Mediterranean historic heritage, Karoun dairy "LAITERIE KAROUN" was established in Beirut, in 1931, by Ohannes Baghdassarian who, appropriately, chose as the company's name and trademark the Armenian word for springtime.
KAROUN became a pioneer in the Middle Eastern dairy industry.
Initially a small-scale manual operation, the dairy steadily improved the production methods by applying up to date science
& technology.
After world war two KAROUN invented a new
process to produce hygienically and industrially the very popular product in the
Middle-East:
yogurt drink.This production method, still in use now, made
KAROUN the preeminent brand for drinking yogurt.
In 1952, KAROUN DAIRY introduced pasteurization and began to home deliver fresh pasteurized milk in glass bottles in addition to distributing handmade cheeses and all natural yogurts produced by Karoun dairy - yogurt, laban, labne, drinking yogurt, whip cream, cheese and butter, to hotels and restaurants in Beirut, and some retail stores in Karoun's neighborhood.
KAROUN owned also a retail store in the central district of Beirut specialized in Karoun's own products and some other
related products.
In 1963 the distribution system was entirely reorganized to cover the
totality of Lebanon: Karoun dairy's own fleet of delivery vans distributed KAROUN products
exclusively to retailers, hotels and restaurants.
KAROUN Dairy was the first to introduce in Lebanon the one-way plastic containers in 1968 replacing the returnable glass
bottles of fresh milk and drinking laban.
It was also a pioneer in introducing the round plastic cups replacing the jars of clay of yogurt.
The same year KAROUN DAIRY began to market for the first time in Lebanon yogurt with real fruits under the brand
"YOFRUIT".
In 1971, Mr. Ara Baghdassarian the owner's son took over marketing and administration.
As demand for Karoun dairy historic Middle Eastern cheeses and yogurts continued to exceed output despite several increases in capacity, it was decided to undertake yet another expansion: to incorporate the firm and erect a new plant. Thus Ara Baghdassarian, Alice and Khatchik Khatchadourian founded in 1972 KAROUN DAIRIES SAL.
KAROUN DAIRIES is a practitioner of product innovation that relies
heavily on benefit segmentation. It enters markets by introducing a new product
with a new benefit rather than launching a me-too product. All KAROUN products
have different backgrounds.
In 1996, for the first time in Lebanon, KAROUN introduced laban, labne and
drinking laban in NO FAT- NO SALT varieties.
In 2007,
KAROUN DAIRIES INC. registered in New Brunswick, began operations supplying Near Eastern cheeses to retailers
in Canada. Braided String Cheese, Akawi, Nabulsi and other specialty cheeses are
produced in the traditional artisan Middle Eastern way from first quality
Canadian cow milk.
In 2008, KAROUN DAIRIES S.A.L. licensed to, KARLACTI, Inc., a USA corporation, its logo, trade dress, processes and formulae.
Our products are now on the US market!
The Original KAROUN DAIRIES SAL endorses all KARLACTI brand products which are
under its constant supervision.
KARLACTI, Inc. is the sole licensee of KAROUN DAIRIES SAL in USA.
KAROUN DAIRIES' objective has always been to make available to every individual fresh dairy products of premium quality by
applying hygienic practices.
The Chairman-CEO, ARA BAGHDASSARIAN, was:
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Industrial Research Institute (IRI)
- Treasurer and
President of the Strategies, Planning and Scientific Research Commission
of the Syndicate of the Lebanese Food Industries (SLFI)
- Member of the Lebanese Higher Council of Agro-Industries
- Member of the Lebanese-Syrian Commission of Food Production
- Vice President of the Vocational and Technical School for Food Industries
