According to "The Yogurt Market and Yogurt Innovation, 3rd edition," a January report from the Packaged Facts division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com, U.S. retail yogurt sales reached almost $9 billion in 2017. Sales of the creamy cultured dairy product increased at a compound annual growth rate of 2% between 2012 and 2017.

The milk line will offer whole, 2% reduced-fat, 1% low-fat and skim. A 1-cup serving of the whole-milk variety contains 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 11 grams of sugar and 8 grams of protein.

Energy beverages had a rough year in 2012. The trouble started that April, when Illinois Senator Richard Durbin petitioned FDA to "take regulatory action and to address the rising health concerns around energy drinks."

Over half of the nation's students participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which serves over 5 billion meals a year. That's a lot of meals, providing the dairy community with a tremendous opportunity to ensure that the milk and dairy foods experience is maximized.

Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) and Center for Dairy Research (CDR) officials formed new partnerships with the U.S. Dairy Export Council, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to deliver more diversity and depth of programming than ever before at the 2018 International Cheese Technology Expo (ICTE), set for April 17-19, 2018, at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee.

The a2 Milk Co., Sydney, Australia, produces A2 milk that's made from select cows that naturally produce milk containing only A2 protein (no A1 protein), the company said.

When it comes to cheese trends with staying power for 2018, think all natural, artisanal and organic. Those are the top three cheese-related trends, according to Dairy Foods' 2018 Cheese Outlook Study.

There is a rising ice cream trend that may indicate where things are going for the ice cream category. With consumers' growing interest in healthier indulgence, ice cream companies are creating pints that showcase fewer calories, less sugar and in some cases, a higher protein content.

Wisconsin produces more cheese than any other state, making more than 3 billion pounds of the savory dairy favorite in 2016 alone, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

The cheese bites come in six-packs of individually wrapped easy-peel portions.