Biery Cheese Co., Louisville, Ohio, received a $1 million loan from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to upgrade its plant in Plover, Wis. The loan is part of a planned $19.7 million project that is expected to create 31 full-time jobs and retain 111 positions at the new location.

Biery Cheese, a cheese packaging, processing and distribution company, bought Kickapoo Valley Cheese Corp. in Sherry, Wis., in November 2013.

The new headquarters and innovation center of Hilmar Cheese Co., Hilmar, Calif., was awarded LEED platinum certification from the Green Building Certification Institute. The innovation center includes a pilot plant with the latest in food application equipment.

Huge, a digital advertising agency with offices in Brooklyn, N.Y., developed the ArtOfCheese.com website to promote Président cheese from Lactalis American Group. Huge also helped the brand launch social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Nestlé opened a food safety research center in Beijing.

The White House in late March formally cited the work of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy’s Sustainability Council to proactively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including methane. The council’s efforts include a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Innovation Center, Rosemont, Ill., is funded by the dairy check off program.

Southern Banana Pudding, created by Publix Super Markets, was selected as the most innovative ice cream flavor at April’s Ice Cream Technology Conference sponsored by the International Dairy Foods Association. Wells Enterprises Inc. (Blue Bunny ice cream) won the most innovative novelty for its Greek frozen yogurt bar with a strawberry swirl and granola coating. Judges also honored Sensory Effects for an ice cream with lemon-poppy-seed swirl and pound cake pieces. Its Lemon Poppy Pound Cake was named the most innovative prototype flavor.

 Captain Richard Phillips, chef Bobby Flay, NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and retailing guru  Harry Balzer are among the speakers at the Dairy-Deli-Bake 2014 expo June 1 to 3 in Denver organized by the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association.