key players - Cheese Market News

Transcription

Volume 34
Scan this code
for breaking
news and the
latest markets!
A
May 30, 2014
Social media, customization
are Millennial marketing keys
By Emily King
INSIDE
✦ Guest column:
‘Tribute to a friend
and colleague …
Carol Christison.’
For details, see page 4.
✦ World Food Championships
to feature cheese as key
category ingredient.
✦ USDA updates safeguard
trigger levels for imports.
✦ Exclusive: CMN’s
annual ‘Key Players.’
For details, see pages 21-68.
Number 19
MADISON, Wis. — Marketers
have long utilized generational
segmentation to target specific
customers. The maturation of
mega-generations, the Millennials (born between 1982 and
2001) and the Baby Boomers
(born between 1946 and 1964),
has the potential to usher in a
new, chaotic marketplace, according to the report, “Trouble
in Aisle 5,” by Jeffries Alix
Partners.
By the year 2020, Millennials over the age of 25 will
account for approximately
20 percent of the population,
compared to 5 percent presently. The entirety of the Baby
Boomers will fall to account
Our Exclusive Annual Profile of
Who’s Who in the Cheese Business
By the staff of Cheese Market News
Cheese Market News’ “2014 Key Players,” our exclusive profile on
who’s who in the North American cheese business, takes an inside look
at what 52 cheese companies have accomplished in the past year and
their plans for the months ahead.
“Key Players” is not a ranking of companies. While we provide production and sales data whenever possible, instead of focusing on how
large a company is, each year this publication celebrates the successes
of cheese companies large and small. All of the companies profiled are
making important and distinct contributions to the growth of the dairy
industry as a whole, whether that means crafting an award-winning
cheese, generating new packaging and product styles, or developing or
increasing product lines that cater to growing international demand
as the United States set a new cheese export record in 2013.
While each profile within “Key Players” provides insight into a
specific company, in its entirety “Key Players” provides you with a
snapshot of the industry in 2014. This year, you will find some common
themes, including the growing emphasis on exports and more and more
companies focusing on environmental sustainability. “Flavor” is a word
that you will see many times throughout “Key Players” as companies
respond to consumers’ increasing demand for high-end products with
a flavor punch. And, as in years past, you will learn about companies
both expanding and consolidating operations as they watch their bottom lines and efficiently grow their businesses.
To find out more about the profiled companies’ past year and where
they are headed, please read on …
Turn to KEY PLAYERS, page 21 D
for less than 20 percent of the
population in that same time
period, the report says.
Jeffries Alix Partners cites
age 25 as a milestone — a time
when income and household
formation begin to accelerate and create the catalyst
for increased consumption.
Concurrently, Baby Boomers’
purchasing power will begin
to dwindle.
“The Millennial generation
is the most culinary aware generation in history, so it makes
sense that any food company
makes sure their products, messages and marketing align with
their wants and needs,” says
Jennifer Giambroni, director
of communications, California
Milk Advisory Board. “For the
cheese industry, this means
being where they spend their
time, whether online gaming
or on social media, and also
making products that support
their desire for healthy eating.”
U.S. Millennials already account for $1.3 trillion in direct
annual spending, of which
$430 billion is non-essential
spending, according to “The
Reciprocity Principle: How
Millennials Are Changing the
Face of Marketing Forever,” by
the Boston Consulting Group
(BCG).
A Mintel survey shows that says Eric Godlove, marketing
55 percent of Millennials are specialist, Yancey’s Fancy.
willing to spend more money “With all of the information
in grocery stores for the high- instantly available to them,
est quality ingredients, and they can be more jaded.”
Delineating the Millennials
retailers have been responding. For example, the Nielsen is not without its challenges
Perishables Group, a fresh as even their moniker fluctufood consulting company, found ates from Generation Y, to the
that the number of deli cheese technology generation, to the
flavors increased 57 percent be- first multicultural generation.
tween 2005 and 2010. The most And — as Jeffries Alix Partfrequent purchasers of specialty ners indicates — they’re just
cheeses are under 34 years old. different.
“Wisconsin Milk MarketAccording to “Trouble in
ing Board (WMMB) recently Aisle 5,” U.S. Millennials are the
conducted new awareness and most culturally diverse group in
perception research among history, with approximately 35
Wisconsin residents, targeting percent representing minority
Millennials who will be key groups. This generation also
future decision makers, with was born into a rapidly changthe hopes to encourage and ing world where information is
engage our dairy messages available almost instantaneousand content to develop a con- ly. Technology has accelerated
nection and understanding of the marketplace. Millennials
the Wisconsin dairy industry,” want what they want — when
says Heather Porter Engwall, and where they want it.
director of national product
“The Millennials are excommunications at WMMB.
tremely comfortable with
Taking into account the technology and tend to own and
burgeoning presence of the use multiple devices to connect
Millennials, it is imperative for with peers and brands,” Porter
the cheese industry to modify Engwall says. “They are also
existing marketing plans to suit highly engaged with the conthis younger generation.
tent they choose to view and
“This generation needs to tend to have more long-term
be addressed with a certain support for brands with active
amount of respect and honesty,” Turn to MILLENNIAL, page 16 D
Industry voices concerns
over market access, GIs
WASHINGTON — Trade ministers from the United States and 11
other countries last week completed a series of meetings to discuss
the ongoing negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
“In a series of positive meetings we cemented our shared
views on what is needed to bring negotiations to a close,” the
ministers say in a joint statement released May 20 following the
two-day ministerial meeting held in Singapore. “We focused in
particular on making meaningful progress on market access and
also advanced outstanding rules issues in an effort to narrow our
remaining differences.”
Dairy and other industry groups, however, fear that significant
differences still remain before TPP can become a truly comprehensive agreement that will benefit U.S. agriculture. According
to several reports, Japan’s Minister of the Economy Akira Amari
Turn to MARKET, page 19 D
Bill would allow
more flexibility
for school meals
WASHINGTON — The
House Appropriations Committee on Thursday passed
on a vote of 31-18 a fiscal
year 2015 agriculture appropriations bill that includes
language allowing schools
under economic hardship
to seek a temporary waiver
from compliance with USDA’s new school meal regulations during the upcoming
school year.
Turn to SCHOOL, page 20 D
Reprinted with permission from the May 30, 2014, edition of CHEESE MARKET NEWS®© Copyright 2014 Quarne Publishing LLC; PH: (509) 962-4026; www.cheesemarketnews.com
2
CHEESE MARKET NEWS® — May 30, 2014
MARKET INDICATORS
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
CHEESE FUTURES* for the week ending May 29, 2014
Cash prices for the week ended May 30, 2014
(Listings for each day by month, settling price and open interest)
Monday
May 26
Cheese Barrels
Price
Change
Cheese 40-lb. block
Price
Change
Markets
Closed
Tuesday
May 27
Wednesday
May 28
Thursday
May 29
Friday
May 30
$2.0325
+1 1/4
$1.9450
-8 3/4
$1.9200
-2 1/2
$1.9325
+1 1/4
$2.0000
-2
$2.0200
NC
$1.9600
-4
$1.9600
NC
Weekly average (May 27-30): Barrels: $1.9575(-.0265); 40-lb. Blocks: $1.9850(-.0030).
Weekly ave. one year ago (May 28-31, 2013): Barrels: $1.7113; 40-lb. Blocks: $1.7450.
Grade A NDM
Price
Change
$1.7975
+1/2
Markets
Closed
$1.8325
+1
$1.8225
+2 1/2
$1.8450
+1 1/4
$2.2950
NC
$2.2950
+4 1/2
$2.2500
+7
Markets
Closed
2.172
2.008
1.990
1.970
1.982
1.970
1.923
1.870
1.840
1.825
1.840
1.832
1.830
1.830
1.830
1.830
1,696
1,790
1,471
1,331
1,239
1,224
1,282
1,320
224
180
159
150
138
181
89
79
$2.3000
+1/2
Weekly average (May 27-30): Grade AA: $2.2850(+.1180).
Class II Cream (Major Northeast Cities): $2.7087(-.0362)–$2.9254(-.0616).
Total Contracts Traded/
Open Interest 77/12,658
Weekly Cold Storage Holdings
Butter
Cheese
22,229
87,700
+707
+44
May 26, 2014
Change since May 1
Pounds
Percent
+957
+1,597
+4
+2
Last Year
Pounds
Change
17,756
112,424
+4,473
-24,724
(These data, which include government stocks and are reported in thousands of pounds, are based on reports from
a limited sample of cold storage centers across the country. This chart is designed to help the dairy industry see the
trends in cold storage between the release of the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s monthly cold storage reports.)
MAY14
JUN14
JUL14
AUG14
SEP14
OCT14
NOV14
DEC14
JAN15
FEB15
MAR15
APR15
MAY15
67.65
66.50
62.88
61.75
59.78
59.00
58.25
56.28
55.00
53.48
52.50
52.00
52.00
435
477
369
340
264
191
174
234
82
29
49
34
31
19.32
10.78
14.50
13.48
17.05
18.14
21.15
17.03
9.31
14.28
17.00
16.06
17.25
23.35
18.00
10.44
12.78
19.40
15.72
16.93
23.33
16.76
10.78
12.92
16.87
15.72
17.59
24.31
18.18
9.84
13.38
16.52
15.23
18.52
20.25
9.97
13.62
19.11
15.63
18.02
18.24
9.97
13.74
21.39
16.68
17.38
Mon., May 26
Markets
Closed
17.32
11.20
15.18
21.67
17.73
17.91
16.28
12.11
16.26
19.07
19.00
18.14
17.06
12.82
16.94
18.03
21.02
18.22
15.51
14.08
15.44
19.07
20.83
18.83
15.28
14.98
13.83
18.77
18.66
18.95
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Susan Quarne, Publisher
(PH 608/831-6002; FAX 608/831-1004)
e-mail: [email protected]
Kate Sander, Editorial Director
(PH 509/962-4026; FAX 509/962-4027)
Alyssa Mitchell, Senior Editor
(PH 608/288-9090; FAX 608/288-9093)
Rena Archwamety, News/Web Editor
(PH 608/288-9090; FAX 608/288-9093)
Emily King, Assistant Editor
(PH 608/288-9090; FAX 608/288-9093)
Cheese Market News®, Publication #0598-030, (ISSN 08911509), is published weekly by Quarne Publishing LLC, 4692
Signature Drive, Middleton, WI 53562; Phone 608/831-6002;
FAX 608/831-1004. Periodicals postage paid at Madison, WI.
Circulation records are maintained by Quarne Publishing LLC,
4692 Signature Drive, Middleton, WI 53562. POSTMASTER:
SUBSCRIPTIONS & BUSINESS STAFF
Subscription/advertising rates available upon request
Contact: Susan Quarne - Publisher
P.O. Box 628254, Middleton, WI 53562
0(/.%s&!8
2.171
1.974
1.951
1.968
1.985
1.978
1.929
1.886
1.840
1.825
1.840
1.830
1.830
1.830
1.835
1.830
1,689
1,777
1,499
1,471
1,264
1,247
1,307
1,345
250
203
182
165
150
186
89
79
124/13,008
442/13,000
Tues., May 27
67.65
66.50
62.88
61.75
59.78
59.00
58.25
56.28
55.00
53.48
52.50
52.00
52.00
435
475
369
340
264
191
174
234
82
29
49
34
31
Wed., May 28
66.95
65.50
62.00
59.50
59.68
58.95
57.55
56.05
55.00
53.48
52.50
52.00
52.00
4/2,809
Send address changes to Cheese Market News®, Subscriber
Services, P. O. Box 628254, Middleton, WI 53562; Form
3579 requested; or call direct at 608/831-6002. All rights
reserved under the United States International and PanAmerican Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying,
electronic recording or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of Quarne Publishing LLC. Opinions expressed
in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily
UHÁHFWWKRVHRI4XDUQH3XEOLVKLQJ//&GED&KHHVH0DUNHW
News®. Cheese Market News® does not endorse the products
of any advertiser and does not assume and hereby disclaims
any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by
errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident
or any other cause whatsoever. Copyright 2014 by Quarne
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WEBSITE: www.cheesemarketnews.com
Thurs., May 29
435
476
375
353
264
191
176
241
82
29
49
34
31
66.95
65.25
62.00
59.25
58.25
58.75
57.55
56.50
54.95
54.45
52.50
52.00
52.00
60/2,850
Dry Products*
STAFF
John Umhoefer, FCStone, International Dairy Foods
Association, National Milk Producers Federation, U.S.
Dairy Export Council, Eric Meyer, Rice Dairy
Thurs., May 29
1,689
1,788
1,511
1,471
1,247
1,235
1,307
1,343
250
203
182
165
150
186
89
79
2.171
2.008
1.980
1.968
1.986
1.962
1.930
1.886
1.840
1.825
1.840
1.830
1.830
1.830
1.830
1.830
435
469
382
347
263
193
179
252
84
31
49
34
31
115/2,863
Daily market prices are available by visiting CME’s online statistics sites at http://www.cmegroup.com.
*Total Contracts Traded/Open Interest reflect additional months not included in this chart.
May 30, 2014
NONFAT DRY MILK
Central & East:
low/medium heat $1.7500(+1)-$1.9425(-4 1/4);
mostly $1.7500(+1)-$1.8650(-5 1/4).
high heat $1.9300(-2)-$1.9925(-4 1/4).
West:
low/medium heat $1.7600-$1.9600(-4);
mostly $1.7650-$1.8975(-4).
high heat $1.9500(-4 3/4)-$2.0650(-2 1/2).
Calif. manufacturing plants: extra grade/grade A weighted ave. $1.7723(-.0561)
based on 23,754,750 lbs. Sales to CCC: 0 lbs.
WHOLE MILK POWDER (National):
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
Wed., May 28
97/12,722
Open Interest
3/2,811
CLASS III PRICE
(Dollars per hundredweight, 3.5% butterfat test)
YEAR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
1,694
1,796
1,470
1,344
1,247
1,226
1,290
1,333
224
180
159
160
145
181
89
79
2.172
2.083
2.055
2.020
2.020
1.975
1.940
1.888
1.840
1.825
1.840
1.830
1.830
1.830
1.830
1.830
DRY WHEY FUTURES* for the week ended May 29, 2014
Fri., May 23
Week
Change
Markets
Closed
Tues., May 27
(Listings for each day by month, settling price and open interest)
Sign up for our daily fax or e-mail service for just $104 a year. Call us at 608-288-9090.
