Tate & Lyle has formed a new subsidiary to serve the Australian and New Zealand food and beverage industry-Tate & Lyle ANZ Pty Ltd. The new division joins the Global Food Ingredients Group, established in 2005.

The 2007 Dairy Forum attracted more than 625 industry leaders this year, setting an attendance record. IDFA says the event’s success is due in part to the 17 companies that sponsored events and activities during Dairy Forum.

FDA is proposing to allow dairy processors and other food manufacturers to use new label language to promote the health benefits of calcium. Under a proposed new rule, milk cartons, yogurt packages and even some fat-free cheeses could soon display wording to the effect that vitamin D and calcium can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and promote bone health.

Demand for dairy packaging is projected to grow 4.1% annually to $4.3 billion in 2010 according to Dairy Packaging, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

Larry Halper (right) and Andy Anderson (left) of Cloverland Dairy, Baltimore, appeared with television actress Mariska Hargitay, of Law & Order: SVU, at a Washington D.C. press conference last month to launch the latest MilkPEP campaign, Think About Your Drink.

TILLAMOOK, Ore.-Tillamook County Creamery is searching for a new chief executive with Pres./CEO Jim McMullen having left the position after more than four years at the top. McMullen will work with Tillamook as a consultant, and Cliff Brady, vice president for operations and chief operating officer, will run the association until a permanent CEO is named.

CoolBrands Int’l is selling its yogurt business to a company operated by Horizon Organic founder Chuck Marcy.

Short courses and workshops

Rose Mattus, who along with her husband Reuben created Haagen-Dazs ice cream, died in November just five days after her 90th birthday. Rose Mattus was the controller of Haagen-Dazs Inc., which later became part of Nestle.

Safeway Inc. said last month that it plans to open about 25 new stores and remodel about 275 others next year. The company has already remodeled about 43% of its 1,767 stores to the “Lifestyle” format, which includes bakeries, a produce section reminiscent of an outdoor market and large flower shop areas.