Ticino dairy Lati closes in the middle of the year
Published: Friday, Jan 12th 2024, 11:20
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The Ticino dairy Latteria del Ticino, Lati for short, is on its last legs. The dairy in Sant'Antonino will close in the middle of the year and several employees will lose their jobs. However, the Lati brand is to be retained.
The closure marks the end of "a piece of history" in the Ticino dairy industry, according to a press release issued on Friday. Despite a restructuring program initiated five years ago, sales had not developed as planned.
On the contrary: from fall 2022, the figures "deteriorated significantly again". In addition, it was not possible to establish Lati products in German-speaking Switzerland.
One of Lati's problems was the high structural costs: At around 4 million kilograms per year, the dairy processed "comparatively little" milk. Transport costs were also high because the plant in Sant' Antonino was "not at the center of milk production in Ticino".
Because the farmers in Ticino are usually out on the pastures with their cows in summer and produce their own alpine cheese there, the dairy often lacked milk in summer. Meanwhile, buying in milk was not an option: "If it says Lati on it, the milk must come from Ticino and also be processed in Ticino," says the press release.
Business is split up
The production of lubricated semi-hard Lati cheese will now be transferred to Caseificio dimostrativo del Gottardo. This involves a volume of around 1.6 million kilos of milk or 140 tons of cheese. Meanwhile, Cetra Alimentari in Mezzovico will take over the trading and packaging operations.
However, it is not yet certain what will happen to the production of soft cheese and drinking milk. The transfer to other milk processors in Ticino is being examined.
According to the information provided, 21 employees and two apprentices are also affected by the end at Lati. Six employees and one apprentice will be taken on by Cetra Alimentari, while two employees and one apprentice will be taken on by Caseificio dimostrativo del Gottardo. However, ten to twelve employees will be made redundant. A social plan will be drawn up for those affected in consultation with the canton.
Back to the roots
The Lati brand is "well and emotionally anchored in the canton of Ticino", according to the press release. It should therefore be returned to its original owner, the Ticino Milk Association. "The Central Switzerland Milk Producers Cooperative ZMP guarantees the Ticino Milk Association and the Ticino dairy farmers the purchase of all milk that cannot be processed in Ticino," it says.
ZMP will take over the milk at the usual market milk prices. For the milk producers in Ticino, there will be no change. They will remain members of their milk association FTPL.
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