On hand
Monday
Mon., May 26
Weekly average (May 27-30): Grade A: $1.8244(+.0329).
Grade AA Butter
Price
Change
Fri., May 23
MAY14
JUN14
JUL14
AUG14
SEP14
OCT14
NOV14
DEC14
JAN15
FEB15
MAR15
APR15
MAY15
JUN15
JUL15
AUG15
$2.0500-$2.1000.
EDIBLE LACTOSE
(FOB)Central and West: $.4300-$.6875; mostly $.5400-$.6325.
DRY WHEY
Central:
West:
(FOB) Northeast:
nonhygroscopic $.6425-$.7400(-1);
mostly $.6450(-1/2)-$.6850(+1/4).
nonhygroscopic $.5950(-1)-$.7325(+1 1/4);
mostly $.6250(-1/2)-$.6950.
extra grade/grade A $.6975(+1/2)-$.7575(+1 1/2).
ANIMAL FEED (Central): Whey spray milk replacer $.5200(+3 1/4)-$.6475.
WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE (34 percent): $1.5200(-3)-$1.8900(-2);
mostly $1.6600-$1.8100(-1).
DRY BUTTERMILK
(FOB)Central & East: $1.8000-$1.8975(-1 3/4).
(FOB) West:
$1.7500-$1.9675; mostly $1.8200-$1.9050(-3/4).
CASEIN:
Rennet $4.7500-$5.2000; Acid $4.9000(-10)-$5.4000.
*Source: USDA’s Dairy Market News
DISCLAIMER: Cheese Market News® has made every effort to provide accurate current as well as historical market information. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of these data and do not assume liability for errors or omissions.
May 30, 2014 — CHEESE MARKET NEWS®
MARKET INDICATORS
NEWS/BUSINESS
National Dairy Products Sales Report
For the week ended:
Cheese 40-lb. Blocks:
Average price1
Sales volume2
Cheese 500-lb. Barrels:
Average price1
Adj. price to 38% moisture
Sales volume2
Moisture content
Butter:
Average price1
Sales volume2
Nonfat Dry Milk:
Average price1
Sales volume2
Dry Whey:
Average price1
Sales volume2
5/24/14
5/17/14
5/10/14
5/3/14
$2.1128
*$2.1603
13,015,421 *13,196,519
$2.2125
12,368,048
$2.2460
11,318,467
$2.1978
$2.0959
8,604,343
34.99
$2.2730
$2.1651
10,115,480
34.91
$2.3326
$2.2299
9,178,463
35.14
$2.3554
$2.2556
10,329,392
35.26
$2.1192
5,440,889
*$2.0580
*3,537,062
*$1.9897
4,410,235
$1.9042
3,856,954
$1.8143
*$1.8554
36,265,429 *29,360,118
$1.8983
29,032,948
*$1.9473
*28,150,286
$0.6721
9,424,719
$0.6751
*8,212,183
$0.6808
8,224,028
*$0.6724
*8,907,590
*
/Revised. 1/Prices weighted by volumes reported. 2/Sales as reported by participating manufacturers.
Reported in pounds. More information is available by calling AMS at 202-720-4392.
CME FUTURES for the week ended May 29, 2014
Class III Milk*
Fri., May 23
MAY14
JUN14
JUL14
AUG14
SEP14
OCT14
NOV14
DEC14
JAN15
FEB15
MAR15
APR15
MAY15
JUN15
JUL15
22.58
21.06
20.58
20.23
20.31
19.99
19.49
18.94
18.47
18.23
18.15
18.14
18.13
18.06
18.07
4,769
4,761
3,573
2,955
2,624
2,127
1,991
1,822
828
641
578
283
247
228
100
Mon., May 26
Tues., May 27
22.57
21.78
21.32
20.76
20.70
20.25
19.65
19.10
18.49
18.25
18.18
18.15
18.15
18.10
18.07
Markets
Closed
4,744
4,818
3,551
2,957
1,651
2,180
2,000
1,894
829
649
589
291
280
231
101
1,864/28,222
Wed., May 28
22.57
21.03
20.57
20.12
20.34
20.00
19.58
19.00
18.47
18.21
18.18
18.15
18.15
18.15
18.07
4,746
4,711
3,610
3,135
2,659
2,192
2,013
1,901
826
661
583
302
290
233
101
1,721/28,420
Thurs., May 29
22.53
20.58
20.24
20.15
20.28
20.04
19.50
19.00
18.49
18.21
18.18
18.15
18.15
18.15
18.07
4,724
4,691
3,681
3,139
2,684
2,207
2,017
1,921
826
662
586
303
315
241
101
1,242/28,555
Class IV Milk*
Fri., May 23
MAY14
JUN14
JUL14
AUG14
SEP14
OCT14
NOV14
DEC14
JAN15
FEB15
MAR15
22.65
22.55
22.32
22.04
21.75
21.50
21.17
20.65
19.79
19.25
19.15
1,678
1,507
1,169
1,097
980
837
800
726
126
78
77
Mon., May 26
Markets
Closed
Tues., May 27
1,678
1,526
1,193
1,134
1,002
855
816
758
163
111
109
22.65
22.60
22.50
22.27
22.10
21.70
21.40
20.85
20.03
19.40
19.15
3
Wed., May 28
1,670
1,536
1,194
1,151
1,008
869
819
762
167
114
112
22.75
22.60
22.49
22.23
22.09
21.70
21.35
20.81
20.03
19.40
19.15
496/9,393
112/9,450
Thurs., May 29
22.70
22.55
22.30
22.09
21.94
21.55
21.19
20.59
19.97
19.40
19.15
1,660
1,567
1,211
1,161
1,018
879
829
782
167
114
112
FDA extends comment period 60 days for
proposed food sanitary transportation rule
WASHINGTON — FDA recently announced it is extending the comment
period for the proposed rule on the
sanitary transportation of human and
animal food, required by the FDA Food
Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). With
a 60-day extension, the new comment
period will end July 30, 2014.
The rule will regulate the transportation of human and animal food
products to protect them from foodsafety hazards during transport.
The International Dairy Foods
Association (IDFA) says it believes
most dairy operations already are
practicing what is required by the
proposed rule, but they may need to
address recordkeeping requirements.
FDA has proposed a waiver for
transportation activities that are
performed under the authority of a
National Conference of Interstate
Milk Shipments permit. Some ambiguity exists, however, about whether
the waiver would apply to outbound
Grade A product shipments and
whether the inclusion of non-Grade
A products, such as orange juice,
on the same outbound shipments
would defeat the waiver, IDFA notes.
“IDFA is hopeful that common
sense will prevail and the waiver
will be applied in the fullest sense,”
says Clay Detlefsen, IDFA vice
president of regulatory affairs.
In addition, IDFA believes that
outbound shipments of finished
ice cream products should not be
within the scope of the rule. Even
if those products are subjected to
temperature abuse, they will not become adulterated; instead they will
become products that can’t be sold
because melting and refreezing alters
product quality, the organization says.
“The proposed rule will establish
requirements for vehicles and transportation equipment, transportation
operations, information exchange,
training, records and waivers,”
Detlefsen says. “It is intended to
eliminate food safety risks, like
improper refrigeration of food,
inadequate cleaning of vehicles between loads and failure to properly
protect food during transportation.”
IDFA says it will submit comments
on this rule.
FDA also recently announced that
is extending the comment period on
its proposed rule to revise the Nutrition and Supplemental Facts labels.
In the March 3 Federal Register,
FDA published a proposed rule titled
“Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplemental Facts Labels”
with a 90-day comment period to
request comments on amending its
regulations for conventional foods
and dietary supplements to provide
updated nutrition information on the
label to assist consumers in maintaining healthy dietary practices. (See
“FDA unveils proposal to update
Nutrition Facts label on foods” in
the Feb. 28, 2014, issue of Cheese
Market News.)
The deadline for comments now is
Aug. 1. Comments may be submitted
online at www.regulations.gov. CMN
161/9,580
Cash-Settled NDM*
Fri., May 23
MAY14
JUN14
JUL14
AUG14
SEP14
OCT14
NOV14
DEC14
JAN15
187.65
180.25
180.03
181.00
181.00
179.00
177.08
174.13
168.78
747
621
486
399
421
356
338
306
41
Mon., May 26
Markets
Closed
Tues., May 27
187.75
180.75
180.00
181.08
181.30
179.50
178.00
175.50
169.25
Open Interest
79/3,740
744
623
493
409
414
359
345
308
54
Wed., May 28
188.00
180.75
181.00
181.40
182.00
180.20
178.00
175.00
169.00
741
631
502
420
420
364
343
312
59
121/3,826
121/3,774
Thurs., May 29
186.75
179.75
179.75
180.80
180.48
178.75
176.80
173.50
169.00
741
653
496
416
414
365
349
329
59
150/3,870
Cash-Settled Butter*
Fri., May 23
MAY14
JUN14
JUL14
AUG14
SEP14
OCT14
NOV14
DEC14
JAN15
FEB15
204.90
216.50
210.00
201.63
199.75
194.00
191.75
189.00
178.75
179.75
1,069
1,110
925
859
765
570
536
351
23
29
Open Interest
150/6,296
Mon., May 26
Markets
Closed
Tues., May 27
205.50
219.98
215.00
206.63
204.75
199.00
194.75
191.00
181.00
180.20
1,068
1,117
910
852
768
586
547
358
27
29
153/6,321
Wed., May 28
Thurs., May 29
1,065
1,120
908
861
775
588
563
358
30
29
205.25 1,063
219.98 1,136
210.00 912
205.40 861
201.25 778
195.50 592
192.50 576
187.30 360
30
180.50
30
177.00
121/6,356
105/6,410
205.25
219.75
212.00
206.98
203.25
196.50
193.00
188.25
180.50
180.20
For more information please visit www.nelsonjameson.com
DISCLAIMER: Cheese Market News® has made every effort to provide accurate current as well as historical market information. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of these data and do not assume liability for errors or omissions.
4
GUEST COLUMNIST
CMN Exclusive!
Perspective:
In Memoriam
Andrea Neu is a past president and
director of IDDBA and previously
served as vice president of marketing
services for the Wisconsin Milk
Marketing Board. She is the owner
of Image Maker and continues to
work as a marketing/brand strategy
consultant. Neu contributes this
column exclusively for Cheese
Market News®.
Tribute to a colleague
and friend … Carol Christison
The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery
Association’s (IDDBA) 50-year anniversary of its Seminar & Expo will not be the
celebration it might have been without
the association’s incredible leader, Carol
Christison, who passed away March 4
after a brave and determined fight with
cancer. But fortunately Carol did receive
accolades and highly earned recognition
for her 30-year anniversary as executive
director of the association from present
and past board members and staff during
last year’s expo, and we are thankful for
that celebration.
Carol’s life, aside from her deep
dedication to family and friends, was
totally devoted to the continuous growth
and services of IDDBA to heighten the
business successes of the dairy, deli and
bakery segments of the food industry.
When she was selected to take the
reins of the International Cheese &
Deli Association (ICDA) in December
1982, from Bill Reese and the Wiscon-
sin Department of Agriculture, Carol
brought an extensive background in
managing nonprofit organizations, but
her experience with this segment of
the food industry was limited. However,
in an amazingly short period of time,
because she was a stellar business
professional and an insatiable reader
and scholar, Carol quickly understood
and embraced this dynamic U.S. food
business and the association’s purpose.
1983 is when I had the privilege
of connecting with Carol, as an ICDA
member representing the Wisconsin
Milk Marketing Board. From the beginning it was obvious she was a strategic
thinker as well as a savvy marketer,
educator and determined leader. The
organization thrived, beginning with
Carol and a part-time bookkeeper, and
gradually growing to a current staff of 30
effective and committed team members,
hired, guided and mentored by Carol to
achieve the mission of IDDBA. In 1982
the corporate membership, primarily
dairy/cheese related, was not quite 100.
Today it is more than 1,500 members,
and the annual Seminar & Expo has
grown from less than 1,000 attendees
to nearly 9,000. And as always, staff will
expect to break another record this year
for both attendees and exhibitors.
With the ongoing support of the
board of directors, Carol changed the
organization’s structure, programs and
services to meet the dynamic needs
of our industry. She continually found
new opportunities to be financially
sound and self-sufficient, managing
the IDDBA budgets and finances as
frugally and sensibly as she managed
her personal finances. To diversify
IDDBA’s revenue sources she created
a portfolio of educational programs,
training materials and on-trend topics
presented initially by distinguished
speakers at the annual expo seminars.
This led to the What’s In Store annual
publication driven by Carol’s research
for her popular Marketplace Trends
presentation each year. Board members
and show attendees recognized her as
a “visionary and disciplined strategic
thinker” combined with her compelling
sense of humor and creative marketing
approaches. Carol’s constant search
for market intelligence and her recognition of the dairy, deli and bakery
industries need for primary market
research provided the foundation for
several research seminars at every annual expo, as well as the database for
IDDBA’s research publications offered
as educational products in the portfolio
of member services.
As the expo trade show floor grew
each year, the exhibitor’s booths were
organized around the unique Show &
Sell center … an extension of Carol’s
vision and ongoing goal to bring education and training onto the expo floor
for show attendees. The center also
In Loving Memory of
Carol L. Christison
Carol leaves a lasting legacy of
leadership, friendship, creativity, wit,
humor and wisdom. Carol’s exceptional
professionalism, service and support
of the IDDBA will be forever appreciated
and cherished.
“A life that touches others
goes on forever.”
provided an additional opportunity for
exhibitors to showcase their new dairy,
deli and bakery products that were displayed and creatively merchandised by
talented retail and supplier members
as they competed within the Show &
Sell area for recognition as innovative and outstanding merchandisers.
This educational center also provided
another source of revenue for the association and hands-on educational
tools for the membership beyond the
Seminar & Expo.
