Philadelphia-based Sweet Ovations LLC launches its new e-commerce Web site, www.sweetovations.com, which features the company’s lines of smoothie bases and coffee syrups. Products from Sweet Ovations’ frozen dessert, refrigerated dairy, foodservice and bakery lines will be included early this year.  

Main Street Ingredients, LaCrosse, Wis., has opened a new research and development center in part of a new 40,000-square-foot addition to its manufacturing facility. In addition, Main Street has invested in a pilot scale, state-of-the-art continuous ice cream freezer, equipment with the technology to create “churned-type” ice cream products.  

London-based Tate & Lyle recently completed its acquisition of Continental Custom Ingredients, Sycamore, Ill. With operations in Mexico and Canada, CCI manufactures dairy stabilizers and emulsifier systems, and will trade as Tate & Lyle Custom Ingredients. Ray Minzner, CCI chief executive officer, will become president. Tate & Lyle manufactures Splenda® sucralose, value-added food and industrial ingredients and citric acid.

Chr. Hansen is nearing completion of a $7.4 million upgrade to its culture plant in Milwaukee. The largest single expansion in the plant’s history, it will increase fermentation capacity by 35 percent and complete a five-year investment plan of $25 million. The company is adding a fermentor, second ultra-high temperature sterilizer and separators with automatic cryoprotection equipment.