Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes Station, Calif., said its Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Shop and Sidekick Cafe, original tenants in the landmark San Francisco Ferry Building, are closing. April 10 will be the last day the shop opens its doors, and Sidekick Cafe will close on March 27.

Like many of the city’s independent retail and food service businesses, Cowgirl Creamery said it felt the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its best efforts to adapt to the new landscape with safely distanced protocols, curbside shopping and online shopping, the sharp decline in foot traffic and changes in shopping behavior forced the company to make the difficult decision to close its doors. Cowgirl’s original location in Point Reyes Station, a historic barn that houses the company’s founding creamery, shop and cafe, and its Petaluma, Calif., creamery remain open.

HP Hood, Lynnfield, Mass., said it hired Robbie Lock as its new sustainability manager. The announcement comes as the company celebrates its 175th year with continued innovation, growth and a renewed commitment to sustainability.

“Robbie will be a key player in our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions [and] water use and achieve zero waste in our operations,” said Dave Crowley, senior director of environmental health and safety for HP Hood. “His experience working in renewable energy, waste and corporate sustainability will help advance Hood’s existing sustainability efforts and develop a new, long-term strategy. We believe sustainability is part of our company legacy and that it’s not just the right thing to do, it also sparks long-term business innovation and success.”

Lock has dedicated his career to sustainability and got his start installing solar energy systems. He has worked with the New York City school system to implement zero-waste best practices. Prior to joining Hood, Lock was a sustainability manager with VF Corp. and managed a Starbucks and McDonald’s collaboration on sustainable paper cups. He has led sustainability strategy and communications for Fortune 500 brands, including HP Inc., Kohl’s, Pentair and S&P Global, HP Hood said.

The Laughing Cow, a brand of Chicago-based Bel Brands USA, announced a fun and tasty way for fans to join the fun of the brand’s ongoing 100th anniversary celebration. In partnership with Daisy Cakes bakery, it made a limited batch of one-of-a-kind decadent cakes featuring creamy cheese frosting made with Laughing Cow cheese.  

The celebratory red velvet cake became available for shipping nationwide on March 11. Fans may order one of the limited-edition desserts at ilovedaisycakes.com for only $19.21, a price that’s a nod to the brand’s founding year—1921. 

Idaho Milk Products, Jerome, Idaho, said it once again received the highest SQF rating in dairy food processing for its milk protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, milk permeate powder and cream. The SQF rating is one of the most important forms of external validation, one that is valued greatly by customers and the industry, the company noted.

The Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA) said its annual golf outing will be held on Thursday, May 13, 2021, at Northern Bay Golf Course in Arkdale, Wis. Once again, the WDPA golf outing will be a scramble format, which allows golfers of all levels and abilities to participate and enjoy a fun-filled day.

WDPA said Northern Bay has imposed a 148-golfer limit for outings. Therefore, only the first 148 golfers who register will be allowed to participate.

The registration deadline is Wednesday, April 28, 2021. For more information, visit the WDPA website at www.wdpa.net or call the office at 608-836-3336.

In the wake of events from the recent Texas winter storm that left millions of people without power, heat, or running water, Endress+Hauser, a Greenwood, Ind.-based provider of measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering, said it is helping Texans in need. The company’s Houston area employees worked together to select four local nonprofit organizations, each of which Endress+Hauser will support with a donation of $2,500. The organizations include Kids Meals Inc., BakerRipley, the Houston Food Bank and The Beacon.

Tekni-Plex, a Wayne, Pa.-based developer and manufacturer of packaging material solutions, said Brenda Chamulak will become company president and CEO effective June 30 as part of a planned leadership transition. Chamulak will succeed Paul J. Young, who will become chairman of Tekni-Plex’s board of directors.

TricorBraun, North America’s largest distributor of primary packaging, said it acquired Quebec-based RODA Packaging, further expanding its presence in Eastern Canada. Serving customers for nearly 40 years, RODA is a rigid packaging distributor specializing in the chemicals, sealants and adhesives markets; it also serves the nutraceuticals, juices and dry condiments and spices segments. As part of the RODA acquisition, St. Louis-based TricorBraun will also acquire Rada Industries.

SIG, a systems and solutions provider for aseptic carton packaging  headquartered in Neuhausen, Switzerland, said it is the first in the beverage carton industry to become a member of AIM-Progress, a global forum of leading fast-moving consumer goods manufacturers and common suppliers, assembled to enable and promote responsible sourcing practices and sustainable supply chains.

As the first beverage carton provider to join the organization, SIG said it has an excellent opportunity to build strong partnerships with other members. The aim is to work together to co-create solutions and share best practices that can positively impact people’s lives and ensure human rights are respected through the supply chain.

Weidmüller Inc., Richmond, Va., said it strengthened its international focus and engineering expertise for the process industry. Its newly founded Klippon Engineering is responsible for a worldwide network of engineering and service expertise. With its own sales team, application experts, affiliated production and assembly sites, product and application-specific solutions will be developed, certified and implemented in the future.

AAK, an Edison, N.J.-based manufacturer of value-adding specialty vegetable fats and oils, said it received California Certified Organic Farmers certification at its facilities in Richmond, Calif. and Port Newark, N.J. The AAK portfolio of fat and oil solutions now includes organic sunflower, coconut, soy, canola and safflower oils.

NCC Automated Systems, a full-service automation systems integrator based in Souderton, Pa., said it named John French director of systems engineering. In his new role, he will oversee the sales, applications and project management teams by providing his 22 years of packaging automation experience and leadership to projects from sales through execution. He will report to Jason Link, general manager, NCC Automated Systems.

Novasep, a Lyon, France-based supplier of services and purification technologies for industrial biotech markets, and Bonumose, a Charlottesville, Va., start-up technology company with a patented enzymatic technology platform for continuous production of high-purity rare sugars, announced a collaboration. Together they will develop, design, fabricate, install and start up a complete process line to produce high-purity rare sugars, including tagatose and allulose, in Virginia.

Cincinnati-based ProAmpac, a specialist in flexible packaging solutions, said five more of its facilities have been SQF certified. The five newly SQF-certified ProAmpac facilities are in Appleton, Wis.; Cary, Ill.; Richmond, Quebec City; Rochester, N.Y.; and Wrightstown, Wis. With that announcement, 18 ProAmpac facilities now hold SQF certification issued through the Global Food Safety Initiative, which requires the establishment of a rigorous, comprehensive food safety program through every step of the supply chain.