Irvine, Calif.-based Golden State Foods, a large diversified supplier to the foodservice and retail industries, announced the promotion of Chad Buechel to president of KanPak U.S., Wichita, Kan. Buechel will be responsible for all aspects of KanPak's U.S. business, including its production of more than 18 million gallons of dairy products each year.
Organic Valley, La Farge, Wis., announced the appointment of Joseph Eagleeye as chief financial officer of CROPP Cooperative. With more than 25 years of experience and financial data expertise, Eagleeye brings an expanded focus on analytics to leading the cooperative’s finance division. He joined CROPP Cooperative in 2017, most recently serving as vice president of business insight and data science.
Foremost Farms USA, Baraboo, Wis., said it plans to close its Chilton, Wis., manufacturing facility in July 2020. Built in the 1940s, the Chilton plant makes Italian cheeses, including provolone, which is sold into the foodservice market for sandwiches.
“Closing the facility is difficult for us,” said Greg Schlafer, president and CEO. “But in looking at our operations holistically, we don’t think making long-term investments in the plant make strategic sense for our network,” he said. “We have other plants with upgraded technology and optimized logistics that will drive significant cost efficiencies.”
Borden Dairy said it was awarded the USDA’s largest contract through the agency’s new Farmers to Families Food Box Program as part of the Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program (CFAP). The contract will enable Borden to supply 700 million servings of fresh fluid milk for free to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.
Through the CFAP, USDA is purchasing and distributing up to $3 billion of agricultural products, including fresh produce, dairy and meat, to those in need. Dallas-based Borden will supply milk to consumers in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest regions, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Alden’s Organic, a brand of Eugene, Ore.-based Oregon Ice Cream Co., said it expanded to e-commerce, making all 46 SKUs of its ice cream and frozen novelty products available for online ordering. The brand partnered with Healthy Goodness, a frozen food fulfillment service specializing in natural foods, to facilitate online orders and shipping.
In light of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA), Harrisburg, Pa., said it will transition the 2020 NFRA Convention to a virtual format over the same scheduled dates, Oct. 19-20, 2020. Those interested in attending may check the convention website at NFRAConvention.org for the most current information.
The Global Cold Chain Alliance said Matthew Ott, CAE, was named the organization's new president and CEO. Ott succeeds Corey Rosenbusch, who left the association earlier this year to take the helm as president and CEO of the Fertilizer Institute.
Chicago-based Blommer Chocolate Co., the largest cocoa processor and ingredient chocolate supplier in North America, said David Meggs was named the company’s chief commercial officer. Meggs joined Blommer three years ago as the vice president of sales and marketing. As part of his new role, Meggs also will lead the research and development function, which is a critical driver of Blommer’s commercial growth strategy.
Malt Products Corporation, a Saddle Brook, N.J.-based manufacturer of malted barley extract and other natural nutritious sweeteners, said it designed an innovations lab to help its food and beverage industry customers test ingredients, experiment with new formulations and gain insight into critical flavor and stability properties. The lab will be used for a wide variety of products, as well as further the company’s push into the burgeoning plant-based proteins sector.
Good Planet Foods, a Bellevue, Wash.-headquartered producer of meltable plant-based cheese alternatives, said it raised $12 million in a Series A funding round. The funding round was led by Cleveland Avenue and joined by GreatPoint Ventures, Tasseo Consumer, Stray Dog Capital and Lever VC. The most recent round of funding will support the company's continued growth within the industry.
Ingredion Incorporated, a Westchester, Ill.-based global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, said it signed a strategic distribution agreement with Batory Foods, Rosemont, Ill. The arrangement consolidates Ingredion’s distributor voice in Southern California to help food and beverage manufacturers get the ingredients they need to produce and bring their products to market, faster. Batory Foods will become the authorized licensed distributor of Ingredion’s ingredient solutions in Southern California.
The KHS Group, Dortmund, Germany, said it invested 20 million euros in modernizing its headquarters. The provider of filling and packaging systems for the beverage industry built an approximately 4,300-square-meter production shop and fully renovated another.
As the demand for its inspection and detection machines and other products continues to grow — and to make business easier — Schönberg, Germany-based Sesotec GmbH said its business in Canada, previously supported administratively by the Sesotec subsidiary in Chicago, will now be conducted independently via Sesotec Canada. Sesotec Canada is headquartered in Guelph, Ontario.
Eriez President and CEO Lukas Guenthardt announced the promotion of Jaisen Kohmuench to the position of vice president – international. Kohmuench has been with Erie, Pa.-based Eriez since 2000, serving most recently as senior director of Asia-Pacific operations and strategy with responsibility for Eriez’ subsidiaries in China, Japan and Australia.
Barentz International, distributor of life science ingredients headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, said it acquired Chicago-based Ingredients Inc., a developer and supplier of ingredients to food and beverage, pet food and nutraceutical manufacturers.
