Value America is buying the flavors and ingredients business of Zipps Manufacturing, Cleveland. The transaction was expected to close March 30. Value America plans to fully integrate product lines and

Lactaid® Brand has formed a new partnership with 3-A-Day of Dairy, the nutrition-based marketing and consumer education campaign managed through the National Dairy Council. As part of this new relationship, Lactaid becomes a major sponsor of programs designed to educate Americans on the benefits of eating a healthy diet that includes 3 servings of dairy a day.

A bi-partisan group of dairy state lawmakers is pushing a measure through the U.S. Senate to double the size of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) subsidy, which provides payments to producers when milk prices fall. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), the measure's co-sponsors, say it would extend MILC through September 2007 and increase the cap to 4.8 million gallons per year. Coleman says the measure has quickly gained support in the Senate - and beyond.

Dean Foods Co. reported lower earnings for 2004, although sales were on the rise. Executives said volatile raw milk prices caused the Dairy Group, which accounts for 80% of Dean's business to underperform. They also pointed to stronger fourth quarter performance as a sign of good things to come.

Cargill Dow, the company that makes the proprietary, corn-based plastic resins marketed under the NatureWorks® PLA and Ingeo™ fiber brand names will be known as NatureWorks LLC. The name change

Brand Fever? Popular, branded milk products are beginning to elbow out private-label milk in grocery store dairy cases, according to a recent article in Supermarket News. One dairy case manager

CoolBrands International Inc. reached a settlement agreement with Weight Watchers and Wells' Dairy and will no longer manufacture or sell Weight Watchers and Smart Ones trademarks as of May 1.

A family of English cheesemakers is angry that the British government recently offered no help with its fight to protect the country's feta cheese business.

The Dairy Council of California has elected Mike Newell its board chairman for 2005. Newell, president of Crystal Cream & Butter Co., has served on the Dairy Council board since 1999.

Those in the U.S. dairy industry often wonder aloud if functional yogurt can get a foothold in the States. Well, it's happened in Spain.