Dairy Foods eMagazine

Oregon’s Umpqua Dairy promotes the quality and freshness of its locally sourced milk. The third-generation family business, which also makes cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream and other dairy products, is expanding beyond the Pacific Northwest.

 Quality Chekd honored Umpqua Dairy Products Co.’s plant in Oregon with the sought-after Production Excellence Award. A veteran production crew and attention to detail yield high- quality Grade A products, ice cream and frozen yogurt. 

 Americans are on the go. There is an opportunity for processors to develop dairy-protein-fortified snacks and beverages that can be eaten away from the dining room table. 

 Caputo Cheese, owned by Wiscon Corp., Melrose Park, Ill., launched new Caprese slices. The slices are a pre-cut thicker style at 1.4-ounces. 

 Skinny Cow, a brand of Nestlé, Oakland, Calif., released two limited-edition flavors in its cup line. 

 Dollar and unit sales for refrigerated coffee and tea are rising. Research indicates year-round demand for cold, ready-to-drink coffee beverages, especially by Millennials. 

 Anuga, the world’s largest food fair, took place Oct. 5 to 9 in Cologne, Germany. The biennial show pulled together 10 food segments in one location. The segments included dairy, drinks, organic, chilled and fresh food and fine food. 

 While the popularity of Greek yogurt has been the biggest story in the dairy industry in the last few years, it is not the only dairy category showing growth, according to a survey of dairy processors. Other growing categories are cheese, new flavors of ice cream and milk, by-products (whey and protein concentrates), powdered milk, almond milk and coconut water. 

 Celsis’ rapid detection system is said to get accurate, reliable microbial testing results in just 48 hours. 

 Standard-Knapp announced its Versatron Case Packer with lowering head module. This module is ideal for customers looking for gentle, positive handling of their product yet rugged enough for 24/7 operation. 

When dairy processors create less waste and consume less water and energy, they find savings and reduce their carbon footprints.

You’ll find market trends, business success strategies, ideas for new foods and beverages, food safety programs and ideas for tapping the export market.

Dutch Farms is seeing dramatic growth in its exports; the company won a 2013 Illinois Export Award.

Customers in Mexico, Asia and the Middle East want U.S. cheese. But exporters have to know the nuances of each market. For example, most Chinese consumers probably have little experience with natural cheese.

 The owners of Lioni Latticini find success in the United States by producing the same authentic fresh mozzarella their family made in Italy for generations. New equipment and technology makes the cheesemaker more efficient. 

Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers, Reston, Va., named Brian Linneyits chief marketing officer. Linney will be responsible for marketing finished products from Maryland & Virginia’s three fluid processing plants and dairy ingredients from the co-op’s two manufacturing plants.

Personnel changes at Rita's Italian Ice, Arla Foods, Chr. Hansen, Separators Inc. and other dairy-related businesses.Restaurant veteran Jeff Moody heads Rita's; Henri de Sauvage Nolting leaves Unilver for Arla.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, Rosemont, Ill., is accepting nominations for the third year of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards. The deadline is Nov. 15, 2013.

“The top five companies remain unchanged in their position on the list, yet there are now two Chinese companies in the rank of the largest 15 companies, whereas there were none in the top 20 until 2008,” said Rabobank analyst Tim Hunt. “In contrast, the lack of a U.S.-based global consolidator means that the rankings of U.S. companies has declined.”

 Protocols from The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy give processors a guide for implementing new traceability systems. Processors with long-established traceability procedures can utilize the protocols to see how they measure up. 

 Dairy processors have noticed an increasing consumer preference for dark chocolate. Cocoa and chocolate suppliers discuss the evolution of consumer preferences, formulation considerations, environmental concerns and what’s next. Chocolate tea, anyone? 

Protein is under-represented in the American diet, yet consumers want protein-rich foods and beverages. New developments from protein ingredient suppliers are driving product innovations.

It means meeting customers’ expectations the first time and every time. To get there, dairies must concentrate not only on raw milk quality, but also on dairy ingredients, sweeteners, flavors and the manufacturing processes.

 Bradman Lake exhibited its new carton forming machine at Pack Expo in Las Vegas in September.  

 Ross introduced a Laboratory High Viscosity Disperser featuring interchangeable bow-tie and paddle blades driven by a 2HP explosion-proof, VFD-capable motor. 

 The Allplex FMG Series from Klüber Lubrication is a multipurpose, NSF H1 registered grease line for the food processing and beverage industries. 

 The new HydroPulse from Bete provides a controlled intermittent liquid spray using only liquid pressure as the force for atomization in addition to a drip-free performance. 

 A-B-C’s Model 108 bulk depalletizer is the solution for packagers who need maximum flexibility to feed empty containers to one or multiple packaging lines. 

 Graham Engineering’s Graham Wheel clamp technology introduces flexibility and configurability to enable a range of package shapes and sizes on a single platform. 

 Admix introduces the next generation Rotosolver II, an energy-saving high-shear mixer. 

 The PalletPal Roll-In Level Loader from Southworth is a manual palletizer that has a low-profile, open-ended platform and roll-in feature. 

 Westfalia Technologies specializes in high-density AS/RS for cooler and freezer facilities. 

 The Serco Thermal Guard Package, available on the company’s vertical storing dock levelers, provides energy and security seal for climate-controlled loading docks. 

 Schneider Packaging Equipment’s flexible palletizers offer rapid changeover. The palletizers are ideal for single or multiple lines and/or multiple SKUs.  

 Serti’s dairy warehouse management system integrates real-time inventory capabilities, material handling equipment and automation control specifically designed and developed to meet the strict requirements of combined fluid milk and corrugated dairy plants. 

 Alvey 950 series hybrid palletizers from Intelligrated are ideal for reduced secondary packaging applications that require gentle handling and high throughput rates. 

Polytainers introduced its new Wave line of retail packaging. The container design incorporates a stylish Wave accent shape that separates the top IML label information area from the fluted bottom window area.

 The one-liter Tetra Evero Aseptic package from Tetra Pak is a safe, shelf-stable carton for milk that combines the benefits of cartons with the convenience of a bottle shape. 

 North America IML Containers (part of The Lacroix Packaging Group) along with Sun Valley Dairy (Voskos) launched a two-compartment yogurt container (RDLS35/170).  

 Sealed Air released its Cryovac LT-1 shrink sleeve labeling technology. 

 Evergreen introduced its latest innovation: Fresh-Look cartons, paperboard cartons with windows.  

 CDF Corp. developed the Smart Pail, an environmentally-friendly liner-in-box system. 

 The time and temperature used to pasteurize raw milk affects the taste. Upkeep and maintenance affect the durability and lifetime of equipment. Vendors share their best practice recommendations. 

 Cargill’scocoa and chocolate business created three tools in its portfolio of Price Risk Services to help customers more easily manage price risk. CocoaPacer, CocoaPacer Cap and CocoaRange Cap are designed to help protect customers from volatility when pricing their cocoa ingredients.  

 Urschel Laboratories Inc. Valparaiso, Ind., promoted Rick Urschelto president/CEO from vice president of operations. Former president Bob Urschel will remain involved as chairman of the board. 

 Relco Europe said it signed a contract with New Zealand-based Fonterra to manufacture L-Tech lactose plant, evaporators and consumption equipment for Fonterra’s new dairy ingredients plant in Heerenveen, The Netherlands