The Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B in March launched its own line of organic products, including dairy. The San Antonio-based firm is offering string cheese along with produce, beef and staples such as canned tomatoes and vegetables. All H-E-B Organics products are USDA certified organic, which prohibits the use of GMOs. H-E-B, with sales of more than $20 billion, operates more than 350 stores in Texas and Mexico.
SnackHealthy Inc., Jupiter, Fla., said its export division Healthient has purchased $7.3 million of O Organic milk (a brand of the grocery retailer Safeway) to sell throughout China. Lucerne Foods, a subsidiary of Safeway Inc., operates 32 plants in the U.S. and Canada. Shipments were expected to begin in May.
Denali Flavors, Wayland, Mich., developer of the Moose Tracks flavor of ice cream, introduced its own brand of novelty products (ice cream sandwiches and bars) in February. They are available at Meijer and other retailers across the United States.
T. Marzetti Co., Columbus, Ohio, said its Simply Dressed Light Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing was named one of Parents magazine’s top picks for the “2014 Best Packaged Foods.” The dressing is made with yogurt. T. Marzetti is a subsidiary of Lancaster Colony Corp.
Dairy cooperative California Dairies Inc. said it will increase its processing capacity with the addition of a third evaporator at its Visalia plant to produce value-added milk powders for export. The evaporator is expected to be online February 2016.
Entries in the 2014 World Championship Cheese Contest were a record 2,615 from 22 nations around the world, according to the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, host of the competition.
Saputo Inc., Montreal, appointed Paul Corney president and chief operating officer of its Dairy Foods Division (USA). Corney has been with Saputo since 2001 and has served as senior vice president - national retail sales, Dairy Division (Canada).
Carol L. Christison, the longtime president of the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association, passed away on March 4. She joined the International Cheese & Deli Association (which became known as IDDBA) in 1982 and led the associations for 31 years.