Wal-Mart has begun the rollout of its much-discussed private label organic milk. The milk, sold under the chain's Great Value label, is produced by Aurora Organic Dairy, Boulder, Colo.

Wal-Marthas begun the rollout of its much-discussed private label organic milk. The milk, sold under the chain's Great Value label, is produced byAurora Organic Dairy, Boulder, Colo.

Original Foods, LLC, of Nebraska has launched "The Original Milk," made from source-verified cows that are free of added hormones. The skim, 2% and chocolate milks are sold in half-gallon biodegradable corn-based plastic bottles in Hy-Vee Supermarkets in major Nebraska markets. The company also plans to expand its natural offerings to other food products, including cheese, beef and specialty milk that are designed to address health conditions

Groupe Danonesays sales in the nine-month period through September were up 9.1%, to about $13.6 billion (E10.8B). Sales in the third quarter totaled $4.5 billion (E3.6B), representing like-for-like sales growth in the period of 9.5%, ahead of the Reuters poll consensus for 8.1%. Danone said it expects organic sales growth for the full year to be above 8%, with earnings growth above 15%.

Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Holdingshas promoted Rhonda Ramlo to executive v.p. of sales and distribution, leading Dreyer's 4,300-employee sales and distribution organization. She replaces Tom Delaplane, a 23-year Dreyer's veteran who is departing the ice cream company. Ramlo joined Dreyer's in 1994 as dir. of strategic sales development.

The National Hockey League season is under way, andPerry's Ice Cream, Akron, N.Y., is again the "Official Ice Cream of the Buffalo Sabres." The ongoing partnership includes a number of special promotions. Perry's Ice Cream sponsored a recent Sabres home game against the New York Rangers, distributing free samples to kids and offering fans a chance to score a year's supply of ice cream during the game.

Publix Supermarkets, only recently recognized by a grocery trade magazine as one of the top food retailers in the country, was also singled out for its customer service by Corporate Research International RealPeopleRatings.com survey. Publix was the only supermarket chain among companies like Southwest Airlines, and Subway restaurants that received the highest ratings based on real consumer experiences.

The Walt Disney Co.will begin serving more nutritionally balanced meals at its domestic theme parks and will sign movie and other endorsement deals only with restaurants that limit fat and sugar in menu items, the company said recently. Trans fats will be eliminated from meals at domestic parks by the end of next year.

Meanwhile, inPlano, Texas, the local school board has decided to ignore state and Federal government edicts (and live without the attendant funding) to maintain its freedom to serve Big Grab chip bags, and other oversized helpings of low-nutrition treats. At least four other Texas school districts have done the same thing, saying they need to offer high school students the kind of food they will buy, or fast food chains will.

Whole Foods Marketrecently introduced its private label, 365 Organic Everyday Value organic milk in most of its stores nationwide. The milk is produced and distributed regionally throughout the United States as close as possible to the markets in which it is sold, by a cooperative of organic farmers dedicated to pasture-based dairy production.