South American dairy giant Alpina Foods said it is gearing up to open its first U.S. plant. The plant, located in Batavia, N.Y., initially will boast single-serve traditional and Greek yogurt capabilities when it commences operation in mid-July, according to Carlos Ramirez, CEO and general manager of the U.S. operation.

The new plant will bring a number of advantages to U.S. retailers on both the branded and private label sides, Ramirez told Progressive Grocer’s Store Brands.

“We are a company founded by Swiss entrepreneurs, so we bring European expertise, European roots,” he said. “At the same time, we’ve done a lot of research in the U.S. on consumers, flavors and tastes.”

The new plant will bring with it strong R&D capabilities, too, with the ability to customize products for retailers. Ramirez said Alpina not only will build on the network it developed in Europe, but also will benefit from partnerships established with Cornell University and a major U.S. flavors company.

Along with traditional and Greek yogurt, the Batavia plant will offer a variety of yogurt mix-ins such as granola and the domes to accommodate them, Ramirez said. Flexibility will be a a major plus, as well, he added. The plant has a flexible design that will support both small and large batches, and it can be expanded up to 150,000 square feet.

But perhaps the biggest plus will be the company’s ability to offer retailers a combination branded and prívate label solution within the yogurt category. Alpina aims to propose to retailers that they carry its Revive, Renew and Restart yogurt brands, which are very well known in South America, and also work with the company to develop unique store brand yogurt products.