A Colorado dairy farmer had a nice milk bottling operation. Then he founded a yogurt company with an Australian ex-pat. Today, yogurt far eclipses the milk business.
Rob Graves is a dairy farmer and dairy processor who owns Morning Fresh Dairy in Bellvue, Colo. He sells his white and flavored milks up and down the front range of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Business was good for the fourth-generation farmer. Demand was growing from home delivery customers, restaurants and Whole Foods. Graves had plans to expand the milk processing plant. That is, until yogurt got in the way.
Based in Colorado but with roots in Australia, noosa yoghurt has disrupted dairy aisles throughout the United States. Innovative flavors and see-through packaging help the product stand out on grocers’ shelves.
As more dairy processors are answering the call for cleaner labels, retailers are adding more shelf space for such foods and beverages. Also, consumers are increasing their purchases of organic products.
The clean label trend (which is dominating the conversation in the food industry) isn’t so much a trend anymore, but a “movement.” This is a common thing I’m hearing when talking to dairy processors and suppliers lately. With consumers making it very clear what it is they want, more food manufacturers are recognizing this movement and are answering the call with new product innovation, more transparency about what they use, changing the ingredients, or in some cases, all of these things.
Minerva Dairy, Minerva, Ohio, launched a line of flavored butters. The butters feature its Amish Roll Butter in varieties like maplewood smoked, garlic herb, pumpkin spice and maple syrup.
The maker of GoGo squeeZ applesauce, Materne North America Corp, New York City, introduced GoGo squeeZ YogurtZ, a shelf-stable reclosable yogurt pouch.
Juice beverages are a multibillion dollar industry, and according to a recent trend report from Fona International, millennials in particular are throwing back more juices as meals and snacks, and for health and hydration.
Brookshire Grocery Co. Manufacturing, Tyler, Texas, was named member of the year at the All Star Association’s 58th annual convention in March. Fifty-two member companies and 42 suppliers attended.
The agreement allows MilkPEP members to use the Olympic rings on packages for white milk.
June 20, 2016
In January, the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) signed a five-year sponsorship deal with the United States Olympic Committee. The agreement allows MilkPEP members to use the Olympic rings on packages and promotional material for white milk.
Before the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), U.S. cheese exporters faced a 245% out-of-quota tariff if they wanted to ship to Canada. After TPP is implemented, U.S. cheese exporters will continue to face a 245% out-of-quota tariff, but with the opportunity to compete for a larger quota of various cheeses.
Dean Foods Co. in May said it will acquire the manufacturing and retail ice cream business of Friendly’s Ice Cream for $155 million in cash. Friendly’s is a leading ice cream brand in the Northeast, as well as a restaurant company.
Alqueria Dairy (Bogota, Colombia), Alqueria Dairy (Santa Marta, Colombia), Prairie Farms (Carlinville, Ill.) and Umpqua Dairy Products Co. (Roseburg, Ore.) took the top Quality Chekd honors in dairy excellence, plant performance and marketing, respectively, at the 2016 QCS Leadership Conference in April.
Milk processors are not the only dairy companies with ties to this summer’s Olympic games. Lifeway Foods, a maker of kefir and other cultured dairy beverages, Carli Lloyd to serve as brand ambassador.
While protein consumption in the United States generally meets the minimum requirements, emerging research indicates a higher-protein diet — while staying within the range of 10% to 35% of total calories (the amount for weight management) — may have benefits for certain populations.
Enzymes help to optimize the manufacturing process and minimize cheese waste. Cultures allow dairy producers to improve yields and get more out of their milk.
With the world’s population expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, farmers and dairy processors have been on the hunt for solutions to feed so many people. One realization is that the same cultures and enzymes used to transform milk into cheese and yogurt can be warriors against waste.
Vitamin D is a nutrient that is lacking in the diets of seniors. Fortified dairy products provide a better nutrient package for healthy aging than Vitamin D pills.
People are living longer, but their golden years are often marked by physical and mental decline. It is estimated that as many as 90% of seniors are deficient in Vitamin D, a critical nutrient for aging bodies and brains. Physicians frequently prescribe a vitamin D supplement, but fortified dairy foods contain a readily absorbable source of this nutrient, plus an overall nutrient package that may be more beneficial to bone, cardiovascular and cognitive health than a pill.
With a projected compound annual growth rate of 2.9% through 2022, demand for food packaging reflects growth in the U.S. food industry overall, according to Food Packaging Trends & Advances, a report published in September 2015 by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, Reston, Va. Globally, growth is even stronger.
In order to have safe and high-quality products, dairies must start with high-quality raw milk and cream. Tests must be selected and run on each batch/tanker before you decide whether or not to accept the load.
If you manufacture branded dairy foods, then you should consider taking on private label products if you have the capacity. By manufacturing foods and beverages for other companies, dairy plants can keep their production lines moving.