Families are getting smaller and more mobile. Springfield, Mo.-based Hiland Dairy’s response is to offer milk in Multi-Paks. Available in 2% white or whole chocolate milk varieties, the individual bottles come in packs of six in both 9- and 16-oz sizes. Similar to the price of bottled water, Hiland Dairy’s Multi-Paks gives you a thirst-quenching, nutrient-packed treat. 

Specialty Desserts Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., brings holiday spirit to Americans’ freezers with the introduction of an array of holiday-themed frozen novelties. Frosty Snowmen are 2.5-oz of chocolate and vanilla ice cream in the shape of a snowman, while Merry Mint Trees are 2.5 oz of mint ice cream shaped as trees and decorated with candy sprinkles. Both of these treats are sold in packs of eight. Gingerbread Men are vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two gingerbread-flavored cookies. The 3-oz sandwiches are sold in packs of six. Flaming Ice Cream Snowballs are premium vanilla ice cream rolled in coconut flakes. There are four 4.5-oz balls in each box, which includes candles for lighting.

From Wisconsin’s self-proclaimed “Cheese Curd Capital” comes a first-of-its-kind: Snack and Curd Cups. In an attempt to match on-the-go lifestyles with an on-the-go snack option, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Ellsworth, Wis., pairs its 100% all-natural premium Cheddar cheese curds with an award-winning snacking sausage. The curds and sausage bites come in 4-oz cups in 12-pack display boxes making them ideal for convenience-stores, deli counters, concession stands and more. The product has a six-month, refrigerated, unopened shelflife.


While Americans await Obama to take office in January, there’s another new president making an inaugural debut. This one hails from France and knows that the secret to influencing the decision-making process of Americans is to target their taste buds. How? With a creamy, delicious-tasting new brie that will have voters racing to the polls-or at least their supermarkets! It’s the new President Brie Log, which is brie cheese in a unique  6-oz log shape that is perfect for holiday entertaining. It’s easy to slice, easy to serve and easy to eat, yet it offers the same premium taste and high quality that consumers expect from President-brand brie. Deliciously creamy with a thin edible rind, each slice of the new brie log is perfect for crackers or bread, with a sweet or savory topping, or simply on its own.


Dairy Foods  now offers Dairy Product Innovations (www.dairyfoods.com/dpi), an e-newsletter focused on new dairy products and new products and services from dairy industry suppliers. Subscribers receive Dairy Product Innovations monthly with the occasional special installation or themed issue focusing on specific niches like artisan cheese or organic and natural foods. To subscribe, visit www.dairyfoods.com.

Noteworthy Introductions

Smith Dairy Products Co., Orrville, Ohio, gets in the holiday spirit with Ruggles Candy Cane Holiday Edition Ice Cream. The flavor mixes red peppermint candy into cool peppermint ice cream.

Deck the halls with bowls of Tillamook Tilla-Mint ice cream, from Tillamook County Creamery Association, Tillamook, Ore. The flavor intersperses creamy mint ice cream with cool mint morsels.

Chick-fil-A, Atlanta, welcomes the holiday season with a new Peppermint Chocolate Chip Hand-Spun Milkshake that is a limited-time flavor from November 3 to January 3.

International

To better compete against other food and beverage categories, dairy processors have sought to make their products for teens and tweens more exciting, fun and unexpected. Yoplait successfully adopted that strategy in the United States with Fizzix-a carbonated yogurt snack. That dairy-carbonation technology has now extended to beverages in France with the introduction of Dizzy. Yoplait’s carbonated dairy drink looks more like a soda or energy drink than a dairy beverage, and is designed to appeal to the product’s core audience of 15- to 25-year-olds. The product further stands out by its innovative aluminum bottle.

In Germany, Hochland Bauernhof has taken a clever approach to child-friendly cheese. It recently launched cheese slices for children that have animal designs pressed into each slice.

Germany’s Schwälbchen has launched Meine Creme (My Cream), which was developed by national star chef Johann Lafer. This line of high-end creams is oriented to consumers who want premium ingredients that promise restaurant-quality taste and texture.

Focus on Juices, Drinks and Waters

Many of today’s juices are all about color, and what that color delivers in terms of antioxidants and vitamins. For example, Leading Brands Inc., Vancouver, Canada, introduces PureBlue SuperJuice. This 100% juice blend of wild blueberries, varietal grapes and black currants comes in a 10-oz bottle and claims to contain 750mg of polyphenols.

Ted Farnsworth, CEO of Purple Beverage Co., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., says, “Today’s consumers are very savvy. They’re looking for healthful benefits but want great taste as well.”

Farnsworth’s innovation is Purple, a beverage that combines seven of the planet’s most antioxidant-rich fruit juices: acai, black cherry, black current, blueberry, cranberry, pomegranate and purple plum.

When asked how he came up with the name Purple, Farnsworth explains, “It is not just because of the drink’s color. In fact, it is really due to the fact that purple pigment in the fruit provides the highest degree of antioxidant benefit, so it just seemed natural to simply call our new beverage Purple.”


Vitamin + Fiber Water, Hayward, Calif., introduces a line of namesake enriched waters. Vitamin + Fiber Water boasts more than 7g of fiber in every bottle and has a high content of vitamins A, C and select Bs. The waters come in six flavors: Guava Groove, Lychee Luv, Mellow Mango, OrangeUHappy, Peach Ecstasy and Pomehydrate.


NBI Juiceworks, Orlando, Fla., expands its Drenchers juice line with a variety called Power. This orange-crème-flavored 100% juice packs a powerful punch of ingredients recognized for increasing energy and enhancing strength. Power is made with Bodyguard, the company’s proprietary combination of proteins, vitamins and minerals designed to enhance and refuel muscles.

“A healthy meal in a bottle-Power contains nonfat milk and whey and is a great source of protein,” says Chris New, founder, chairman and CEO of NBI Juiceworks.

Each 8-oz serving of Power has 210 calories, delivers 20g protein and contains two servings of fruit. Available in shelf-stable 12-oz and 64-oz bottles, Drenchers Power also contains a variety of energy-enhancing ingredients including, L-arginine, creatine and glutamine.

Venga functional infusions are the next-generation of ready-to-drink, non-carbonated, functional beverages made from exotic juices, select teas, vitamins and more. Marketed by Beverage Innovations Inc., Delray Brach, Fla., there are six Venga varieties. One offering-Daily Dose-contains about 4% skim milk, along with passionfruit and pink guava juices and rooibos tea. It is described as a delicious way to ensure you get all essential vitamins every day. It is also charged with the healing powers of aloe vera. The other five varieties are: Brainstorm, Calorie Burn, Energize, Health&Zen and Rehydrate.

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