Dairy Foods eMagazine

Nestled in the rolling hills of west central Wisconsin 35 miles southeast of La Crosse, Wis., Westby Cooperative Creamery was founded on October 31, 1903, with humble beginnings as a butter and dried milk producer. 

Overall, it has been a strong past 52 weeks for cheese, especially when looking at the natural cheese category. There were some pockets of weakness however, mainly the processed cheese and grated cheese subcategories, according to Chicago-based market research firm Circana’s data for the 52 weeks ending Jan. 26.

Protective cultures are an emerging and growing area in the food industry, including for use in dairy products. Among other benefits, they can help reduce food waste and spoilage.

Fandemonium around professional athletes like Lionel Messi, Caitlin Clark, and Coco Gauff is definitely sparking interest in sports and nutrition among Gen Zers (ages 12 to 27) and causing this group to focus more on personal nutrition and exercise routines. 

It is of course anecdotal, but I have noticed a major shift in consumer trends toward dairy products in the last several months. This is definitely something for the dairy industry to capitalize on.