“I am not sure how one
could begin to measure
the value of Carol
Christison’s many
contributions to the
dairy, deli and bakery
industries... ”
Andrea Neu
IMAGE MAKER
Carol’s strategies led the International Dairy-Deli Association to become
IDDBA in 1991, resulting in exponential
growth as Carol and staff also focused
on fulfilling the needs of the bakery
industry, recognizing that most retailbuyer-members were managing and
responsible for both the deli and bakery
departments within the changing supermarket segments. Carol leveraged
this situation as a new opportunity for
additional products and services as well
as the association’s membership growth
and reputation.
Carol was a role model and mentor
for both staff and many members, and a
friend to board members … especially
present and past board presidents because of the length of the board terms
to serve on the Executive Committee.
Her gratitude for their board service and
her creative, personalized “induction
ceremonies” for incoming and outgoing
presidents will always be memorable!
I am not sure how one could begin to
measure the value of Carol Christison’s
many contributions to the dairy, deli
and bakery industries, or for those
people she has touched and benefitted
through her work, dedication and love
for this industry, but surely this is the
time and an opportunity to express our
appreciation for her devotion to IDDBA.
Thank you Carol for being a friend
to many, an inspiration to people who
worked with you, and for the legacy you
have created for those who will follow
you through this food industry in the future. We all are proud to have been associated with you and will miss you. CMN
The views expressed by CMN’s guest
columnists are their own opinions
and do not necessarily reflect those of
Cheese Market News®.
5
NEWS/BUSINESS
World Food Championships in Vegas to feature cheese as key ingredient in recipe category
By Alyssa Mitchell
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The third annual “World Food Championships:
The Ultimate Food Fight” will be held
Nov. 12-18, 2014, in Las Vegas, with a
“World Recipe Championship” category
featuring cheese as the key ingredient
this year.
The World Food Championships
(WFC) is a yearlong, worldwide search
for the best team, cook or chefs in competition food sport that culminates in
a multi-day high-stakes “food fight” to
name the ultimate World Food Champion and award hundreds of thousands
of dollars in cash and prizes, says Larry
Oliphant, senior vice president of strategic partnerships, WFC.
“Food is America’s true obsession.
Online and local recipe competitions
give home cooks a venue for showing
off their best stuff and competing
with their own culinary creations,”
Oliphant says.
The World Food Championships
will select 50 winners from branded
competitions, online recipe contests
and live cookoffs to receive automatic
invitations to enter and compete at
WFC Nov. 12-18 in downtown Las Vegas.
To keep competitors, judges and
volunteers close to the action, WFC has
developed partnerships and special hotel packages with the D Las Vegas Casino
Hotel and Golden Nugget Las Vegas.
“Las Vegas is an excellent location
to host the World Food Championships,” says Mike McCloud, president,
WFC. “We have found the opportunities
available, specifically in downtown
Las Vegas, to be beneficial in helping
us build our event into the multi-day
culinary festival and spectacle it has
become.”
The field for the 2014 World Food
Championships has been expanded to
nine categories with 550 competitor
spots. Returning categories include:
Barbecue, Chili, Sandwich, Burger,
Dessert, Bacon and Recipe, while Pasta
and Seafood have been added as the
two new categories.
There is a “tournament-style” cookoff process for all WFC category competitions. The competition structure will
be split into multiple rounds, including
an opening “Challenger” round and a
Category Finals round, after which each
category champion will advance to the
Final Table for the WFC Champion to
be named Nov. 18.
As in years past, the Recipe category
has a specific ingredient, with this
year’s theme of cheese. Competitors in
the World Recipe Championship, held
Nov. 13-15, will be creating dishes that
focus on cheese, and the champion will
earn their right to fight for the grand
prize and the coveted title of World
Food Champion at the Final Table,
Oliphant says.
“We decided cheese is too big to
simply be the ‘window dressing’ for
other categories,” he says.
He notes that in the first round,
competitors will make their own signature dish with cheese. In Round 2,
contestants will all be given the same
recipe with which to craft their own
interpretation. The top 10 finalists will
go on to a final round and will be given
an additional ingredient to use.
Registration for competitors ends
on Oct. 20 with an entry fee of $200.
Potential competitors must qualify to
compete in Las Vegas.
In addition, WFC will run seven Food
Champ Challenges online recipe contests on Kenmore’s cookmore.com this
summer to qualify five competitors with
free entry to WFC. A grand prize winner
for each contest also will get $500 and
a free trip ($1000 travel stipend) to Las
Vegas. The Cheese-themed Challenge
begins July 31.
The competition panel also is seeking judges for various categories including the Recipe competition at WFC and
currently is accepting applications.
According to Jeff Morris, communication/media director, WFC, World
Food Championships is judged on its
own proprietary EAT Judging Method.
“This method is specific enough to
treat each entry with the respect it
deserves, but broad enough that any
food category/dish can be judged using
the same method,” Morris says.
EAT stands for Execution, Appearance and Taste, Morris notes. When
evaluating with this method, judges
look for:
• Appearance — Does it look right?
Does it look appetizing? Has it been presented in a visually appealing manner?
• Taste — Does it taste right? Is
there an appropriate balance of flavor
and ingredient? Does the aroma match
the taste? Is there an interesting or
complex or appealing build of flavors?
• Execution — Did it all come together? After reviewing the recipe, was
the chef successful with their execution
of the dish?
Onsite training of WFC’s EAT
method will occur for all chosen judges
prior to each competition, Morris notes.
For more information, visit www.
worldfoodchampionships.com. CMN
IDFA launches the NextGEN Dairy Network
initiative for dairy industry professionals
WASHINGTON — This week the International Dairy Foods Association
(IDFA) launched the NextGEN Dairy
Network, an initiative focused on helping up-and-coming dairy industry professionals build their careers. Through
online forums, networking and targeted
training sessions, the NextGEN Dairy
Network will provide professionals who
have less than 15 years of dairy experience with access to the information,
tools and expertise necessary to be
successful in the industry.
“The NextGEN Dairy Network
enables industry professionals at all
levels to grow, collaborate, network,
solve problems and develop the skills
necessary to hold leadership positions
in their companies, as well as in IDFA
and its constituent organizations,” says
Clay Hough, IDFA senior group vice
president and general counsel.
The NextGEN Dairy Network will
encourage members to:
• Network with industry peers who
also are building their careers;
• Gain a better understanding of hot
topics and emerging issues;
• Participate in online career development forums and have specific access
to articles and interviews with IDFA and
dairy industry leaders;
• Learn how industry peers solve
challenges and advance their careers;
• Receive special invitations to
and discounts for IDFA trainings and
events that will help develop the skills
and knowledge necessary for careerbuilding;
• Participate in a range of special
activities that will help participants
build the skills necessary to prepare
for leadership opportunities in their
respective organizations; and
• Connect in person at meetings
sponsored by IDFA throughout the year.
“Dairy is a unique and exciting industry. There’s a certain camaraderie that
you do not find in other industries,” says
David Ahlem, chief operating officer,
Hilmar Cheese Co. and a board member
of the National Cheese Institute who
serves as an advisor to the NextGEN
Dairy Network.
“NextGEN Dairy takes advantage of
this camaraderie to help grow our next
generation of plant managers, marketing executives, R&D professionals and
other individuals who continue to make
our industry great,” he says.
The network is open to all employees
of IDFA member companies and business partners who have less than 15
years of experience in the dairy industry.
There is no cost to join. For more
information, visit www.idfa.org/next
gen or contact IDFA’s Robin Cornelison
at; [email protected].
CMN
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Production, and Flexibility
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world, the RMC (Rotary Molder Chiller)
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mozzarella, provolone, and pizza
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Available in multiple sizes with quickly
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your production demands.
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For more information please visit www.johnsonindint.com
6
GUEST COLUMNIST
Perspective:
Dairy Marketing
As director of communications for
the California Milk Advisory Board,
Jennifer
Giambroni
oversees
consumer, trade and industry outreach to build awareness and demand for Real California Milk and
dairy products.
The many platforms for showing,
selling and telling the dairy story
includes everything from flavorful refrigerator dips to healthy spreads and
innovative ways to enjoy our favorite
food — cheese. And I’m sure you’ll
see an appearance or two by our pal
yogurt who keeps popping up in all
sorts of new places.
Much like the IDDBA Show & Sell
Center, over the years CMAB’s IDDBA
booth has put an increased emphasis
Once again the International DairyDeli-Bake show is upon us and whether
you’re a dairy processor, retailer or
marketer like me, you’re likely excited
about the new products and information that will be presented during the
show. Like our partners and competitors, each year we put great care into
putting together the very best that
California has to offer. This year that
not just on the selling but also the
telling. We’ve created bigger platforms
for our experts to offer ideas for pairing cheeses and other dairy foods to
tap into trendy new flavor profiles
or to showcase how a small amount
of specialty cheese and other dairy
ingredients can add big flavor (and
profits) to service deli offerings. As
retailers compete more and more with
fast-casual restaurants, these ideas are
appreciated by our partners.
According to a recent report from
Technomic, three areas of growth for
the fast-casual category include bakery/café, sandwiches and pizza. These
are all areas where retailers are and
will continue to compete for customers with dairy leading the way. It’s no
secret many consumers want it quick,
convenient and portable but they are
placing an increasing focus on quality
ingredients, diverse options and unique
flavors. That’s right in the wheelhouse
for dairy foods and ingredients, which
also bring a level of functionality that’s
hard to replicate.
Beyond offering a myriad of ideas
for sampling and showcasing dairy
products in the Real California Pairing
Station and Pizza Kitchen, we will play
host to a large group of marketing representatives and dairy buyers from the
11 Asian countries where we’re actively
promoting California dairy, making the
program truly international. The CMAB
booth also will give attendees a sneak
preview of our new online look and feel
that will launch with the “Califarmia”
website at the end of June.
Like our booth and “Street of Dairy,”
Califarmia is more than a destination
for consumers and food professionals
to access information about California
dairy products. It captures the meaning and messages behind the Real
California Milk and Cheese seals, the
“Intel Inside” for dairy processors that
source California milk. It’s about the
farmers, the cows, the land and the
food that comes from the “Land of
Milk & Sunny.” Our partners who use
the seals on their packages not only
tap into this heritage and the history
of innovation behind California dairy
but the marketing programs and support that come from using 100 percent
California milk.
Although we saw a 75 percent increase in website traffic last year from
the year prior, what really is going to
matter moving forward is engagement.
While our television and digital advertising campaigns work to drive awareness and affinity for the Real California
Turn to GIAMBRONI, page 7 D
®
Visit the CMAB Street of Dairy to meet the following Artisans:
9th Street Cheese, Inc., Booth 4847
Bellwether Farms, Booth 4944
Cacique, Booth 5042
California Dairies, Inc., Booth 4850
Challenge Dairy Products, Inc., Booth 4948
Crystal Creamery, Booth 4945
Dairy Farmers of America, Booth 4648
Di Stefano Cheese Co., Booth 4747
Fiscalini Cheese Co., Booth 4947
Joseph Farms, Booth 4849
Karoun Dairies, Booth 4742
Marin French Cheese Co., Booth 4646
Pacific Cheese Co., Booth 4649
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Booth 4745
Rizo Lopez Foods, Booth 4844
Rumiano Cheese Co., Booth 4848
Santini Foods, Inc., Booth 4746
Sierra Nevada Cheese Co., Booth 4950
Smithway Foods, Booth 4647
Sweet Chills, Booth 4645
Valley Ford Cheese Co., Booth 4949
World Grocer, Booth 4748
For more information please visit www.realcaliforniamilk.com
7
NEWS/BUSINESS
Australian dairy groups partner in successful trial to ship fresh fluid milk to China
SOUTH LISMORE, Australia — Dairy
Connect, Norco Cooperative Ltd. and
Peloris Global Sourcing Pty Ltd. (PGS)
have jointly confirmed a successful trial
shipment of fresh fluid milk to China
from Australian dairy farms.
International export consulting
company PGS, in collaboration with
nonprofit dairy industry promotion and
support organization Dairy Connect
and farmer-owned dairy cooperative
Norco, implemented a quarantine
clearance agreement with China to
bring the delivery time to seven days,
well within the shelf life of pasteurized
fluid milk from Australia.
George Davey, chairman of Dairy
Connect, says this commercially viable cold chain pipeline will open the
door for millions of liters of fresh milk
exports from Australia to China each
year. To date, he says, export efforts had
been hampered by lengthy testing and
quarantine processes before shipment,
and again upon arrival. Previously the
export lead time ranged from 14 to 21
days, which was not compatible with
the normal shelf life for pasteurized
milk.
The breakthrough came after 12
months of collaboration between
PGS and Chinese officials to develop
rigorous quality assurance protocols
that now have been fully tested and
temperature at all times during transit and that it incorporates a product
security system which identifies and
tracks the location of individual units.
Following the recent success of the
trial shipment, Norco now has plans underway to begin commercial shipments
of its full range of fresh milk products.
“This opens the door for Norco
to access the burgeoning demand
from Chinese consumers for Australian fresh milk products,” says Greg
McNamera, Norco chairman. “The
pipeline has the capacity to deliver
more than 20 million liters of fresh
milk to consumers in China within the
first 12 months of operation.” CMN
officially sanctioned by the relevant
Chinese agencies. As a result, the PGS
cold chain pipeline has been supported
by changes to existing Chinese import
clearance procedures to accommodate
the limited shelf life of fresh milk imports from Australia. A trial shipment
of almost 1,000 liters of Norco’s fresh
fluid milk was successfully completed
in March.
Peter Verry, managing director
for PGS, says the cold chain pipeline
solution includes quality assurance
controls that ensure that the milk
meets or exceeds China’s food health
and safety standards. It also ensures the
product is maintained at the optimal
GIAMBRONI
Continued from page 6
seals through consumer impressions
and engagement, Califarmia will connect with our social media channels to
forge deeper relationships and affinity for the seals through content that
people want to share.
Outside of IDDBA and the launch of
Califarmia, June brings us the opportunity to amplify the conversation about
dairy amongst many audiences with
Dairy Month activities. Each year we
celebrate “Real California Milk Month”
in the state with blogger partnerships,
couponing, recipes and sharable ideas
for using dairy every day. Those activities
will continue. This year, however, we’re
leveraging the dairy month platform to
build awareness of the bigger conversation about hunger and access to healthy
foods like milk by supporting the Great
American Milk Drive in California.
