Ed Finkel

Sweet music

Clover Sonoma’s milk plant gets non-GMO milk, raw storage silos, larger distribution center

In California, non-GMO product, raw storage silos and a larger distribution center have added new notes to Clover Sonoma’s fluid milk facility.

Ed Finkel

April 6, 2017

Clover Sonoma’s four brand-new 50,000-gallon stainless steel milk silos hover over the landscape in Petaluma, Calif. Before entering the dairy plant, one can get a window – literally – into the operation.

A bold step for 'craft' dairy Clover Sonoma

Clover Sonoma started processing Non-GMO Project Verified conventional milk this year. President and CEO Marcus Benedetti calls it a financial gamble yet says ‘it’s the right thing to do for a whole host of reasons.’

Ed Finkel

April 3, 2017

Tradition and innovation co-exist comfortably at Clover Sonoma dairy, located in the verdant rolling hills of Sonoma County, California, an area better known for wine than milk.

Chris Gorman is the safety and environment manager at Tetra Pak’s pilot plant in Denton, Texas.

Live long and prosper

Packaging supplier knows what dairy processors need

Tetra Pak conducted 86 studies that involved interviewing 40,000 dairy customers in more than 60 countries in 2016.

Ed Finkel

December 29, 2016

Tetra Pak, a supplier of aseptic packaging and processing equipment, advises dairy and nondairy beverage processors on formulas, formats and manufacturing procedures. Dairy Foods visited the Texas operation.

Julia Sotera, director of marketing services for Tetra Pak Americas

Start here

Need a pilot plant? This company flies customers from ideation to reality

Tetra Pak refurbished its pilot plant in Texas with new equipment and made it a standard step in creative process.

Ed Finkel

December 22, 2016

Tetra Pak works with beverage processors to create new products or improve upon existing packaging or beverage formulations. Then they test those concepts in the company’s pilot plant in Denton, Texas.

Consumers, dairies look to reduce packaging, food waste

Ed Finkel

October 6, 2016

How are consumers able to reduce packaging and food waste and further environmental sustainability, and how can CPG companies—especially those in the dairy case—provide solutions for them? A pair of recent reports provides clues.

Adding private label accounts to keep the dairy plant busy

Besides manufacturing foods and beverages, dairies offer services such as package design and logistics.

Ed Finkel

June 9, 2016

If you manufacture branded dairy foods, then you should consider taking on private label products if you have the capacity. By manufacturing foods and beverages for other companies, dairy plants can keep their production lines moving.

Aurora Organic finds savings in cold storage, packaging, recycling

Ed Finkel

October 11, 2015

Aurora Organic Dairy has reduced its shuttling of products to and from cold storage by 90% by opening a new energy-efficient plant in Platteville, Colo.

Land O’Lakes tackles water, energy, transportation

Ed Finkel

October 10, 2015

Land O' Lakes Inc. has worked to reduce its environmental footprint through resource conservation, transportation, logistics and manufacturing efficiencies, and renewable energy on the farm, according to the company's 2014 Corporate Responsibility report.

Hilmar Cheese received a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award for its green efforts

Ed Finkel

October 9, 2015

Dairy processors reduce their costs and environmental footprints in a number of ways. Hilmar Cheese received a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award for its efforts. Land O’Lakes and Aurora Organic have their own approaches.

Greek yogurt news

Sales of Chobani Greek yogurt are doing flips

The company’s plant in Twin Falls, Idaho is running 24-7 to keep up with demand for a product that’s designed to make consumers think of Chobani as a snack.

Ed Finkel

August 31, 2015

Chobani sees tremendous success with its Greek yogurt Flip line, continuing to release new, unique flavors.