| Extra info | The establishment of Industrias Lácteas Leonesas S.A. (ILLSA) occurred on July 10, 1945. Dairy entrepreneurs Garcia Lorenzana, and widow of Martin Rubio Hail decided together to create the company, which would be the seed of the multinational Kraft company in Spain.
Three years after its creation, despite the limitations of financial resources, the developers acquired land behind the Hostal San Marcos (León) to build the factory and offices.
During the fifties, the plant produced condensed milk and began the popular sterilized milk brand, Aly in glass bottles. Later, Alycao, and other pasteurized milk products were made.
During those years the company obtained the raw material through three factories located in the mountains of León: Vegamián, Carmens and Villafeliz of Bahia, in addition to the town of Guzman Toral.
Increased production forced employers to remodel the old factory in 1962 to accommodate the new equipment, launching new production lines. That same year, a collection center was purchased in the Asturian town of Cancienes. An operation was repeated a year later with the acquisition of Farm Arjeriz in the province of Lugo, where cheeses are also manufactured.
In 1965, a new factory in Orbigo Hospital was built and began production on February 15, 1966.
In 1968 the American multinational company Kraft acquired ILLSA along with 250 employees and all its wide commercial network.
The first production of the new company, Kraft-Leonesas, SA occurred in Jannuary 7, 1969, with the start of production of mayonnaise, sliced Velveta cheese.
The development of new products created a need to expand the factory Órbigo Hospital in 1970. New products were launched on the market and they inlcuded natural cheese cubes, slices and bars,
After 10 years since the acquisition of Dairy Industries Leonesas by Kraft, the multinational company had tripled revenues to 2,000 million pesetas
At this point, the factory made the decision to return to the market of sterilized milk. The year 1978 was also crucial in that the plant started manufacturing Philadelphia Órbigo cheese, already produced for years in other European facilities.
In 1984 a packaged natural cheese was manufactured under the name Quintana and was followed by another fresh cheese sold under the brand, Mama Luise. . Increased production forced the company to reopen the old León plant in 1981.
At present, the most important product manufactured is Philadelphia cream cheese, mayonnaise and Tang. |
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