Norse Dairy Systems, (NDS) Columbus, Ohio made a big splash at Worldwide Food Expo with several new systems including a new automated ice cream sandwich system offering a 60% reduction in labor.

Norse Dairy Systems' introduces new 1091 Rapid Pack System

Norse Dairy Systems, (NDS) Columbus, Ohio made a big splash at Worldwide Food Expo with several new systems including a new automated ice cream sandwich system offering a 60% reduction in labor.

NDS says its new 1091 Rapid Pack System marks the first use of robotics as an integral part of the ice cream production process. An articulated arm robotics system loads wafers into the machine's magazines. NDS says it offers faster operating speeds for greater productivity and a smaller, more cost-effective, operating

team. It also reduces wafer breakage, and automatically disposes of cellophane wraps from wafer packs through a vacuum system. Another new system "Code Name Squatty" is a high-speed, ultra-compact cup filling system.

Cabot Creamery is holding a contest for recipes from food industry pros. Recipes must use Cabot's Light natural cheddar cheeses, and the grand prize is a sapphire & diamond ring plus a Vermont vacation for two at Stoweflake Spa & Resort. Other prizes include $200 and a $50 cheese gift pack for each category.

Dannon has partnered with America's Second Harvest, the nation's food bank network, to help feed hungry children and their families throughout the United States. The partnership features a Dannon Drive to End Hunger truck traveling on a cross-country tour that is making stops at more than 100 grocery stores from Southern California to New England to raise charitable donations that will provide approximately 400,000 meals for hungry children and their families. When shoppers at each tour stop purchase a Dannon product, a donation is made from Dannon to food banks in the local area.

Andy Rooney recently made some observations about milk during one of his curmudgeonly talks on television-more specifically why people drink less milk. The biggest target of his criticism was fat-free half and half "Not half of anything I want," he commented after reading the ingredient panel. Predictably his closing suggestion was to "go back to selling what comes out of a cow."

Groupe Lactalis will take over a third facility in Poland next year and plans to make Poland the center of its Baltic dairy operations. The French company's most recent purchase is a cheese facility in Winnica, which, like its other Polish holdings, was formerly owned by Dutch Campina. Lactalis is the world's largest seller of camembert style cheese and a major packager and exporter of shelf stable milk products.

China's American Dairy Inc., says sales and earnings continue to skyrocket in the third-quarter, with revenue up 65% to $14.3 million, and profits jumping 75% to $6.7 million.

Local and foreign investors had an opportunity last month to buy into Vietnam's biggest dairy firm Vinamilk as it sold more shares in an effort to list on the country's stock market in 2006. Finnish Valio has begun to export lactose-free semi-skimmed milk drink produced in Finland to Belgium through its subsidiary Valio-Vache Bleue. Supplier News Portola Packaging, used the occasion of Worldwide Food Expo to launch a new blow mold equipment division. The company says it has quietly built up its capabilities in the arena for several years and now offers new equipment rebuilds and upgrades.

Carlisle Companies Inc. is looking to sell its Carlisle Process Systems Inc., which includes CPS Scherping, CPS Damrow, and the Walker Equipment Group. Tim High, pres. of CPS says "CPS has outgrown the support that an industrial and plastics company can provide." It is hoped that the company could eventually be operated as a stand-alone company or as part of a group focused on food, dairy and pharmaceutical. Meanwhile the individual units will continue to function normally.

The National Association of Flavors & Food-Ingredient Systems (NAFFS) held its 88th Annual Convention Oct. 27-30 in Longboat Key, Fla. The program included presentations on the latest in Asian food trends delivered by some of the most sought-after speakers in the industry, including Chuck Manley of Takasago on the Japanese market, and Donald Wilkes of Blue Pacific on trends in Korea and China. Attendees sampled authentic products from the various regions of Asia.

Streator, Ill.-based U.S. Truck Body is entering the dairy arena with a new series of quality-engineered, premium refrigerated van bodies that will provide food and dairy fleets with years of dependable, trouble-free service. U.S. Truck Body has incorporated the latest in insulated foam efficiency technology with their years of custom body building experience. The company has been manufacturing truck bodies since 1945 for commercial fleets, individuals, and truck leasing companies. With over 100,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity, it bills itself as being large enough to respond to the demands of the largest fleet owners, yet small enough to custom build each body.