Our dairy farm families, together with
our processor and nutrition education
partners at the California Fluid Milk
Processor Board and Dairy Council of
California, will use June to promote
the need for quality dairy nutrition at
every table. We’ll do this in a real and
tangible way by getting out into the
community with service days at local
food banks and providing matching
funds up to $30,000 for California milk
donations throughout the month, when
low-income children and families who
aren’t able to participate in school nutrition programs are especially vulnerable.
We’re so fortunate to enjoy the
bounty of dairy products from the milk
we pour on our cereal and stir into our
coffee in the morning to the cheese that
holds our lunchtime sandwich together,
the butter we sauté our fish in at dinner
and the frozen ice cream goodness that
ends the day. We hope to share some
of this bounty with you at IDDBA or a
June Dairy Month celebration. CMN
and do not necessarily reflect those
of Cheese Market News®.
Flavours of
The Swiss Mountains
Drawing upon the traditions and methods of
highly regional Swiss cheesemakers, Mifroma
introduces three new products that represent
Swiss regional cheesemaking expertise.
As fresh and vibrant as the Alpine valleys they hail
from, Edel Suisse, Gottardo and Swiss Flower are
defined by their depth of flavor, delightful appearance, or suitability for particular wines or food.
Edel Suisse is sweet, spicy and beautifully carved
with folkloric motifs, sure to make a stunning
statement on any cheese board. Gottardo is
the pinnacle of Swiss Italian cheese, made with
savory milk from the Leventina mountain valley.
The highly original Swiss Flower, scattered with
Alpine flowers, is matched in appearance by a
delightfully soft, floral texture.
Mifroma is pleased to present these lesser
known yet highly renowned regional cheeses to
the delight of all your gourmet customers.
Discover our complete range of authentic cheeses from Switzerland at www.mifroma.com
For more information please visit www.mirfroma.com
8
GUEST COLUMNIST
Perspective:
Dairy Marketing
James Robson is CEO of the
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
where, since 2001, he leads the
farmer-funded organization charged
with building demand for Wisconsin
milk.
A year of anniversaries,
decades of accomplishments
This year’s Show of Shows seminar
and expo celebrates the 50-year anniversary of the organization that is today
the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA). With a membership
of more than 1,450 companies, IDDBA
has grown to be a powerful retailing
force representing small independents,
regional chains and national and international supermarkets. Additionally,
its membership attracts a full range
of food manufacturers, brokers and
distributors from small entrepreneurial
companies to some of the largest multinational food companies in the world.
Those of us who exhibit annually in
the show are among the more than 8,000
registrants who visit 1,600-plus booths
to take in an amazing array of products
and state-of-the-art merchandising
ideas, learn from a host of educational
seminars and hear from speakers at
the highest levels of government and
industry. What was founded in 1964
as the Wisconsin Cheese Seminar has
become an influential trade association,
and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, a
firm believer in food industry partnerships, is proud to have played a role
in building this dynamic organization
over the years.
So much of IDDBA’s growth and vitality is due to the leadership of the gifted
Carol Christison, who was at its helm
for more than 30 years. Not only was
she an executive of vision, intelligence
and keen wit, Carol had the ability to
draw a full house time after time for
her annual 8:15 a.m. “industry trends”
speech on Monday of the conference.
You simply couldn’t afford to miss that.
Her death came too soon, and we join
the countless others who are saluting
her achievements at this year’s show.
Coincidental to this 50-year birthday
for IDDBA, Wisconsin Milk Marketing
Board (WMMB) also is celebrating
anniversaries this year. Two programs
with important relevance to marketing and retailing — the Wisconsin
Master Cheesemakers program and
the What’s New from Wisconsin new
product bulletin — are marking their
20th years. These two efforts launched
in 1994 in many ways anticipated the
now well-established importance of
identifying a product’s place of origin.
Consumers increasingly want to know
where their food comes from and related
information.
The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker
program, similar to European master programs and the only one of its kind in the
United States, is advanced educational
training for active, licensed Wisconsin
cheesemakers with at least 10 years’
experience. To enroll in a program for
certification for a single cheese, the
cheesemaker must have been making
the variety for a minimum of 5 years.
The program is jointly sponsored by
WMMB, the Wisconsin Center for Dairy
Research and UW-Extension. In 1994,
four Wisconsin cheesemakers enrolled
in this stringent curriculum that involves classroom education, a 40-hour
written final exam and instructor visits
to plants for product evaluation. As of
today, more than 60 masters have been
graduated, working in a combined total
of 33 Wisconsin cheese companies. They
represent 36 different varieties of cheese.
Not only does the Master’s curriculum produce superior skills and cheeses,
it offers additional advantages to retailers. A Master’s Mark logo, as well as the
familiar Wisconsin Cheese logo, has
been developed for use on packaging of
certified cheeses, clearly identifying the
product’s Wisconsin origin, a location
that cheese shoppers value, according
to WMMB research. A recent study
conducted by Information Resources
Inc. for WMMB in partnership with
a Wisconsin cheesemaking company
found that adding the Wisconsin logo
and the word Wisconsin to packaging
resulted in a 5.9 percent increase in
volume sales. Additional consumer
research has found significantly higher
purchase interest as well as perceived
overall quality and value for Wisconsin
identified cheese.
The What’s New from Wisconsin
publication was developed by WMMB
in 1994 to introduce new Wisconsin
product entries to the marketplace and
is currently mailed to some 8,000 food
industry professionals as well as appearing on WMMB’s website, eatwisconsincheese.com. The circulation reflects a
major emphasis on grocer retailers and
is used not only for information but
for sourcing, according to evaluative
WMMB research. Each product featured
in the issue must display Wisconsin
identification on its packaging, such
as the trademarked WMMB cheese
logo. In its 20 years, What’s New from
Wisconsin has introduced almost 600
products from America’s Dairyland.
IDDBA and WMMB anniversaries
remind us of just how much the cheese
market has expanded over the decades.
What’s in Store, IDDBA’s signature
publication now in its 28th year, has
reported and predicted growth and
change over the decades as it profiles
consumer lifestyle trends, cheese at
retail, the dairy department, deli department and bakery department. Since
IDDBA was founded as the Wisconsin
Cheese Seminar in 1964, per capita
cheese consumption in the United
States has risen from 9.4 pounds in 1964
to 33.5 today (USDA), an increase of 256
percent. In the last almost 20 years, the
number of in-store delis has increased
from 23,008 in 1993 to 30,300 in 2012
(Progressive Grocer Deli Update). In
1993, retail supermarket cheese sales
(exact weight and random weight
scanned sales) were estimated at $4.7
billion (What’s in Store, Progressive
Grocer) while in 2013 retail cheese
sales in traditional grocery stores were
at $13.3 billion (IRI, Freshlook). That’s
an average growth rate of 5.3 percent.
We’ve witnessed the rise in American-made specialty and artisan
cheeses, increasing food savvy and
curiosity among consumers, new food
distribution vehicles, the emergence
and influence of social media and
entry of big box and super centers,
among other events. There have been
proliferation in digitalized customer
information, including shopping habits
and preferences; the development of
sophisticated prepared food sections;
an increase of boutique “cheese stores”
within the store; accelerated check-out
technology; and burgeoning ethnic and
“healthy” food sections, to name just a
few of the developments that have been
noted and analyzed by What’s in Store.
IDDBA’s first 50 years have been
quite a ride, and the journey is only
beginning. We encourage all IDDBA registrants to celebrate and
toast the anniversaries with WMMB
and Wisconsin cheesemakers at the
annual Monday night IDDBA cheese
extravaganza party to be held at Sports
Authority Field at Mile High, home of
the Denver Broncos. So get your game
face on — we’ll see you there! CMN
and do not necessarily reflect those of
Cheese Market News®.
NEWS/BUSINESS
Cheese ad volume tops all surveyed dairy
products, AMS says in biweekly report
WASHINGTON — Though overall cheese
ads decreased 7 percent from two weeks
ago, national cheese ad volume still tops
all surveyed dairy products, according to
the latest biweekly National Dairy Retail
Report released Thursday by USDA’s
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).
The weighted average advertised
price of 8-ounce shredded natural
cheese, $2.37, was down from $2.52 in
the last report but up from $2.25 last
year, AMS reports. The average price of
8-ounce block cheese in natural varieties
was $2.44, down from $2.48 two weeks
ago but up 16 cents from $2.28 last year.
Natural varieties of 1-pound shredded
cheese had a weighted average price of
$3.42 this week, down from $4.46 two
weeks ago and $3.64 last year. One-pound
natural cheese blocks averaged $4.32,
down from $4.58 two weeks ago but up
from $3.80 last year. The weighted average price for natural varieties of 2-pound
cheese blocks was $7.55 this week, up
from $7.48 two weeks ago and $7.12 last
year, AMS says.
The volume of butter ads was one
of the biggest percentage category
gainers this week. One-pound retail
butter averaged $3.14 per pound, up 42
cents from $2.72 two weeks ago and up
37 cents from $2.77 last year.
CMN
Tetra Pak planning to relocate headquarters
DENTON, Texas — Effective June
30, Tetra Pak Inc. is moving its North
American Headquarters to 3300 Airport
Road, Denton, Texas.
The new headquarters will house
all Tetra Pak functions under one roof,
including packaging material manufacturing, technical services, commercial
and marketing functions, and its R&D
pilot plant.
In addition, Tetra Pak’s processing
offices previously located in Lake Geneva, Wis., and its current office in Vernon
Hills, Ill., will move to one integrated facility. Effective June 30, Tetra Pak’s processing, spare parts distribution center
and HR Service Center will be located in
a new facility in Vernon Hills, Ill. CMN
9
NEWS/BUSINESS
Study finds proposed Nutrition Facts label updates may be more effective than current label
WASHINGTON — A study recently
conducted by the Georgetown Institute
for Consumer Research finds that consumers find recently-proposed updates
to Nutrition Facts labels by FDA are
easier to read in less time.
The last time FDA changed the labels
for the nutritional information of foods
was 1993, the study notes. Much has
changed since then in terms of nutrition
and food consumption. Most notably,
there have been significant increases
in the rates of overweight and obese
Americans. In the years between 1988
and 1994, approximately 23 percent
of the population was obese and 55
percent was overweight, but by 2010,
36 percent were obese and 69 percent
were overweight.
Currently, almost all packaged
products in the United States require
nutritional labels, the study adds. Despite this, many Americans still fail to
make healthy dietary choices. While
there are many reasons for this, FDA has
suggested that better labeling, that is
clearer and easier to comprehend, could
help improve consumers’ decisions.
To improve nutrition labels on foods,
FDA has proposed two significant
changes to the current standards.
One is a reformatting of the current
nutritional facts layout, which would
emphasize calories and serving size;
the other change would be adjusting
serving sizes to reflect what consumers
actually consume. (See “FDA unveils
proposal to update Nutrition Facts
label on foods” in the Feb. 28, 2014,
issue of Cheese Market News.)
To assess the effectiveness of the
proposed changes to label formats and
serving sizes, Chris Hydock and Anne
Wilson, researchers with the Georgetown Institute for Consumer Research,
conducted a study in March in which
consumers evaluated the healthiness
of foods and the helpfulness of the
proposed labels as well as the current
labels.
The study presented consumers with
three food items: a 20-ounce bottle of
soda, a frozen pizza and an 8-ounce bag
of chips. Consumers were presented
with a picture of each product followed
by a picture of its nutritional facts label.
Consumers were randomly assigned to
view the current label, the proposed
label or an alternate proposed label.
Each label also was presented with
nutritional information for the existing
serving size values or nutritional information for 1.5 times the existing serving
size, which is closer to the proposed
FDA serving size adjustments.
Lastly, nutritional label information
was presented for either 10 seconds,
to mimic an in-store viewing, or for
an unlimited quantity of time to allow
for careful review. Consumers then
indicated how healthy they perceived
each item to be and how informative or
helpful they found the labels.
Researchers note that two important
patterns emerged in the results:
• When consumers viewed labels
that depicted the larger serving sizes,
consumers perceived the food to be
less healthy. This result is consistent
with the goals of FDA; foods labeled
with larger serving sizes will increase
perceptions of unhealthiness and in
turn hopefully decrease the amounts
Americans consume.
• Consumers found the proposed label and alternate label to be more helpful when allowed only a brief, 10-second
view. But when given unlimited time to
look at the label, consumers found the
original label to be more helpful than
the proposed and alternate labels. This
result is particularly important because
consumers typically only briefly look at
nutritional labels when shopping, and
labels should be designed accordingly,
the study says.
Researchers say these results have
important implications for future
policy on nutritional labeling. The most
important impending change to nutritional labels seems to be the proposed
change to serving size. This will likely
come as a welcome change to consumer
advocates who often argue that smallerthan-reality serving sizes can be seen as
a method of deceiving consumers into
believing products are less healthy than
they are in reality, they add.
Also notable is the fact that the
newly-proposed label presentations
were rated as more helpful in the
brief viewing scenario. This can be attributed to the fact that the proposed
labels achieve their goal by prominently displaying the most important
information on nutritional labels,
the study says. Additionally, the brief
viewing scenario was independently
determined to closely match how long
consumers actually spend looking at
labels. Together, these results support
FDA’s proposed changes to nutritional
labeling, according to researchers. CMN
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photo copyright WMMB
For more information please visit www.wagcheese.com
For more information please visit www.theciaa.org
10
PEOPLE
Foremost Farms names its 2014 agricultural education scholars
BARABOO, Wis. — The 2014 winners of
Foremost Farms USA’s agricultural education scholarships are pursuing degrees in
dairy science, herd management, veterinary medicine and agriculture education.
Ten children of Foremost Farms
USA members have won scholarships
worth $2,000 each. Applicants for
the scholarship must be pursuing an
agriculture-related curriculum. The
scholarship is funded by the Foremost
Farms USA Charitable Foundation.
•Collegiate scholars
Laura Crosby, Greensburg, Ind., will be
a sophomore this fall at Purdue University,
West Lafayette, Ind., working toward a
degree in agricultural education.
