As for the dairy complex (cheese, butter and casein), it became important in the 1960s and 1970s and became one of the leading centres of dairy production in Aunis. At the same time: ""in 1958, there were more than 15 larger cooperative dairy factories in the départment, with more than 30,000 hl of milk treated per year"". In this period of rapid development, the dairy factory at "Aigrefeuille" joined the powerful regional dairy union UCLA, but faced increasing competition and European restrictions on the PAC dairy quotas in France. The dairy factory was completely rebuilt and modernised in 1958 yet had to cease all activities in 1981 in favour of that at "Surgères" which became the main centre of all dairy production in the Central West of France.