Welcome to Jim Carper's Dairy Case, a weekly round-up of news from dairy processors. In this issue: Straus Family Creamery, Foremost Farms, Yarnell's Ice Cream, Stremick's Heritage Foods, enLiven, Dean Foods, Saputo, Sartori, Baskin-Robbins and more.
Chobani, Norwich, N.Y.,announced on Nov. 16 that it is exporting its Greek yogurt to Australia and Canada. Earlier in the month, it announced plans to build a $100 million state-of-the-art, high-capacity production facility in Twin Falls, Idaho, on 200 acres of agricultural and industrial land. It has a plant in South Edmeston, N.Y.
Cost-saving ingredients help processors stay afloat during struggling economic times, while value-added ingredients, which increase production costs, create a point of differentiation in a competitive marketplace.
Owners of convenience stores head to the NACS show every year to find foods, beverages, candies, tobacco products and other goods. This year, dairy processors showed off their wares among the Slim Jims, Monster energy drinks and prepared sandwiches at the 2011 NACS, staged by the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing, Alexandria, Va., Oct. 1-4 in Chicago.
Faced with stagnant growth and
competition from non-dairy beverages,
processors try to boost sales with
flavored milk, new retail channels
and new processes.
Despite high energy costs, uncertain ingredient prices and a weak economy, processors continue to develop new ice cream and novelty products and flavors.