Danielle Hegemann, Union Grove, Wis.,
will be a sophomore this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, studying animal science with a minor in science and an
emphasis in a pre-veterinary curriculum.
Adam Schumm, Willshire, Ohio, is a
member-owner and will be a sophomore
this fall at the University of Northwestern
Ohio, Lima, Ohio, where he is studying
agriculture equipment technology.
Samantha Van Deurzen, De Pere,
Wis., will be a sophomore this fall at
the University of Wisconsin-River Falls
studying agriculture education.
•High school scholars
Logan Voigts, Platteville, Wis., plans
to attend the University of Wisconsin-
Madison this fall to study dairy science.
Nicole Wright, Watertown, Wis., plans
to study dairy herd management this fall
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Clara Bass, Reedsburg, Wis., plans to
attend Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis.,
to major this fall in veterinary medicine.
Leah Elsbernd, Calmar, Iowa, plans
to attend Iowa State University, Ames,
Iowa, this fall to study agriculture.
Elizabeth Sarbacker, Verona, Wis.,
plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison this fall to study dairy science.
Carrie Urbanek, Cashton, Wis., plans
to attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, Wis., to
study agricultural education. CMN
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Comings and goings
Zoey Brooks, Waupaca, Wis., has
been selected as Wisconsin’s 67th Alice
in Dairyland. Brooks will work as a
communications professional for the
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture,
Trade and Consumer Protection for the
next year. She graduated this month
from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in animal science.
Ben Jeckel has signed on to the
Blimling/Dairy.com team as its senior
director/dairy consultancy. In this capacity Jeckel will provide clients with
data, complete analysis and strategies
for addressing various market segments, different geographies, production investments and procurement
planning. He also will participate in
ongoing consulting and research efforts. Jeckel most recently worked at
Abbott Nutrition as the senior sourcing
manager for dairy ingredients.
Mike Wilkins has been appointed
to regional sales manager for Dorner
Manufacturing Corp., Hartland, Wis.
Wilkins will be working with sales
channel partners and key accounts
to grow the company’s industrial and
sanitary conveyor business throughout
the Upper Midwest region of the United
States. Wilkins joins Dorner after most
recently serving as a regional sales
manager for THK Global, Chicago.
National Farmers Union (NFU)
President Roger Johnson recently
announced a number of NFU staff
changes. Melisa Augusto, previously
director of communications, will now
serve as director of membership and
marketing; Chandler Goule, previously vice president of government
relations, will now serve as senior
vice president of programs; Brittany
Jablonsky succeeds Augusto as director of communications; Jeff Knudson
has been promoted from vice president
of operations to senior vice president
of operations; Maria Miller, previously NFU’s director of education, has
been appointed executive director of
the NFU Foundation; Mike Stranz
has been promoted from government
relations representative to senior government relations representative; and
Ethan Whitmore, previously membership database manager, will now serve
as director of information systems.
ProSpect Analytical Technology
Inc., Plymouth, Minn., is expanding
its coverage in the central United
States with the addition of senior
account manager Peter Wendorf.
He has nearly 30 years of experience
in marketing analytical instruments
across various industries with a
strong focus on the dairy industry.
Wendorf was instrumental in the
initial development of ProSpect’s
in-line near infrared analytical devices
during his tenure at Filtration Engineering, Champlin, Minn., ProSpect’s
former parent company. C M N
For more information please visit www.omegavalleyfarmers.com
EVENTS
Farm Bill listening
session announced
WASHINGTON — As part of the
implementation of the 2014 Farm
Bill, USDA’s Rural Development is
hosting a listening session for public
input about the Strategic Economic
and Community Development priority funding to be made available for
certain rural development programs.
The session will be held June 5 from
1-4 p.m. at the Whitten Building in
Washington.
The focus for the session is for Rural
Development to hear from the public. It
is not a discussion with officials. Rural
Development is interested in receiving
input on all aspects on the implementation of the provision.
Attendees must register by June 3 by
contacting Chad Maisel at 202-720-4581
or [email protected]. CMN
USDA and HHS give
notice of DGAC
public meeting
WASHINGTON — USDA and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) have announced a
public meeting of the 2015 Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee
(DGAC) will take place July 17 from
1:15 p.m.-5:15p.m. EDT and again
July 18 from 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m. EDT.
These meetings will be conducted
via webcast.
The secretaries of HHS and USDA
are directed to issue, at least every
five years, a report titled Dietary
Guidelines for Americans. To assist
with satisfying the mandate, a discretionary federal advisory committee is
established to provide independent,
science-based advice and recommendations. The 2015 DGAC consists of a
panel of experts who were selected
from the public and private sectors.
Individuals who were selected to
serve on the committee have current
scientific knowledge in the field of
human nutrition and chronic disease.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage Americans to focus
on eating a healthy diet — one that
focuses on foods and beverages that
help achieve and maintain a healthy
weight, promote health and prevent
disease.
The meeting is in place to promote
transparency of the process and to
encourage public comment. The
meeting agenda will include a review
of committee work since the last
public meeting and plans for future
committee work.
Online registration for the meeting is expected to open June 4.
To register by phone call Andrea
Popp, National Capitol Contracting, at 703-243-9696 by July 11. For
more information or to register go
to www.dietaryguidelines.gov. CMN
11
NEWS/BUSINESS
WMMB announces Dairy Days of Summer campaign and contest
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Milk
Marketing Board (WMMB) has announced
its “Dairy Days of Summer” campaign,
which offers dairy-friendly ways to celebrate June Dairy Month in Wisconsin.
At the center of the campaign is
WMMB’s recently updated website,
www.dairydaysofsummer.com, which
features recipes, an interactive farm
breakfast locator map and calendar of
Wisconsin dairy events.
The Dairy Days of Summer interactive calendar is filled with dairy-themed
festivals, such as the annual Cheese
Curd Festival, various sampling opportunities, special menus and deals at
participating restaurants and retailers.
The dairy farm breakfast locator
map, searchable by date or location,
features many of the more than 70 dairy
farms across Wisconsin that welcome
the public to enjoy a breakfast during
the month of June.
New to the campaign this year is
the “Eat. Love. Share.” photo contest. It
encourages consumers to share photos of
themselves enjoying Wisconsin cheese,
butter, ice cream, sour cream, cream
cheese, yogurt, whipping cream or milk
tagged with #LoveDairy via Instagram for
a chance to win the $3,000 grand prize.
Second place will receive $2,000 and third
place $1,000. Photos must be shared between June 1 and June 30. In July visitors to
the Wisconsin Dairy Facebook page, www.
facebook.com/wisconsindairy, will have a
chance to vote for their favorite photo.
“The Dairy Days of Summer campaign
makes it easy for everyone to get involved
and celebrate Wisconsin’s vibrant dairy
industry,” says David Bavlnkam vice
president, advertising, WMMB. “The
website has become the ultimate June
Dairy Month guide, filled with fun activities for all ages, from farm breakfasts and
dairy festivals to special retailer events,
recipes and more. We look forward to
seeing photos from all of the special
celebrations happening across the state.”
For more information go to www.
dairydaysofsummer.com. C M N
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12
NEW PRODUCTS
FOR DAIRY MANUFACTURERS
Master-Bilt announces new line of merchandisers and product updates at 2014 NRA Show
CHICAGO — Master-Bilt, a manufacturer of commercial refrigeration,
recently debuted a new line of open air
merchandisers and updates to existing
products at the National Restaurant
Association (NRA) Show held this
month in Chicago.
Master-Bilt announced its new
line of open air merchandisers — the
vertical VOAM series, and horizontal
HOAM series. All models meet the 2017
Department of Energy standards. The
VOAM models feature multiple tiers of
18-inch deep, two-position cantilever
shelving. The HOAM series features an
adjustable shelf and has a full length
10’-inch wide metal top.
Both series feature sloping glass
sides designed to hold a constant
temperature. The product lines of-
fer the largest standard feature set
including LED canopy lighting, an
electronic controller that allows the
user to monitor defrost functions from
a front panel interface and an electric
condensate removal system that only
operates when needed. Stainless steel
corrosion-resistant floor pans are also
standard.
The HOAM and VOAM series include an expansion valve that permits
the optional installation of a remote
refrigeration system that can be
housed away from the unit, resulting
in the removal of additional heat and
noise from retail environments and
further electricity savings, MasterBilt says.
Both styles are constructed of
textured finishes on the interior and
ITW Muller introduces GW-4100 carriage
CHICAGO — ITW Muller has recently
introduced its GW-4100 40-inch robotic
pallet wrapper. The newly designed carriage offers twice the speed, throughput
and battery life compared to the standard GW-4100.
Like its predecessor, the GW-4100
40-inch offers increased product
protection and wrapping consistency,
improved employee safety, less waste
and significant time and cost-savings
over hand-wrapping, ITW Muller says.
“The 40” carriage was specifically
developed to accommodate the need to
wrap larger loads while simultaneously
decreasing cost and maintenance,” says
Michael Klear, sales and marketing
director, ITW Muller.
The GW-4100 40-inch robotic pallet
wrapper reaches speeds of 60 loads
per hour and comes standard with a
telescoping mast — accommodating
loads up to 110” high. Its built-in film
cutter cuts film at completion of wrap
cycles. The GW-4100 40-inch has an independent top and bottom wrap pattern
selection up to 20 wraps and the film
tension can be adjusted electronically
from the control panel.
With a height adjustable mast,
the GW-4100 40-inch can perform 400
loads per charge, comes pre-set with
99 wrap cycles.
The machine also offers several
safety features including an emergency
stop button, safety contact edge and low
voltage which reduces shock hazard.
“Customers get all the benefits from
our popular GW-4100 with the added
bonus of being able to wrap larger
loads with even greater efficiency,”
Klear says.
For more information contact sales@
itwmuller.com or 1-800-628-6787. CMN
exterior. Additionally, the systems
provide audible and visible alarms.
Master-Bilt’s Master Controller,
featuring Web2Walk-In software, is now
Apple iOS compatible making remote
monitoring and adjustment of walkins accessible from any device with
an internet connection. The newest
Master Controller also debuted at the
NRA Show.
In addition to iOS compatibility,
a new defrost function built into the
Master Controller’s Web2Walk-In software monitors coil temperature and
automatically turns on evaporator fans
for a short time when the coil is warm
to melt accumulated frost and ice from
the fan guards. This new function may
be accessed through the control panel
located on the evaporator coil or through
Ice Synergy offers new form of ice builder
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Ice Synergy
Inc. has introduced an ice builder that
generates micro ice crystals to make a
pumpable liquid ice for process cooling.
Utilizing patented orbital rod evaporator technology, Ice Synergy’s MaximICE slurry ice systems are more energy
efficient than traditional ice builders,
according to Ice Synergy.
The technology is uniquely suited
for effectively cooling high, intermittent
heat loads and for utility savings, says
Ice Synergy.
The fluidized ice crystal bed provides
a large surface area of latent ice energy
to handle rapid cooling of high heat loads
to constant low temperatures. Constant
glycol supply temperatures are typically
28 F, and are achieved by drawing off the
bottom of the ice slurry storage tank.
According to Ice Synergy, processors
can run compressors during off-peak
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the Web2Walk-In set points screen.
“The Master Controller is a result
of Master-Bilt’s commitment to providing cost-effective, energy saving and
performance enhancing refrigeration
equipment,” says Bill Huffman, vice
president of sales and marketing,
Master-Bilt.
The Web2Walk-In software loaded
on each controller remotely monitors
and programs all data and setpoints using any device with a wireless internet
or cabled connection. Web2Walk-In
can pinpoint walk-in performance and
maintenance issues, eliminating the
need to enter the walk-in or access rooftop equipment to monitor or adjust the
refrigeration system, Master-Bilt says.
For more information go to www.
master-bilt.com/products.
CMN
times and shift the heat load, saving
money on utility bills. The technology can
utilize ammonia or “green” refrigerants
and tie into existing central refrigeration
plant capacity to save initial capital
expenditures and enhance return on
investment, the company says.
Systems are available in flexible
footprint and compact designs, from 3
tons to 5,000 tons.
For more information contact 417-8639602, or visit www.icesynergy.com. CMN
Kureha America
introduces barrier
shrink packaging
NEW YORK — Krehalon, a global line
of barrier shrink packaging materials
for cheese and perishable foods, will
now be available to food manufacturers
in the United States through Kureha
America LLC.
“While the Krehalon brand is new
to the U.S. market, it is well established
with proven performance and value
throughout the globe,” says Fred Daniell, president, Kureha America. “We’re
launching the brand with our own
primary technology, manufacturing and
service resources and are looking forward
to providing the U.S. food packaging
market greater access to these superiorperforming products.”
Kureha America will offer the full
range of Krehalon products — standard,
high-abuse and cook-in shrink bags, formshrink films and flow-wrap films — to accommodate a variety of retail, food service
and distribution packaging options.
Previously Krehalon products had
been sold in the United States by
Flavorseal. Now, Kureha America will
provide local sales and technical service
support, along with local bag-making to
enhance flexibility and speed-to-market,
says the company.
For more information contact Jeff
Sherry, Kureha America, at info@kureha.
com, or visit www.kreha.com. CMN
13
NEWS/BUSINESS
Consumers becoming less loyal to national brands according to new Deloitte study
NEW YORK — U.S. consumers are pushing their shopping carts past many of
America’s national brands and feel little
regret in doing so, according to Deloitte’s
“American Pantry Study” of more than
375 brands across 30 product categories.
Seven in 10 shoppers (71 percent) say
they’re spending less on food, beverage
and household goods, but don’t feel like
they’re sacrificing much. In fact, only
31 percent of brands are considered a
“must have” — one that shoppers would
buy whether on sale or not — consistent
with the last four years that Deloitte has
conducted the survey.
“National brands are pressured on
all sides, from persistent consumer
frugality and low brand loyalty to rival
and store brand competition,” says Pat
Conroy, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP and
U.S. Consumer Products leader. “While
consumers initially resented buying
less-expensive products out of necessity
a few years ago, they have changed their
tune. They have shifted from a feeling
of settling for lower-priced brands to
settling into store brands distinguished
by high quality.”
