The dairy market in Latin America is witnessing a growing milk production. In 2018, South America milk production rose by a slight 1.1% from 2017, to reach 64 million tonnes. The milk production is expected to continue growing in countries like Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Uruguay. However, the milk output in Brazil, a major player in the region, is expected to decline due to truckers’ strike in May which disrupted feed delivery and milk collection. In 2018, the milk output in Brazil was 34.9 million tonnes, a drop of 1.1% from 2017. This decline in Brazil might affect the dairy market in the region.
Latin America Dairy Market Segmentation
Dairy and its products make an essential part of the daily balanced diet. Dairy products contain important nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, protein, potassium and others. They are a rich source of calcium with cheese being especially rich in proteins. They are finding uses in the food and beverage, infant nutrition and sports nutrition sectors, among others.Market Breakup by Product
- Fluid/UHT/Flavoured Milk
- Cream
- Butter
- Anhydrous Milk Fat (AMF)
- Skimmed Milk Powder /Non-fat Dry Milk
- Whole Milk Powder
- Whey Protein (Powder and Concentrate)
- Lactose
- Casein
- Cheese
- Yoghurt
- Ice-cream
- Probiotic Dairy Products
Market Breakup by Structure
- Co-Operative Dairies
- Private Dairies
Market Breakup by Region
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Colombia
Market Analysis
The Latin America dairy market is driven by the rapidly growing urbanisation and the rise of the emerging markets. With an increasing health consciousness among the consumers, there has been a growing demand for dairy nutrition, which are low in calorie and are lactose-free. The increasingly busy schedules of the consumers are also leading to a rising demand for convenient and on-the-go products like yoghurt. With the expansion of dairy distribution channels like convenience stores and supermarkets, the markets for packaged milk and single serve drinking yoghurt bottles are expected to grow in the coming years in the region.Cheese is one of the leading products in the Latin America region along with milk and yoghurt. The cheese trade in South America saw a growth of 5.7% in 2018, as compared to the previous year. The export of dairy products from Uruguay and Argentina is expected to expand in the coming years. Despite the drought conditions experienced by Argentina in early 2018, the country witnessed a 7% growth in its dairy exports from 2017 to reach 10.8 million tons in 2018. The reducing cow herd size since 2012 in the country is being offset by the higher milk yields per cow.
Brazil is a leading market in the region and any changes in the market affects the Latin America dairy market as a whole. In Brazil, there has been a rising demand for traditional dairy products like requeijão cheese, driving the demand for processed cheese. Milk is a major product consumed in the region as a daily staple food across income groups. However, due to the feed supply shortage caused by the truckers’ s strike, milk yields in the country will take time to recover. The growth of the cheese market in the country will also be affected due to the reduced milk output.
Price Analysis
In 2017, the average price of dairy export rose by 31% as compared to 2016. This was due to the rise in export prices between May to September 2017 owing to a tightened supply from major producing countries in Europe and South America along with an increase in the demand for dairy products in Asia. The dairy prices, however, started to decrease in the last quarter of 2017 with an increase in supplies from leading producing nations.The report analyses the regional price trends in the Latin America dairy market.
Competitive Landscape
The report presents a detailed analysis of the following key players in the Latin America dairy market, covering their market share, capacities, and latest turn of events such as capacity expansions, plant turnarounds, and mergers and acquisitions:- SanCor United Cooperatives Limited
- Mastellone Hermanos SA
- Nestle S.A.
- Lactalis Group
- Alpina SA
- Lacteos Betania SA
Table of Contents
Companies Mentioned
The key companies featured in this Latin America Dairy market report include:- Nestlé S.A.
- SanCor United Cooperatives Limited
- LACTEOS BETANIA SA
- Lactalis Group
- Alpina SA
- Mastellone Hnos SA
Table Information
Report Attribute | Details |
---|---|
No. of Pages | 132 |
Published | August 2025 |
Forecast Period | 2025 - 2034 |
Estimated Market Value ( USD | $ 54.3 Billion |
Forecasted Market Value ( USD | $ 84.33 Billion |
Compound Annual Growth Rate | 4.5% |
Regions Covered | Latin America |
No. of Companies Mentioned | 7 |