Sarah M. Kennedy

Pumps and valves help dairy processors keep everything in the plant running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Choosing the right equipment is important to the overall safety, sanitation and efficiency of every plant. We spoke with several manufacturers of pumps and valves to discuss the latest technology advances and how new equipment could benefit dairy processors.

There is a rising ice cream trend that may indicate where things are going for the ice cream category. With consumers' growing interest in healthier indulgence, ice cream companies are creating pints that showcase fewer calories, less sugar and in some cases, a higher protein content.

Cedar Crest Ice Cream makes an impressive amount of ice cream in its 45,408-square-foot facility in Manitowoc, Wis. The plant currently produces approximately 26 million pounds of product annually. The company uses the space wisely and continues to upgrade equipment and technology as product demand increases.

The four brothers who make up the ownership of Cedar Crest Ice Cream, Ken, Robert, Bill and Tim Kohlwey, all agree that their company may not be the biggest, but they're proud of what it's accomplished. And it's accomplished plenty.

Ice cream sales have been ticking up, showing some promise in the ever-competitive category. Sales of frozen novelties, meanwhile, have not been faring as well. Unit sales have been falling, and dollar sales have been nearly frozen.

Natural cheese sales have been steady for subcategories such as slices and shreds, but others (crumbles, chunks) are struggling. Meanwhile, cheese spreads/balls saw a sales boost in the processed cheese category.

Across food categories, consumers have made their demands clear — they want clean labels, more organic options and flavor variety. And manufacturers of cultured dairy have been answering this call. A diverse range of yogurts, cottage cheese and cream cheese products has hit the market in the last year, shining a light on this category’s versatility.