Nearly 9 in 10 (88 percent) respondents say they have found several store
brands that are just as good as national
brands and that allow them to feel as
though they are saving money without
giving up anything, according to the study.
Deloitte says 91 percent of consumers noted that they have become more
resourceful. This resourcefulness has
manifested itself through different savings tactics across consumer segments.
Deloitte’s analysis categorizes consumers
into four groups: super savers (26 percent), sacrificers (19 percent), planners
(23 percent) and spectators (32 percent).
•Super Savers (26 percent)
Super Savers make a concentrated
effort to use coupons and visit multiple
stores. They describe themselves as priceconscious and deal-seeking, and are most
likely to conduct product research and
price comparisons through mobile and
online channels.
•Sacrificers (19 percent)
Sacrificers are more likely than others to switch to store brands and only 16
percent describe themselves as brand
loyal. Sacrificers report the lowest mean
income among the consumer segments
and are most likely to have large household sizes.
•Planners (23 percent)
Planners are most focused on resourceful pantry management and planning ahead to maximize their budgets and
come from smaller households.
•Spectators (32 percent)
The least affected by economic condi-
FDA issues draft guidance for desired
exemptions from food allergen labeling
WASHINGTON — FDA earlier this
month issued draft guidance intended
to help the food industry prepare submissions that seek exemptions from the
labeling requirements for ingredients
derived from major food allergens.
The Food Allergen Labeling and
Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) requires that food labels identify
products containing major food allergens
(milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish,
tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans).
Because an ingredient derived from a
major food allergen may be modified to
such an extent that it does not contain
allergenic protein or does not cause an
allergic response that poses a risk to
human health, FALCPA provides for two
processes through which a manufacturer
can obtain an exemption from this labeling requirement for a specific ingredient.
The draft guidance is intended to
help the food industry prepare comprehensive submissions to allow FDA
to expeditiously evaluate whether the
ingredients meet the exemption standards in FALCPA.
Companies that have demonstrated
to FDA that an ingredient qualifies for
a labeling exemption are able to use
that ingredient, derived from a major
food allergen, in food products with no
accompanying allergen declaration on
the food label and, as such, expand the
variety of food products available to foodallergic consumers, FDA notes.
As discussed in more detail in the
draft guidance, FDA is looking to inform
manufacturers of the scientific evidence
the agency needs to evaluate submissions
in accordance with the standards defined
in FALCPA and help manufacturers
evaluate whether to submit a petition
or notification.
The guidance, “Draft Guidance
for Industry: Food Allergen Labeling
Exemption Petitions and Notifications,” is available at www.fda.gov.
Comments can be submitted at www.
regulations.gov through Sept. 5. CMN
tions, Spectators are more likely to buy
higher-priced products by a brand they
trust rather than cheaper or store alternatives, with convenience carrying more
importance than price when it comes to
selecting a retailer. Spectators have the
highest income average compared to the
other segments.
Deloitte’s study found a narrow set of
brands winning the loyalty game primarily on trust, but also on price and product
positioning.
The top 10 percent of must-have
brands differed significantly from the
bottom 10 percent of brands — most
notably with a 27 percentage point rating difference as a product that tastes or
works better. Additionally, the majority
(68 percent) of the top 10 percent of
must-have brands have a more focused
price positioning and outperform those
that are relatively scattered.
“Traditional thinking that targets
consumers at multiple price points
with good, better or best offerings often
misses the mark,” says Conroy. “Given
the bifurcation of consumers between
higher and lower income levels, brands
should instead address different shoppers’ ability and willingness to spend by
moving to an OK, better and excellent
brand portfolio.”
Trust also trumps other brand
qualities when convincing a consumer
to pay a little more, though health
and convenience also earn points with
consumers. Nearly 8 in 10 (78 percent)
consumers indicate they have purchased
a higher-priced newly-launched product
in the past year. Among them, 54 percent selected a more expensive product
because it was a brand they trust, followed by healthier option (38 percent)
and a company they trust (30 percent).
Nearly 3 in 10 (28 percent) skipped a
lower-cost alternative for one that was
easy to prepare or use.
Conroy adds, “Consumer packaged
goods (CPG) brands are suffering from
a crisis of the similar, where consumers
don’t see a lot of difference between
branded products on the shelf. Rather
than exit a crowded category, brands
should consider new growth opportunities where categories are beginning to
blur — such as extending their products
into new meal times or store aisles, or
making a move to support from-scratch
cooking or prepared meals.”
For more information
about the study, visit http://www.
deloitte.com/us/2014APS.
CMN
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Police shut down Italian Mozzarella factory
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Flexible Packaging Catalog.
ria, says Alfonso Pannone, Carabinieri
Police Major. The seven stores selling
the cheese were shut down.
Two public health service veterinarians were arrested for allegedly
warning the factory about upcoming
inspections. The probe into the factory
began when a worker lost fingers because of a flawed safety system. CMN
800.456.5624
ROME — A Mozzarella factory was
shut down and 13 people were arrested
after it was discovered that local buffalo
milk was being replaced with cheaper,
imported cow’s milk.
Authorities found that the cheese,
produced near the southern town of
Caserta, Italy, contained as much as 20
times the permissible levels of bacte-
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14
NEWS/BUSINESS
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage pulling all confinement dairy products from stores
DENVER — Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage recently announced that
its nearly 90 stores will no longer sell
dairy products that come from confinement dairies.
Instead, in a move the chain
hopes will cut through consumer
confusion, Natural Grocers will only
sell dairy products from animals that
are pasture-based. The process of
ensuring that all products are pasturebased and phasing out products from
confinement type dairies will take
about a year.
“Advertising buffets us with images of happy, healthy cows grazing
on grass, but in many cases that’s not
what is happening,” says Heather Isely, executive vice president, Natural
Grocers by Vitamin Cottage. “Con-
Blue Bell Ice Cream sets up shop in N.C.
BRENHAM, Texas — Blue Bell Ice
Cream, headquartered in Brenham,
Texas, opened a new transfer station
in Wilmington, N.C., at the beginning
of April.
“We saw that we were really going
to need a facility in southeastern North
Carolina to handle the expansion of
service to this area,” says Keith Britton, branch manager, Raleigh, N.C.,
Blue Bell Ice Cream. “This cuts down
on driving time on the road, makes
the whole distribution system operate more efficiently and gets our ice
cream to consumers even faster. It
really reinforces our commitment to
quality and service.”
Under the supervision of Matthew
Bradford, territory/operations manager, Blue Bell Ice Cream, the transfer
station will service the eastern part of
North Carolina, adding an additional 2
million customers to the geographical
area covered by Blue Bell. The new
transfer station also will take over serving the town of Ocean Isle Beach, S.C.
Blue Bell Ice Cream will be
sold at Walmart, Kroger, Lowes
Foods, and many independent supermarkets, drugstores and convenience stores throughout North
Carolina. Blue Bell Ice Cream also
is featured at Carrabba’s and Outback Steakhouse restaurants. CMN
For more information please visit www.cheesesociety.org
sumers have told us they aren’t sure
about what they’re buying or where
it came from. And they do care, because there are a lot of documented
unintended consequences associated
with confinement dairies. By only carrying pasture-based dairy we are more
transparent, we give our customers
peace of mind and also expand the
market for dairy farms that want to
raise their animals on pasture.”
Natural Grocers is starting the
process of phasing out all confinement dairy products by category,
starting with yogurt.
The process of researching and
replacing confinement dairy products
with comparable pasture-based dairy
has taken Natural Grocers executives
to view dairies nationwide.
Natural Grocers’ standards include: dairy animals must be grazed
for a minimum of 120 days; no animal
byproducts in feed; no hormones; no
non-therapeutic drugs; no cloned
animals; animals are allowed to
exhibit their natural behaviors;
humane treatment; nutrition needs
met; shelter provided as needed; and
no GMO alfalfa.
“We’ve done the math, and in our
Denver market, pasture-based dairy
products are often comparable in
price and perhaps 10 cents more for
a carton of yogurt to 80 cents more
for a half-gallon of milk, depending
on the city you live in” Isely adds.
For more information, visit
www.naturalgrocers.com/products/
dairy-resource-page.
CMN
Share of milk marketed by U.S. dairy co-op
producers declined between 2007-2012
WASHINGTON — Member-producers
of U.S. dairy cooperatives marketed
161.2 billion pounds of milk in 2012
— a 5.7 percent increase from 2007.
This volume represented 80.9 percent
of the milk marketed by farmers nationally, a decrease from 82.6 percent
in 2007, according to “Marketing
Operation of Dairy Cooperatives,”
written by K. Charles Ling, an agricultural economist with USDA Rural
Development.
Including milk received from
non-members and non-cooperative
firms, total milk handled by cooperatives was 167.7 billion pounds,
or 84 percent of U.S. milk marketed
in 2012. Three billion pounds of the
volume was organic milk received by
24 cooperatives.
The number of dairy cooperatives
from 2007 to 2012 period decreased
from 155 to 132. There were 47 cooperatives that processed and manufactured dairy products and operated
receiving stations, and the other 85
had no milk-handling facilities.
Sixty-six percent of total cooperative volume was sold as raw milk
in 2012 vs. 63 percent in 2007. The
other 34 percent was manufactured
at plants owned and operated by
cooperatives.
There were 41,999 member producers marketing milk in 2012, 15
percent less than in 2007. In 2012
three regions — East North Central, North Atlantic, and West North
Central — together accounted for
86 percent of all member producers
and 53 percent of cooperative milk
volume.
The Western region was the top
source of cooperative milk. At 59.4
billion pounds, it represented 37 percent of all cooperative milk in 2012.
Dairy cooperatives owned and
operated 184 plants, 13 of them for
receiving and shipping milk only, 32
for manufacturing American cheese,
17 for making Italian cheese, 49 for
packaging fluid milk products, 24 for
churning butter, 35 for drying milk
products and 24 for drying whey products. Many other plants made various
other dairy products or dairy-related
products.
Volumes of butter and nonfat and
skim milk powders increased significantly from 2007 to 2012. Cooperative
share of butter, at 1.40 billion pounds
(a 28 percent increase since 2007),
was 75 percent of U.S. production,
and cooperative share of nonfat and
skim milk powders, at 1.67 billion
pounds (a 36 percent increase), was
91 percent.
However, cheese made by cooperatives decreased by 5 percent from
2007 to 2012, to 2.39 billion pounds
and accounted for 22 percent (vs. 26
percent in 2007) of U.S. production.
Fifty-three dairy cooperatives reported having 22,969 full-time and 804
part-time employees in 2012 and six
other cooperatives had 12 part-time
employees. Another 21 cooperatives
reported having no employees. These
80 cooperatives marketed 79 percent
of cooperative milk. The other 52
cooperatives did not supply data on
their number of employees.
Complete financial data submitted by 89 dairy cooperatives showed
that total assets for the fiscal year
ending in 2012 were $13.9 billion,
total liabilities were $10.4 billion and
total equity was $3.6 billion. Eightyfour percent of the equity was allocated to members. Net margin before
taxes was $285 million, a return on
equity of 8 percent. Together, these
cooperatives marketed 79 percent of
total cooperative milk volume, with
15 reporting that their dairy sales
included $1.5 billion of dairy exports.
For more information or the
c o m p l e t e r e p o r t g o t o w w w.
rurdev.usda.gov/supportdocuments/
BCP_RR230.pdf.
CMN
15
NEWS/BUSINESS
The Institute of Food Technologists launches FutureFood 2050 food solutions program
CHICAGO — The Institute of Food
Technologists (IFT) recently launched
its FutureFood 2050 program to create
a broad dialogue on how science will
deliver solutions needed to feed the
world’s 9 billion people by the year 2050.
With the premise that the science of
food is an essential ingredient for feeding
the world sustainably, FutureFood 2050
will highlight the people and stories
leading the way toward a healthier, safer
and better nourished planet.
FutureFood 2050 will come to life
over the coming months with 75 interviews featuring leaders from around the
globe. At the same time, a documentary
will be completed looking at how the science of food will contribute solutions to
feeding the world. The documentary will
provide the public with a closer, more
intimate look at the science, stories and
personalities addressing this challenge.
“Many films have focused on food
issues, but they often neglect or misinterpret the role of science, sometimes
relying on personal beliefs more than
facts,” says Scott Hamilton Kennedy,
the Academy Award-nominated film
director overseeing the FutureFood
2050 documentary. “By looking at this
challenge through the unbiased lens of
science, our goal is to address critical
questions surrounding food in a fair,
transparent manner that will hopefully
surprise, and maybe even transform us
along the way.”
From now until the film’s mid- to
late 2015 release, the FutureFood 2050
interview series will look more broadly
at the ways that science is tackling the
world’s most pressing food issues.
A new website, www.FutureFood2050.
com, will serve as a digital hub for the
public to follow the stories and connect
science to the conversation about how to
feed the planet. An international team
of editors and journalists, including
award-winning author of The Taste of Tomorrow: Dispatches from the Future of
Food, Josh Schonwald, will uncover the
stories that shape the interview series.
“Feeding 9 billion people by 2050
simply can’t happen without science
and technology playing a leading role,”
Schonwald says. “This project will showcase leaders, thinkers, entrepreneurs
and activists who are shaping the future
of food from a wide variety of perspectives — some high tech, some not. And
along the way, we hope to foster a better
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dialogue about the options surrounding
some of the world’s most complex, highlycharged issues.”
The FutureFood 2050 interview
series will tackle topics across the
food spectrum including global hunger,
sustainability, health and nutrition and
food safety.
The interview series also will explore
Wisconsin tops specialty cheese production
MADISON, Wis. — In 2013, Wisconsin
maintained its ranking as the nation’s top
cheese-producing state with 26 percent
of production. At a record-high 640 million pounds, specialty cheese accounted
for 22 percent of Wisconsin’s total cheese
production last year, according to a
report by the Wisconsin Field Office of
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS).
Of the state’s 126 cheese plants,
93 manufactured at least one type of
specialty cheese during 2013, one more
plant than last year.
Feta accounted for the largest share
of specialty cheese production, with 13
percent of the total. Blue, Hispanic types,
specialty Mozzarella, Parmesan wheel
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and specialty Provolone remain other
popular varieties. Limburger cheese production rose 24 percent vs. the previous
year, while Gorgonzola production was 12
percent higher, according to the report.
Feta production in 2013 reached 80.1
million pounds, up 3 percent from 2012.
In 2013 there were nine producers of
Feta, up one from 2012.
Production of Hispanic varieties hit
70.9 million pounds in 2013, up 8 percent
from 2012. The number of producers went
from 13 in 2012 to 16 in 2013.
There were six producers of the
Parmesan Wheel in 2013, which was
down two from 2012. However, production totaled 53.7 million pounds in 2013,
representing a 2 percent growth. CMN
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issues related to climate change, sustainability, politics, economic factors
and more. Scientists, along with policy
makers, entrepreneurs, chefs, journalists and more, will be featured.
The 75 articles will be bundled
in monthly themes over this year
and next, and are available at
www.FutureFood2050.com. CMN
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16
NEWS/BUSINESS
MILLENNIAL
Facebook and Twitter accounts that engage in conversations with customers.”
•Social engagement
Millennials engage much more
extensively with brands through social
media and mobile devices, especially
when compared with older generations,
BCG says.
Fifty-two percent of Millennials surveyed by BCG say they have used social
media to “like” a brand — compared
with 33 percent of the Baby Boomers
surveyed. Thirty-nine percent of Millennials post product reviews, and twice
as many Millennials as Baby Boomers
check prices, look up product information or search for promotions on mobile
devices while in a store.
“Regardless of the generation, social
media and digital technology tools are
an important part of how we market
cheese and dairy products today,” Giambroni says. “Social media, digital gaming
and access through mobile devices all
should be part of the standard marketing toolkit. The Millennial generation
is tapped into these instruments in a
bigger way than generations past and
expect a brand to be at the same level.”
Yancey’s Fancy has been interacting
with this generation through festivals
and has used social media for years. It
utilizes Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest
and LinkedIn, with plans to move into
Instagram, Godlove adds.
“We can’t just throw a TV or radio
spot at them to accomplish everything,”
he says. “We have to be on the ground
working and engaging with consumers.
Companies really need to have that
personal touch.”
Porter Engwall says WMMB aims to
encourage the group with its content —
to share their stories and to develop a
connection with the generation while
looking to understand how the dairy
industry affects their lives.
Food retailers have been capitalizing
on Millennials’ predilection for all things
technologically mobile. In a report by the
Perishables Group, 91 percent of retailers have or are developing strategies
that incorporate mobile devices. The
Perishables Group urges food marketers
to embrace multiple modes of digital
media to create a dialogue with Millennials vs. one-sided marketing.
“They want to engage, share and
build a relationship with the brands
they love and support,” Giambroni says.
“Moving into the future as the next
generation, known as ‘digital natives,’ as
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they come into their own as consumers,
it will be even more essential.”
Differing extensively from Baby
Boomers is how Millennials interact
with and react to marketing strategies.
Millennials engage with brands far
more extensively and personally than
do older generations, and they expect
their values to be reflected in the brand
they purchase, BCG says.
“The conventional linear and rational approach to marketing has been a
process in which companies defined
their brands and pushed brand and marketing messages at consumers. But this
doesn’t work well with Millennials,” says
Christine Barton, partner and the lead
author of the BCG report. “Millennials
want and expect a two-way, reciprocal
relationship with companies and their
brands. As a result, modern marketing
has become an ecosystem driven by interactions among marketers, customers
and potential customers who help define
brands and influence their success.”
This two-way relationship is referred
to as the “reciprocity principle,” says
BCG. Through the feedback they express
both online and offline, Millennials
influence the purchases of other customers and even potential customers.
Even more impacting is that this
generation helps define the brand itself,
and technology serves to accelerate
this influence. Millennials will make a
positive and public effect if they have
a favorable experience with a brand or
product, but if their experience is negative, the results can be more damaging to
companies than ever before, BCG says.
•Purchasing power
Jeffries Alix Partners adds that the
Millennials have much less brand loyalty
and are more willing to engage in different distribution models to find food. This
generation is not fearful of purchasing
things online and looking outside the
traditional grocery store — they’re less
partial to the “one-stop-shop” concept
of grocery store shopping.
“This is also a generation that is interested in where their food comes from
and how it is produced,” Giambroni says.
What is equally as important to realize about Millennials is that they care
where they shop because they believe
the brands and products they purchase
say something about where they fit in
and what their values are, BCG says.
“Some serious effort needs to be put
in to be a company this generation can
respect — you can’t just be a machine,”
Godlove says. “It’s the smaller companies that have an edge with Millennials
because they have that personal touch.
And it works greatly in their favor.”
Millennials look for organic, healthy,
artisan and locally processed foods to
stock their cupboards, and they will go
out of their way to obtain these products,
reveals a 2013 Technomic report on food
industry trends.
“This is a generation that prefers
to get their nutrients through foods vs.
supplements and is looking to support
peak performance,” Giambroni says.
“With its ability to deliver protein in a
delicious package, cheese is a natural
fit. It’s a matter of creating the right
products and positioning them in the
right way.”
How Millennials decide where they
shop is determined by several factors.
BCG’s report shows the purchasing decisions of U.S. Millennials are influenced
by more people, and different types of
people, compared to how older generations make their choices. Less than half
of Millennials say they trust expert advisors but instead report they are most
influenced by family and friends as well
as the opinions of strangers. This is an
outcome of the Millennials’ willingness
to share their experiences online.
“They are interested in high quality products and place value on social
responsibility, locally produced food and
product offering but may have little or
no knowledge of or connection to the
dairy or food production practices,”
Porter Engwall says. “Most information
is shared through the trust of peers and
close friends which are viewed as an expert or as someone who has a firsthand
experience with a brand or product.
Success to connect with the group is
based on how well the company can
relate and connect with their audience.
Any size cheese companies can benefit
from engaging through social media.”
In addition to understanding how
the generation operates, being available
around the clock is listed as one of the
most important things brands can do to
engage their customers, BCG reports.
“Based on the research, we know
that they expect variety, more choices,
customization and personalization,”
Porter Engwall says.
The Perishables Group says Millennials have a strong desire for customization, which should be taken into
consideration when developing new
products or marketing initiatives.
“As a company we make close to 40
different types of cheese and we’re looking to expand that quite a bit,” Godlove
says of Yancey’s Fancy. “Customization
does become applicable to the food
industry because cheese isn’t always
just a single food you can eat. You’re
creating a product consumers can use
in recipes that takes them in all kinds
of different directions.”
Allowing consumers to dictate
explicitly what they purchase gives
them a feeling of ownership and can
capture the elusive brand loyalty, but
it also gives suppliers valuable information on their consumers. The ability
to engage with consumers to capture
and track their designs and purchases
has become an unprecedented form of
market research.
“Dairy has a strong story to tell
that resonates with this population,”
Giambroni says. “This is especially
true for artisan and farmstead operations where products are made in
smaller batches from locally sourced
milk. This group is willing to put their
money literally where their mouth
is to trade up for foods like organics
they view as more sustainable.” CMN
17
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• (7) 2010 S/S Silos, Tanks & Processors to 75,000 liter
• (6) 2010 B.d.U. Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese Vats
• 2010 Skid-Mounted HTST, Add’l. Cheese Equipment
• Safeline Metal Detector, Multivac Shrink Tunnel, More!
• CIP System, Boiler, General Plant, More!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER – WEST
Mike Veatch • 417-575-9257
[email protected]
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER – EAST
Jim Hall • 417-575-9214
[email protected]
Packaging, Frying, Freezing - Auction: June 10
©2013 Paul Mueller Company
429-1
1-800-MUELLER • www.paulmueller.com
For more information please
visit www.paulmueller.com
BLUEWATER SEAFOODS - Online & On-Site - Montreal, QB
HAVING SEPARATOR PROBLEMS?
Need an independent view of what is wrong and
how to correct it? Need operator training? Put
my 46+ years of dairy experience working with
all makes and models to work for you.
ĂůůĨŽƌĂŶŝŶŝƟĂůĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂƟŽŶ
ĂŶĚĞƐƟŵĂƚĞƚŽĚĂǇ͘
^ĞƉĂƌĂƚŽƌŽŶƐƵůƟŶŐ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ
ĂǀĞ:ŽŚŶƐŽŶ͕KǁŶĞƌͻϲϱϭ͘ϮϲϮ͘ϳϴϵϴ
ƐĞƉĂƌĂƚŽƌĐŽŶƐƵůƟŶŐƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ
HARRY
DAVIS
& COMPANY
• Frying, Breading & Packaging Equip. - DAF System
www.harrydavis.com • Spiral Freezer, General Plant - Watch for Details!
412-765-1170
[email protected]
Asset Solutions Experts
Since 1955
For more information please visit www.harrydavis.com
For more information please e-mail
[email protected]
•
EQUIPMENT WANTED 2
•
BUSINESS SERVICES 3
18
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
•
HELP WANTED
7
•
HELP WANTED
7
•
CHEESE/DAIRY
12
Hilmar Cheese Company and our business unit, Hilmar Ingredients, serves customers
in more than 50 countries from our two manufacturing facilities. Our founding headTXDUWHUVLVORFDWHGLQ&DOLIRUQLD·VIHUWLOH&HQWUDO9DOOH\LQ+LOPDUDQGRXUVWDWHRIWKHDUW
Dalhart, Texas facility is located in a growing dairy region. Our steady supply of fresh
milk ensures our customers of consistent, year-round availability of product.
Immediate Opening:
Operations Manager – Dalhart Plant
Hilmar Cheese Company is seeking a seasoned Ops Manager to oversee management
of all designated areas of operations at our Dalhart, Texas plant. Key responsibilities
will include assuring products are manufactured on schedule, within quality standards
and cost objectives, and will work with individual departments to ensure maintenance
of the highest possible level of customer satisfaction.
Requirements include: Education and experience commensurate with position; minimum
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of production operations management.
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Applicants can apply at: https://careers.hilmarcheese.com/careers/job-details/?id=356556
For more information, contact:
Cindy Blanc
Corporate Recruitment Manager
Hilmar Cheese Company
[email protected]
For more information please visit
www.thefoodconnector.com
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
Trading Division
About the Job:
MCT Dairies is a leading dairy products trader, distributor, importer and exporter with over 100 million dollars
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ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
oŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚĞ͕ĚĞǀĞůŽƉ͕ĂŶĚĞǆĞĐƵƚĞƚŚĞĂŶŶƵĂůƐĂůĞƐƉůĂŶŝŶƐƵƉƉŽƌƚŽĨŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟŽŶĂůƐƚƌĂƚĞŐǇĂŶĚ
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oŝƌĞĐƚŝŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶĂŶĚĞǆĞĐƵƟŽŶŽĨƐĂůĞƐƉŽůŝĐŝĞƐĂŶĚƉƌĂĐƟĐĞƐ͘
oŶƐƵƌĞĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟŽŶƐĂƌĞĐŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚĞĚ͕ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚƐĂůĞƐƉůĂŶŽďũĞĐƟǀĞƐĂŶĚŵĞĞƚƐŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟŽŶĂů
ĞǆƉĞŶĚŝƚƵƌĞƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐŝŶĐŽŶũƵŶĐƟŽŶǁŝƚŚƚŚĞK͘
o,ŝƌĞ͕ƚƌĂŝŶ͕ĂŶĚĚĞǀĞůŽƉŶĞǁƐĂůĞƐƚĂůĞŶƚ͘
oZĞĐŽŵŵĞŶĚƐĂůĞƐƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐĨŽƌŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚďĂƐĞĚŽŶŵĂƌŬĞƚƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĂŶĚĐŽŵƉĞƟƚŽƌĂŶĂůǇƐĞƐ͘
oZĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞĨŽƌĂůůĮŶĂŶĐŝĂůƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞĂŶĚƌĞƐƵůƚƐ͕ĞǆƉĞĐƚĞĚƚŽŵĞĞƚŽƌĞǆĐĞĞĚĂŶŶƵĂůďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ
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oĞǀĞůŽƉĂŶŶƵĂůĮŶĂŶĐŝĂůƉůĂŶ͕ƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚďĂƐŝĐWͬ>ĮŶĂŶĐŝĂůĂĐĐŽƵŶƟŶŐĂŶĚďĞĂĐĐŽƵŶƚĂďůĞĨŽƌ
ƚŚĞĮŶĂŶĐŝĂůŽƵƚĐŽŵĞŽĨƚŚĞĚŝǀŝƐŝŽŶ͘
oŝƌĞĐƚĐŚĂŶŶĞůĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚĂĐƟǀŝƚǇĂŶĚĐŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚĞƐĂůĞƐĚŝƐƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶďǇĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚŝŶŐƐĂůĞƐ
ƚĞƌƌŝƚŽƌŝĞƐ͕ƋƵŽƚĂƐĂŶĚŐŽĂůƐ͘
oĞůŝǀĞƌƐĂůĞƐƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟŽŶƐǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŐŽĂůŽĨŵĂƌŬĞƟŶŐŽƵƌƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐĂŶĚƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐƚŽŬĞǇĐůŝĞŶƚƐŝŶ
ĐŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƟŽŶǁŝƚŚƚƌĂĚŝŶŐƚĞĂŵ͘
oŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚĞĂŶĚƉƌŽďůĞŵƐŽůǀĞŝŶĂƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůŵĂŶŶĞƌǁŝƚŚƚƌĂĚŝŶŐƚĞĂŵ͕ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌĂĐĐŽƵŶƚƐ͕
ĐƌĞĚŝƚŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚĂŶĚƋƵĂůŝƚǇĂƐƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ͘
oWƌĞƐĞŶƚƉĞƌŝŽĚŝĐƐĂůĞƐƌĞƉŽƌƚƐŚŽǁŝŶŐƐĂůĞƐǀŽůƵŵĞ͕ƉŽƚĞŶƟĂůƐĂůĞƐĂŶĚĂƌĞĂƐŽĨƉƌŽƉŽƐĞĚĞǆƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ͘
odƌĂǀĞůƵƉƚŽϱϬйŽĨƚŚĞƟŵĞ͘
oDĞĞƚĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚĞĚƐĂůĞƐƋƵŽƚĂͬŐŽĂůƐďǇŽďƚĂŝŶŝŶŐŶĞǁďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐĂŶĚƌĞŶĞǁŝŶŐŽƌĚĞƌƐ
ŽŶĞǆŝƐƟŶŐďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘
oƩĞŶĚ/ŶĚƵƐƚƌǇdƌĂĚĞ^ŚŽǁƐΘƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƚĞƐŝŶdƌĂĚĞƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶĨƵŶĐƟŽŶƐ͘
WANTED
TO BUY
• Under Grade Dairy Powders or
Blends for Feed
• Will Purchase Retained
Sample Bags
• Will Purchase Whirl-Pak Bags
• No Quantity Too Large or Too Small
John Davis
[email protected]
(920) 878-0688
Codie Wegener
[email protected]
(920) 422-4767
Call today;
we build lasting
partnerships!
www.mandjsalesllc.com
GOT CHEESE?
