James Carper

Schuman Cheese's Lake Country Dairy plant makes Italian-style, alpine cheeses

Lake Country Dairy makes award-winning Italian-style and alpine cheeses. The plant supports four family dairy farms and spurred an investor to build a whey processing facility across the street.

James Carper

September 5, 2017

In northwest Wisconsin, about 25 miles from the Minnesota border, Schuman Cheese makes award-winning cheeses with techniques borrowed from French and Italian cheesemakers.

Dairies, creameries and cheesemakers taught me a lot about dairy processing

Dairy processors take raw milk and turn it into foods you can drink, spoon, scoop or spread. I’ve been lucky to meet the people and companies that make it happen.

James Carper

September 4, 2017

Eight years ago, I put a carton of milk in my shopping cart without thinking about it. I sliced cheese for a sandwich and scooped ice cream for dessert with a similar lack of thought about its origins.

Schuman Cheese has a passion for Parmesan

Neal Schuman and his three children have a nose for good cheeses. They are also adept at sniffing out opportunities with innovative flavors and packaging to appeal to millennials and baby boomers alike.

James Carper

September 1, 2017

Neal Schuman is perhaps the most ardent defender of Parmesan cheese in the United States. Incensed that some cheesemakers were adulterating grated Parm with cellulose, Schuman organized the True Cheese campaign, warning consumers and retailers that all was not right in shelf-stable grated Parmesan products.

Strategies

Arla pumps up its sales team to grow the business

Arla has placement in more than 6,000 stores, including Sam’s Club, Costco, Kroger, Publix and a ‘who’s who’ of regionals banners.

James Carper

August 23, 2017

The U.S. arm of Arla, the Denmark-based dairy cooperative, is growing fast. The company has placement of its natural cheeses and cream cheese in 6,000 stores in the United States.

A deeper dive into the top 100 dairy processors

Our exclusive ranking of North America’s largest dairy processors shows the sales, brands, products and plant locations. Here, I look at the companies through a lens of ownership and productivity.

James Carper

August 4, 2017

Coverage of our 24th annual ranking of the largest dairy processors in North America is available here. Nestle USA once again heads the list and Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery holds down the No. 100 spot.

Largest dairy processor Nestle tops annual Dairy 100

With Danone acquiring WhiteWave, the new dairy processing company lands at No. 4 on our 24th annual Dairy 100. This detailed dossier includes brands, products made and plant locations for the largest processors of fluid milk, ice cream, cheese, butter, cultured dairy products, dairy ingredients and other dairy-derived foods and beverages.

James Carper

August 3, 2017

The state of North America’s dairy industry is constantly in motion. Since our last report, dairies have been on an acquisition spree. And the deals kept happening even after we finished tabulating the 2016 revenues of the 100 largest dairy processing companies based in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Industry comes together to celebrate National Dairy Month

One company is strong. Many companies together are stronger. With suppliers, customers and trade associations speaking as one voice, a united dairy industry is at its strongest. Join your colleagues in celebrating National Dairy Month.

James Carper

June 9, 2017

It’s easy to get wrapped up in your day-to-day tasks. Perhaps you are testing finished products or running new concepts through a pilot plant. Or maybe you are making sales calls or purchasing ingredients. Whatever your job, you just want to get through today.

Private label and foodservice accounts need dairy processors

James Carper

June 2, 2017

Dairy processors can see their future in this one statistic: 97% of millennials are likely to buy store brands. Someone has to manufacture those brands. It might as well be your company. When Dairy Foods surveyed its readers in 2016, it found that 40% do provide contract manufacturing services.

Forklift operator in a warehouse photo by Vito Palmisano for Dairy Foods

Now hiring

Exclusive Dairy Foods survey: Dairy processors are hiring

Dairy processors have vacant positions to fill. What’s the secret to landing that job? Have good personal chemistry and speak English.

James Carper

May 12, 2017

There are jobs awaiting you in the dairy industry. According to Dairy Foods’ 2017 Hiring Survey, 70% of the companies we surveyed report they are actively seeking to fill one or more full-time or part-time positions.

JonnyPops is taking its ice cream novelty business to new heights

JonnyPops co-founders Connor Wray and Erik Brust are taking their ice cream novelty business to new heights.

James Carper

May 5, 2017

Frozen novelties is a $4.9 billion annual business. Sales were up 4% but unit sales rose only 2.2% in the 52 weeks ended Feb. 19, 2017, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm.