US dairy co-op Dairy Farmers of America has bought Hispanic cheese business Castro Cheese Co. in its first move into the “ethnic” dairy category.

DFA said Castro Cheese, which the co-op has acquired for an undisclosed sum, owns the “strong national brand” of La Vaquita, which complements its own status as a farmer-owned business.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

“La Vaquita is an established national brand with a reputation for quality that complements DFA’s dairy farmer ownership and the farm-based heritage of many of its cheese and butter brands,” said John Stephens, chief operating officer for the consumer brands unit of the co-op’s global dairy products group.

DFA said it would retain Castro Cheese’s 72 staff and added that the business would continue to be led by operating executive Alberto Bandera.

“Our new relationship with DFA is an exciting new chapter in our history,” Bandera said.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact