According to the Milwaukee-based Business Journal, Montreal manufacturer Saputo has acquired Wisconsin's DCI Cheese Company Inc. for a purchase price of $270M. (DCI itself does sales on the order of $470M.)

DCI's brand names include County Line, Great Midwest, Joan of Arc, King's Choice, Nikkos, Salemville, il Giardino and Organic Creamery. Products are also sold under private labels.

Saputo is the 12th-largest dairy processor in the world, selling products in more than 40 countries under brand names that include Saputo, Alexis de Portneuf, Armstrong, Baxter, Dairyland, Dragone, DuVillage 1860, Frigo Cheese Heads, Kingsey, Neilson, Stella and Treasure Cave.

Does Saputo's growth-by-acquisition show a resurgence in confidence in the US market?