New ideas in milk, cheese and ice cream were the top dairy stories in March

The president of Bel Brands USA is a Frenchman who told Dairy Foods that he likes the Mini Babybel cheeses produced in South Dakota. But what matters most is that consumers are buying it.

These were the most-viewed stories by visitors to dairyfoods.com in the month of March:

Fairlife introduces new high-protein milk with a series of racy ads

In February 2014, fairlife LLC introduced a high-protein ultra-filtered milk to the Minneapolis market using a series of racy ads featuring glamorous women in pin-up poses dressed only in milk. It has discontinued that campaign.Continue reading.

Bel Brands invests $144 million in a plant to make Mini Babybel cheeses in South Dakota

Even though consumers are concentrated on the East and West Coasts, Bel Brands USA located the plant in South Dakota because of the ready milk supply and because of the talent at South Dakota State University. The university provides technical expertise and research capabilities, not to mention a well-educated workforce.

The plant uses state-of-the-art and proprietary manufacturing processes developed in Bel’s Evron, France facility. The South Dakota facility measures 350 meters long (382 yards, or about the length of four football fields). Continue reading.

One size yogurt container does not fit all

Single-serve yogurt containers can range from 5.3 ounce sizes (the typical size of your standard Greek yogurt container), 6-ounces (found in many non-Greek yogurt forms) and even 8-ounce sizes (like Bellvue, Colo.-based Noosa yogurts). Shapes come in all sorts — standard cup, short and wide cup, fluted and sidecar, to name a few.Continue reading.

Flavors (and inclusions) rule the ice cream market

Sweet and salty, heat paired with sweet, exotic flavor combinations, alcohol-inspired flavors, and a slew of new limited-edition/seasonal flavors — these are just some of the flavor trends making their way through the ice cream aisles. Ice cream processors are looking for flavor inspiration in a variety of places, from restaurants and chefs to bars and coffee shops Continue reading.

Bel Brands has big plans for its Babybel cheese

Dairy Foods Editor-in-chief Jim Carper spoke with Frederic Nalis, the president of Bel Brands USA. Nalis said that if Bel Brands USA sales can increase from $350 million to $700 million in 10 years, “we will be satisfied.” Continue reading.