Idaho Milk Products, Jerome, Idaho, said it will be offering virtual tours of its Milk Innovation Center that includes a state-of-the-art processing area, an instrumental lab and a multipurpose room for product evaluations and conferencing. The virtual tours will primarily focus on the process formulations for ready-to-drink beverages, protein bars and ice cream. This addition provides customers with the ability to work directly with the Idaho Milk Products research and innovation team to build custom applications and work on new product developments based on their individual needs.
Minerva Dairy, Minerva, Ohio, said its products will soon be available in nearly 100 Whole Foods Market locations spread across the country’s South and mid-Atlantic regions. Beginning July 15, Minerva Dairy items will start appearing for the first time in Whole Foods Market locations in the South. While some Minerva Dairy products already are sold in Whole Foods Market stores in the mid-Atlantic region, the retailer will add additional Minerva Dairy products to its shelves in these locations sometime in August.
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association Inc., a Reston, Va.-based dairy cooperative, said it awarded $7,500 in scholarships to 10 deserving students pursuing careers in the dairy industry. Five students each received a $1,000 scholarship, and five additional students each received a $500 scholarship. The scholarships will help to offset college expenses for the 2020-2021 academic year. The recipients were selected based on their resume and cover letter, answers to dairy industry questions, academic achievements and career ambitions.
Chobani awarded eight $20,000 scholarships to eight students to attend the University of Idaho and Cornell University. The Chobani Scholars program was established in 2018 and funds these scholarships annually ($5,000 per year, per student). The scholarships are for Idaho and New York students with family connections to dairy farming and who intend to pursue a career in the dairy industry, the Norwich, N.Y.-based company said.
Dairy Council of California, a nutrition education organization headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., announced the launch of Let’s Eat Healthy, a movement that activates the organization’s cause of elevating the health of children and families through the pursuit of healthy eating habits. The Let’s Eat Healthy movement aims to bring educators, health professionals, change-makers and community leaders together to champion community health.
Global public health organization NSF International, Ann Arbor, Mich., said it is taking steps to strengthen and expand its senior leadership team with the promotion of an experienced NSF leader and the appointment of two accomplished executives. Tom Chestnut, formerly vice president of NSF’s Global Food Division, was named vice president and chief operating officer, while Colette LaForce joined NSF as vice president and chief marketing officer, and Joel Schellhammer is serving in the newly created position of vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer.
Cargill, Wayzata, Minn., said it is launching the Cargill Cares Employee Disaster Relief Fund to support employees around the world during times of catastrophic or personal disaster. The resource was established to support the immediate needs of its team during the COVID-19 crisis but will also serve as a long-term resource for future events.
Cargill said is contributing $15 million as an initial start to the fund. The fund will be administered by E4E Relief, an organization that specializes in administering such funds.
Thomas Dean (Tom) Sawvel, 86, founder of Maple Plain, Minn.-based T.D. Sawvel Co. (Sawvel Automation), died June 15 of congestive heart failure. Private services will be held, the company said, and a celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
“He really enjoyed working with all the great people in the dairy industry,” said Troy Sawvel, Tom Sawvel’s son and the company’s president. “He often said it felt like he was making new friends, not finding more customers.”
Admix Inc., a Londonderry, N.H.-based manufacturer of hygienic and industrial mixing equipment serving the food and beverage, chemical/industrial, cosmetic and pharmaceutical markets, announced that its DynaShear inline mixers have been certified by the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group for meeting strict guidelines for hygienic design and cleanability.
Sidel, part of the Pully, Switzerland-based Tetra Laval Group, said it signed an agreement with Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd., Ghana’s largest fully integrated cocoa processor, to advance into previously uncharted territory: beverage production. Niche Cocoa Industry is planning to support Ghana’s School Feeding Programme by providing 5.6 million pupils with ready-to-drink chocolate milk, aseptically packaged in 250-milliliter PET bottles, for 100 school days per year. The company is relying on Sidel’s expertise in aseptic PET bottling, as well as its capabilities in packaging design, to manage a greenfield project.
London-based ingredient company Tate & Lyle PLC announced a $75 million investment in a new natural gas-fired combined heat and power system to deliver significant environmental and economic benefits at its Lafayette South corn wet milling facility in Lafayette, Ind. This investment, announced on World Environment Day, will support the delivery of Tate & Lyle’s ambitious new sustainability targets for 2030, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, eliminating coal from its operations and reducing water use.
Dairy.com, Frisco, Texas, said it acquired Orbis MES, a Dublin, Ireland- based leader in manufacturing execution systems for the food and beverage industry. The move broadens Dairy.com’s portfolio of software solutions that deliver visibility, efficiency and traceability across the entire value chain.
