Lifeway Foods Inc., Morton Grove, Ill., introduces ProBugs™. Made with organic whole milk kefir, these single-serve beverages are formulated for growing kids ages 2-9. ProBugs contain 10 live and active cultures that give a healthy boost to the digestive and immune system, according to the company. The brand name is a reference to probiotics, the friendly bugs found in kefir.

ProBugs come in two flavors, Sublime Slime Lime™ and Orange Creamy Crawler™. Both are certified organic, are high in protein and calcium, and have added inulin for calcium absorption. The inulin contributes 1.5g of fiber per serving. ProBugs come in packs of four 5-oz fun packages shaped like cartoon bug characters

“ProBugs pouches have a patented no-spill spout, making it easy for kids to consume, while eliminating messes,” says Julie Smolyansky, president and CEO. “The pouch is also designed in such a way that little hands can hold it easily. Mom and Dad can feel comfortable offering ProBugs as a snack in the car or at home and know that what’s inside the package goes from the package directly to their child’s mouth with no spills or clean up.”

One of today’s fastest growing artisan food companies was invented out of the necessity to satisfy a craving for its young founder, Laura Howard. After embarking on a year-long diet that allowed only goat’s milk dairy, Howard longed for the smooth creamy goodness of premium ice cream. She began making her own homemade goat’s milk ice cream, which led to the creation of Petaluma, Calif.-based Laloo’s Goat’s Milk Ice Cream Co. The company has been in business for one year and sales have steadily skyrocketed as distribution increases. The product has developed a following among people with lactose intolerance, people looking to improve their diet, and with foodies who enjoy Laloo’s for its great taste and top-quality ingredients.

In the upcoming year Laloo’s Goat’s Milk Ice Cream Company will add new unexpected flavors to its current palette, and launch a new line of frozen goat’s milk yogurt with live, active cultures. Distribution to retail outlets continues to grow.

Hayward, Calif.-based Omega Farms introduces the first full line of dairy products with all-natural omega-3s, the fatty acids vital to good health and well-being. Now consumers can easily and conveniently obtain two of the most beneficial omega-3 fatty acids—EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)—while receiving the nutritional and heart health benefits of high-quality dairy products, including calcium, protein and essential vitamins and minerals. The line includes milk, cheese, yogurt and orange juice.

Omega Farms uses omega-3s derived from cod fish oil from Norwegian Arctic waters. The omega-3 oil is gently extracted, purified and filtered without the use of chemical solvents, and meets the U.S. standards for use in certified organic foods. It is used exclusively by Omega Farms for key dairy products in the United States.

And, of obvious importance to consumers, the oil is 100% odorless and undetectable to the palate in any of the Omega Farms’ products, according to the company. Each serving of Omega Farms dairy products provides 75mg of EPA and DHA.

J&J Snack Foods Corp., Pennsauken, N.J., expands its Luigi’s® Frozen Custard line with a new vanilla flavor. Originally launched in 2004, this line of ready-to-serve nutritional desserts began with a delicious and nostalgic butterscotch flavor, a favorite with eldercare patients. The new vanilla flavor contains 200 calories and more than 6g of protein per serving. Both flavors are formulated to address the specific nutritional and caloric needs of long-term care and nursing home residents.

While Luigi’s Frozen Custard is made and shipped frozen, it should be enjoyed at a chilled state, providing a longer tray life for such assisted-living facilities. It comes in 4-oz cups, packed 48 to a case.

A labor-saving product, Luigi’s Frozen Custard is easy-to-open and easy-to-serve—a great benefit for any healthcare foodservice operation.