RTD tea & coffee, Cornell’s new creamery, Fage yogurt are top articles in March

Visitors to dairyfoods.com also read about Fairlife’s high-protein milk, Easter-flavored milks from Hiland Dairy and new products introduced at Expo West.

These were the 10 most-read articles in the month of March.

1. Developing RTD tea and coffee

Pity the poor soft drink. While sales of carbonated soft drinks fell, sales of refrigerated coffees and teas rose in double digits in the last year.
Coincidence? Not to those who understand that the flipside of our shift away from “bad-for-you” beverages is a shift toward wholesome alternatives — like ready-to-drink (RTD) coffees and teas. Brian Bergstresser, director, dairy business unit, Robertet Flavors, Piscataway, N.J., noted, “Dairies and their retail partners are uniquely positioned to give consumers what they want, when and where they want it.” Read more.

2. Inside Cornell's new creamery

Bavarian Raspberry Fudge and Triple Play Chocolate are just a few of the ice cream flavors in production at Cornell University’s new state-of-the-art dairy processing plant. And since the facility in Ithaca, N.Y., opened last August, not only are students and guests able to order up a cone at the Dairy Bar scoop shop but also they can watch the ice cream production in process through a two-story glass wall facing the campus’ main street and an indoor observational balcony. Read more.

3. Fage introduces new FruYo, Greek yogurt blended with fruit

The new blended yogurt is available in seven flavors: pineapple, peach, blueberry, cherry, vanilla, strawberry and raspberry. The yogurts are nonfat, and contain 140 calories and 14 grams of protein per 6-ounce serving container (the vanilla flavor contains 15 grams of protein). Read more.

4. Fairlife introduces new high-protein milk with a series of racy ads

In a racy series of ads featuring glamorous women in pin-up poses dressed only in milk, Chicago-based fairlife LLC today introduced a high-nutrition milk that will raise consumer interest for better tasting, more nutritious milk products. Launching in the Twin Cities, fairlife purely nutritious milk has 50% more natural protein and calcium and 1/2 the sugars of ordinary milk, made with real milk and no protein powders. Read more.

5. Hiland Dairy releases Easter-flavored milks

Springfield, Mo.-based Hiland Dairy is releasing three new flavored milks inspired by Easter. The new milk flavors are: Jelly Bean, Chocolate Marshmallow and Easter EggNog. Read more.

6. Expo West Show features new cultured, ice cream and other dairy products

Dallas-based Three Happy Cows recently re-launched with new packaging and showcased its Greek yogurt and drinkable Greek yogurt at the show. The Greek yogurt company does not use artificial flavors, preservatives, or hormones. The cup flavors include the new vanilla bean, strawberry, blueberry and caramel. And the drinkable flavors include strawberry, blueberry, mango, piña colada and caramel. Read more.

7. Flavor and technology trends in fruit ingredients for dairy

Whole fruit ingredients fit the bill. “Fruit is a perfect little package: It’s designed to be a durable structure that keeps all the phytochemicals in perfect condition,” said Amy Howell, a research scientist in the Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research at Rutgers University. “But anytime we chop or mess with fruit, the phytochemicals degrade. Read more.

8. Sprout Foods introduces Rise: organic on-the-go breakfast smoothies with yogurt

The Energizer smoothies are made with a blend of fruit, coconut milk and flax, and come in three flavors: Strawberry Banana, Kiwi Banana and Tropical Orange. The Supergrain smoothies contain a mix of fruit, almonds and supergrains, and come in three flavors: Honey Banana, Pear Pineapple and Apple Cinnamon. Read more.

9. To meet world demand for milk powders, U.S. dairies add capacity

Dairy Farmers of America's new powder plant in Fallon, Nev., is expected to open in July. According to the company, the $85 million Greenfield project will use a state-of-the-art evaporator/dryer process to produce powders for domestic and export use. Read more.

10. A look inside California's Central Valley Cheese

At its plant in Turlock, Central Valley Cheese makes labne (kefir cheese), feta, braided white cheese (unflavored, flavored with seeds and smoked), yanni (plain and spiced grilling cheeses), paneer, queso fresco, queso blanco and cotija. Cultured dairy products include plain yogurt (whole milk, low-fat and nonfat) in retail and bulk containers, Greek-style yogurt, sour cream, labne and yogurt drinks including mango lassi (popular with Indians). Read more.