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Dean Foods sells Waukesha milk plant

As part of its antitrust suit settlement, Dean Foods is selling its Waukesha, Wisconsin milk plant to OpenGate Capital. The plant was part of the deal when Dean bought the consumer products division of Foremost Farms USA in 2009. A federal suit was brought contending the acquisition gave Dean too much control over the retail and wholesale fluid milk business in Wisconsin, Illinois and Upper Michigan especially the school milk business.

As part of the settlement, Dean agreed to sell the Waukesha plant and the Golden Guernsey and La Vaca Bonita brands that go with it. Open Gate Capital says it will work with existing plant management to expand the business and its product offerings. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the third-quarter of this year.

OpenGate Capital describes itself as “a global private equity firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in businesses with solid fundamentals that exhibit opportunities for growth and operational improvements. Established in 2005, OpenGate Capital has a global footprint with headquarters in Los Angeles, California and a principal office in Paris, France.”