French dairy giant Lactalis has taken a majority stake in the Lebanese distribution company Hanilor.

The Lebanese company specialises in the distribution of Lactalis’ Smeds-brand cheese products, as well as other dairy foods such as butter, cream and powdered milk.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

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

Find out more

The deal strengthens Lactalis’ position in Middle Eastern markets as Hanilor operates not just in its own market but also in Syria, Jordan and Iraq.

The two companies have worked together for about 15 years.

Lactalis was advised by corporate finance law firm DLA Piper on the deal.

In January, Lactalis acquired Siggi’s – the US based maker of Icelandic-style skyr yogurts – for an undisclosed price. The deal increased Lactalis’ exposure to the healthier end of the yogurt market.

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

The previous month the company was reported to be lining up a deal to buy Brazilian counterpart Itambé Alimentos before a Brazilian court issued an injunction to suspend the sale.

just-food has asked Lactalis for more information on the Hanilor deal.

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