Swiss dairy firm Emmi has reported net sales growth of 6.1% in its financial year 2020, to CHF3.72 billion (€3.4 billion).

Organic sales increased by 1.9% in this period, above its forecast of between 0.5% and 1.5%.

Sales in the company’s Swiss arm comprised 45.5 % of the total group sales, amounting to CHF1.7 billion (€1.6 billion), up 0.7% compared to 2019.

In the first six months of the year, the division saw a boost in sales, driven by the pandemic.

The second half was dominated by several factors inhibiting sales, including, among others, increased demand for imported dairy products.

Organic sales of dairy products in the division declined by 0.1%, while cheese sales saw organic growth of 2.4%.

The fresh products segment saw organic sales up by 2.0%, with Emmi Caffè Latte and Emmi Energy Milk performing exceptionally well.

Performance In Europe

In Europe, the company witnessed robust growth, with sales amounting to CHF630.7 million (€583.3 million), up 6.4% year-on-year, comprising 17.0% of group sales.

The fresh products segment, the largest in terms of sales, saw organic growth of 3.5%, driven by the sales of Emmi Caffè Latte in the UK, Austria and Germany, Italian speciality desserts and Onken yoghurts.

The cheese segment saw organic growth of 9% due to increased sales of Kaltbach, fondue and Swiss cheese varieties in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK.

The dairy products segment saw organic growth of 8.0%, mainly due to the coronavirus driving up demand for organic dairy products from Gläserne Molkerei in Germany.

The company’s European division comprises Emmi Group companies in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, Austria, Lácteos Caprinos in Spain (sold on 18 December 2020) and Belgium.

American Business Division

The company’s American division generated sales worth CHF1.3 billion (€1.2 billion) in 2020, up 15.0% year-on-year.

Chile and Tunisia contributed to a significant jump in demand for basic products, with the dairy products segment seeing organic growth of 12.3%.

The company’s American business unit includes the Emmi Group companies in the US, Spain (excluding Lácteos Caprinos S.A.), Chile, Brazil, Tunisia, France, Mexico and Canada.