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America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

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Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#3
A counterpoint: these companies were recently bought by private equity firm KKR Co, the same company that loaded up Toys 'R Us with debt and then liquidated it. https://mobile.twitter.com/rhinosoros/status/121424602712711... This bankruptcy filling might just be negotiation in the courts to reduce pension obligations.

Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#4
post #2

The invisible hand at play, specially if it is true that plant based milk are taking away market share from the milk industry. Hope the government doesn't bail out or protect the industry against what the free market demands.

What I've heard is people drink less milk but eat more cheese. I think the plant milk substitutes for cheese are not quite there.

Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#5
post #2

The invisible hand at play, specially if it is true that plant based milk are taking away market share from the milk industry. Hope the government doesn't bail out or protect the industry against what the free market demands.

Whole milk is still recommended by pediatricians for toddlers, I imagine plant based milk is not nutritionally equivalent.

Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#6
post #5
post #2

The invisible hand at play, specially if it is true that plant based milk are taking away market share from the milk industry. Hope the government doesn't bail out or protect the industry against what the free market demands.

Whole milk is still recommended by pediatricians for toddlers, I imagine plant based milk is not nutritionally equivalent.

We use pea milk with our kids because they're lactose intolerant. Pediatrician recommended as long as they're getting more protein and fat elsewhere in their diet (which they do). It doesn't hurt that peas don't care how they're raised and treated to produce milk.

Dairy milk is not nutritionally necessary in any age cohort. If you enjoy it, that's fine of course, but it isn't required if you don't.

Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#7
post #4
post #2

The invisible hand at play, specially if it is true that plant based milk are taking away market share from the milk industry. Hope the government doesn't bail out or protect the industry against what the free market demands.

What I've heard is people drink less milk but eat more cheese. I think the plant milk substitutes for cheese are not quite there.

Not for hard cheeses, and they're not doing a good job mimicking the flavors, but there's some really good soft cashew cheeses these days -- and it's not very processed either.

Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#8
post #3

A counterpoint: these companies were recently bought by private equity firm KKR Co, the same company that loaded up Toys 'R Us with debt and then liquidated it. https://mobile.twitter.com/rhinosoros/status/121424602712711... This bankruptcy filling might just be negotiation in the courts to reduce pension obligations.

Given that milk consumption has only gone down 1% / year over the last 5 years, which isn't dire, I believe it.

Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#9
post #3

A counterpoint: these companies were recently bought by private equity firm KKR Co, the same company that loaded up Toys 'R Us with debt and then liquidated it. https://mobile.twitter.com/rhinosoros/status/121424602712711... This bankruptcy filling might just be negotiation in the courts to reduce pension obligations.

Yep. PE loot on solid business.

Re: America's Biggest Milk Producers Are Going Bankrupt

#10
The title of the article states that milk producers are "going bankrupt," but then cites the rising costs of raw milk, which seems like a good thing for a milk producer.

So I look up the company on wikipedia and Borden Dairy is a processor & distributor, not a producer.

Furthermore, "employee pension obligations" being cited as a primary cause of bankruptcy without any more details raises a red flag for me. This article sounds more like they're reporting on the press release of some kind of corporate raiders than journalism.

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