding is basically done bymeans of grazing, strategically supplementedwith silage and high-protein high-energy byproducts.FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2012