Dairy awards - Articles

Laureate recipients David Ahlem and Mike McCloskey

Hilmar’s David Ahlem and Select Milk Producers’ Mike McCloskey honored with IDFA Laureate Award

January 26, 2026

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) recognized the extraordinary leadership of David Ahlem, board advisor and former CEO and president of Hilmar, and Mike McCloskey, co-founder & CEO emeritus of Select Milk Producers, chairman & CEO of Fair Oaks Farms, and founder of fairlife, with the IDFA Laureate Award during the Dairy Forum.

Graeter's and Skyline Chili re-release Skyline Spice Ice Cream for National Chili Month

Viral flavor returns for a limited time after record-setting success.

October 1, 2025

After making national headlines, sparking heated debates online, selling out in record time, and becoming Dairy Foods Magazine's "2025 Dairy Product of the Year," the ice cream flavor everyone wanted to hate but quickly became a fan favorite is back for a limited time.

PMMI names On the Rise Award winners

PMMI On the Rise winners meet the following nomination criteria: young professional 35 years old or younger employed by a PMMI member company for at least two years, displays leadership potential at the company, and demonstrates a desire to advance his/her career in packaging and processing.

October 17, 2023

Developed by PMMI’s Emerging Leaders Committee, the awards recognize 10 young professionals who have demonstrated leadership potential in packaging and processing.

Now accepting entries for Dairy Foods’ Dairy Plant of the Year award

The deadline for entry is June 17, 2022.

May 18, 2022

Dairy Foods will be judging this year’s program based on specific outstanding achievements outlined in the entries.

National Dairy Council’s Greg Miller receives multiple awards, honors

Miller wears several hats at the council and also is a longtime Dairy Foods columnist.

May 18, 2022

National Dairy Council’s Greg Miller, Ph.D. — who serves as chief science officer, Global Dairy Platform’s nutrition sector lead, and special counsel to the CEO on global nutrition affairs — was recently recognized with four prestigious awards and honors.

PLMA announces Salute to Excellence award winners

Six winners were chosen in the dairy category.

January 14, 2022

The award winners were chosen from more than 770 recently introduced food, beverage, kitchen, household and health & beauty care product submissions by 52 North American retailers.

Submit your entries for 2022 Breakthrough Award honors

The award celebrates achievements and innovations by dairy processing members of ADPI.

October 27, 2021

Dairy Foods magazine and the American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI), Elmhurst, Ill., will be honoring one deserving dairy processor with the 2022 Breakthrough Award for Dairy Ingredient Innovation.

Grand Champion winners named in World Championship Dairy Product Contest

Judging was held Aug. 17-19 at the MATC Culinary Arts School in Madison, Wis.

August 20, 2021

This year’s contest, sponsored and conducted by the Middleton, Wis.-based Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA), received a near-record number of entries (1,400) for cheese, butter, fluid milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, sour cream, sherbet, cultured milk, sour cream dips, whipping cream, whey and other creative/innovative products from dairy processors throughout North America, WDPA said.

ADPI honors Jerry O'Dea with 2021 Award of Merit

The award was established in 1991 to recognize individuals who have made a significant difference in the processed dairy products industry.

August 20, 2021

Recently retired as the executive vice-president and chief commercial officer of Glanbia Nutritionals, Jerry has spent almost 40 years building a nutritional dairy ingredients industry.

IDFA now accepting nominations for annual industry awards

Winners will be announced and recognized at Dairy Forum 2022 in Palm Desert, Calif.

August 19, 2021

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said it is seeking nominations for three awards presented annually to leaders in the dairy industry: the IDFA Laureate Award, the 2022 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year Award and the IDFA Food Safety Leadership Award.