We purchase scrap cheese
cheese
(fish
floor sweeps,
sweeps,etc.)
etc.)
(fish bait, floor
for feed. We
We can
can pick
pick up
up on
on aa
spot, weekly
weekly or
or monthly
monthly basis.
basis.
Please contact:
[email protected]
(866) 547-6510
IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS THE FOLLOWING:
o<ŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞŽĨƚŚĞĚĂŝƌǇŝŶĚƵƐƚƌǇĂŶĚŐŽŽĚƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐƌĞƉƵƚĂƟŽŶ͕ďŽƚŚǁŝƚŚĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐĂŶĚƐƵƉƉůŝĞƌƐ͘
o^ƚƌŽŶŐĂŶĂůǇƟĐĂůĂŶĚŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟŽŶĂůƐŬŝůůƐ͘
oďŝůŝƚǇƚŽŚŝƌĞ͕ƚƌĂŝŶ͕ĐŽĂĐŚĂŶĚŚŽůĚĂƐĂůĞƐͬƚƌĂĚŝŶŐƚĞĂŵĂĐĐŽƵŶƚĂďůĞƚŽŐŽĂůƐ͘
o^ƚƌŽŶŐŝŶƚĞƌƉĞƌƐŽŶĂůƐŬŝůůƐ͕ƐĞůĨͲƐƚĂƌƚĞƌ͕ǁŝůůŝŶŐƚŽƚĂŬĞŝŶŝƟĂƟǀĞ͘
o^ƚƌŽŶŐƉƌŽũĞĐƚŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚĂŶĚĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶͲŵĂŬŝŶŐƐŬŝůůƐ͘
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oīĞĐƟǀĞŽǀĞƌĂůůĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟŽŶƐŬŝůůƐ;ŝ͘Ğ͕͘ĂƐŝŶǁƌŝƟŶŐƐĂůĞƐŽƌĚĞƌƐ͕ŽƌĚĞƌǀĞƌŝĮĐĂƟŽŶ͕ĞŵĂŝů
correspondence, etc.).
oDƵƐƚďĞĂďůĞƚŽŵƵůƟƚĂƐŬĂŶĚŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĞŝŶĂĨĂƐƚͲƉĂĐĞĚĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͘
o,ĂǀĞƐŽůŝĚŶĞŐŽƟĂƟŽŶͬůŝƐƚĞŶŝŶŐƐŬŝůůƐǁŝƚŚĂĨŽĐƵƐŽŶĞǆĐĞůůĞŶƚĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐĞƌǀŝĐĞĂŶĚƐĂƟƐĨĂĐƟŽŶ͘
odĞĂŵƉůĂǇĞƌʹŵƵƐƚďĞĂďůĞƚŽǁŽƌŬĐůŽƐĞůǇǁŝƚŚŽƚŚĞƌƐŽŶƚŚĞƚĞĂŵ͘
oDƵƐƚďĞĂďůĞƚŽ͞ĐůŽƐĞƚŚĞƐĂůĞ͕͟ŚĂǀĞĂƐƵĐĐĞƐƐĨƵůĐůŽƐŝŶŐƌĂƟŽĂŶĚŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶĂĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌůŽŐ͘
o,ĂǀĞƚŚĞĂďŝůŝƚǇƚŽĐĂůĐƵůĂƚĞŶƵŵďĞƌƐĂŶĚĂŵŽƵŶƚƐƐƵĐŚĂƐĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚƐ͕ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ͕ĐŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƐ͕
ĨƌĞŝŐŚƚƌĂƚĞƐ͕ĐŽŶǀĞƌƐŝŽŶƚŽDĞƚƌŝĐƚŽŶƐ͕ĞƚĐ͘
oďŝůŝƚǇƚŽŝŶƚĞƌƉƌĞƚĂǀĂƌŝĞƚǇŽĨŝŶƐƚƌƵĐƟŽŶƐĨƵƌŶŝƐŚĞĚŝŶǁƌŝƩĞŶŽƌŽƌĂůĨŽƌŵ͘
oWŽƐƐĞƐƐĐŽŵƉĞƚĞŶƚĐŽŵƉƵƚĞƌƐŬŝůůƐƚŽŽƉĞƌĂƚĞĂŶĚƵƟůŝǌĞDŝĐƌŽƐŽŌKƵƚůŽŽŬ͕tŽƌĚ͕ǆĐĞů͕
WŽǁĞƌWŽŝŶƚ͕^ŵĂƌƚWŚŽŶĞƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐǇĂŶĚZD^ŽŌǁĂƌĞĨŽƌůĞĂĚƚƌĂĐŬŝŶŐŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͘
ohƉŚŽůĚĂŶĚƐƵƉƉŽƌƚŽƌŐĂŶŝǌĂƟŽŶĂůŐŽĂůƐĂŶĚǀĂůƵĞƐ͘
odĂŬĞƚŚĞŝŶŝƟĂƟǀĞƚŽĂƐŬĨŽƌĂŶĚŽīĞƌŚĞůƉǁŚĞŶŶĞĞĚĞĚ͘
&ŽƌĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĂƟŽŶ͕ƉůĞĂƐĞĨŽƌǁĂƌĚǇŽƵƌƌĞƐƵŵĞƚŽ:
(NO phone calls please!)
Email: [email protected]
FAX: 877.543.9911
www.whalenfoodsinc.com
www.whalenfoodsinc.com
USDA updates
safeguard trigger
levels for cheese,
dairy imports
WASHINGTON — USDA’s Foreign
Agricultural Service (FAS) in the May
20 Federal Register listed the updated
quantity-based trigger levels for dairy
and other products which may be subject to additional import duties under
the safeguard provisions of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement
on Agriculture.
Article 5 of the WTO Agreement on
Agriculture provides that additional import duties may be imposed on imports
of products subject to tariffication as a
result of the Uruguay Round, if certain
conditions are met.
The agreement permits additional
duties to be charged if the price of an individual shipment of imported products
falls below the average price for similar
goods imported during the years 1986-88
by a specified percentage. It also permits
additional duties to be imposed if the
volume of imports of an article exceeds
the average of the most recent three
years for which data are available by 5, 10
or 25 percent, depending on the article.
These additional duties may not be
imposed on quantities for which minimum or current access commitments
were made during the Uruguay Round
negotiations, and only one type of safeguard, price or quantity may be applied
at any given time to an article, FAS says.
Updated quantity-based safeguard
triggers for dairy product imports during
calendar year 2014 are as follows:
• NSPF (not specifically provided for)
cheese: 102.3 million pounds.
• Swiss cheese: 55.1 million pounds.
• Cheddar cheese: 17.7 million
pounds.
• Other American-type cheese:
443,705 pounds.
• Italian-type cheese: 40.2 million
pounds.
• Edam and Gouda: 15.2 million
pounds.
• Blue cheese: 9.9 million pounds.
• Gruyere process cheese: 7.2 million
pounds.
• Lowfat cheese: 346,141 pounds.
• Butter: 14.7 million pounds.
• Butteroil and butter substitutes:
11.7 million pounds.
• Dairy mixtures: 27.9 million pounds.
• Dried whole milk: 7.3 million
pounds.
• Nonfat dry milk: 1.1 million pounds.
• Evaporated or condensed milk: 2.1
million pounds.
• Dried whey/buttermilk: 91,381
pounds.
• Dried cream: 24,057 pounds.
• Cream: 129,711 liters.
• Ice cream: 2.2 million liters.
• Animal feed containing milk:
163,319 pounds.
For more information, contact
Souleymane Diaby, international trade
specialist, FAS, at 202-720-2916; e-mail:
[email protected]. CMN
19
NEWS/BUSINESS
MARKET
has said Japan will not abolish tariffs
in five agricultural sectors including
basic agricultural products such as dairy,
sugar, rice, beef, pork, wheat and barley,
as well as many downstream products
made from these items.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) joined U.S. pork, rice
and wheat organizations in a statement
warning that the broad exemption Japan
is demanding will encourage other partner countries to withhold their sensitive
sectors as well.
“Minister Amari’s statement in Singapore that none of Japan’s sensitive
agricultural items will be fully liberalized
may signal the end of hopes for the TransPacific Partnership to become a truly
comprehensive and forward-looking 21st
century agreement,” the groups say.
“The result would fall far short of a
truly comprehensive agreement that
would set a new standard for future trade
agreements,” the statement continues.
“In fact the TPP envisioned by Japan, if
it stands, would be the least comprehensive agreement the U.S. has negotiated
since the 21st century began.”
The groups say U.S. negotiators still
have a chance to push Japan to provide
meaningful agricultural market access
in the agreement. However, if Japan
continues to refuse to open its agricultural sector to meaningful competition,
the groups urge leaders to suspend
negotiations with Japan to conclude
a comprehensive agreement with TPP
partners who are willing to meet the
same goals.
Meanwhile, the fifth round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Part-
nership (TTIP) negotiations also were
held last week in Arlington, Va., where
negotiators from the United States and
European Union heard from a record
number of stakeholders during an open
public forum.
During the stakeholder event, IDFA
Senior Group Vice President Clay Hough
outlined the U.S. dairy industry’s position on geographical indications (GIs),
centering on protecting common food
names for use by U.S. dairy companies.
“The EU’s recent GI strategy is incompatible with the fundamental goal of
a trade negotiation, which is to remove
trade barriers — not add them — and allow for greater competition,” Hough told
U.S. and EU negotiators. “TTIP should not
be a vehicle to deny U.S. dairy companies
the use of common food names.”
Hough also noted that the U.S. dairy
industry is not opposed to legitimate GIs.
At the same stakeholder meeting,
oriGIn — a global coalition of GI groups
— spoke in favor of protecting geographical indications.
“Through GIs, producers differentiate their goods, leveraging their geographical origin and associated qualities.
As intellectual property rights, though,
recognized internationally by the 159
members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), GIs must be adequately
protected, primarily in the interest of
consumers,” says Giorgio Bocedi, legal
advisor for the Consorzio Tutela Aceto
Balsamico di Modena and the Consorzio
Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano. CMN
3-A SSI offers new
draft standard for
equipment, systems
MCLEAN, Va. — 3-A Sanitary Standards
Inc. has announced the availability of a
new draft standard for public review:
3-A Sanitary Standards General Requirements T-00-00. The proposed standard establishes minimum sanitary (hygienic)
requirements for design, materials and
fabrication/installation of equipment
and systems.
This draft standard is intended for
use on a voluntary basis by equipment
and machinery fabricators, processors
and regulatory agencies and by other
Standard Developer Organizations to
help assure that adequate public health
protections exist for the equipment or
systems and covered products.
3-A SSI uses this document as its primary source of hygienic design criteria
for 3-A Symbol authorization. The standard defines the general requirements
for hygienic equipment intended for
processing milk, milk products, foods,
food ingredients, beverages or other
edible materials.
3-A SSI is developing the new standard as an American National Standard
to inform all interested parties and to
encourage participation in the project.
3-A Sanitary Standards are developed
through a consensus-based process
where the cooperative efforts of industry
experts define the technical content.
Work on the new draft standard began
in 2011 and a general announcement
inviting participation in the drafting was
made in January 2012.
A free copy of the draft standard is now available at www.3-a.
org, under Standards and Committees, Interpretations and Public Review Drafts. Comments on the draft
should be sent to Eric Schweitzer at
3-A SSI no later than July 1. CMN
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20
NEWS/BUSINESS
SCHOOL
An amendment that would have
removed the waiver from the budget
bill was defeated.
Congressmen in favor of the waiver
say they are responding to requests
from local schools that experienced
higher costs and noticed more food waste
when they attempted to meet the new
standards. Some school districts and the
School Nutrition Association requested
the waiver to allow more time for schools
to adjust their procurement strategies to
meet the new school meal regulations.
The International Dairy Foods Association supports the proposed House
waiver provision, noting the organiza-
tion is concerned that the new meal
regulations are resulting in declines
in school milk consumption.
However, U.S. Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack says the House bill undermines the effort to provide school
children with more nutritious food and
would be a major step backward for the
health of American children.
“School nutrition standards are developed by independent experts, over 90
percent of schools report that they are
successfully implementing them, and
studies show they are working to help kids
be healthier,” Vilsack says. “USDA has continued to show flexibility in implementing
these new standards, and Congress should
focus on partnering with USDA, states,
schools and parents to help our kids have
access to more healthy food, not less.
Championed by first lady Michelle
Obama, the new rules have been phased
in over the past two school years, with
more changes to come this year. The rules
set fat, calorie, sugar and sodium limits
on foods in the lunch line and beyond.
News reports say the first lady is pushing
back against the bill’s language to include
a waiver for compliance with the rules.
Meanwhile, there are reports a Senate compromise emerged last week that
opens up the possibility of delaying or
voiding sodium standards set for 2017,
expands whole wheat flexibility and
requires a report to Congress on efforts to
help schools that are having trouble enticing students to eat the healthier meals.
USDA Under Secretary for Food,
Nutrition and Consumers Services Kevin
Concannon last week announced new
flexibility for school districts working to
meet updated whole grain requirements.
Schools demonstrating significant challenges in serving whole grain-rich pastas
now can continue serving traditional
enriched pasta products for up to two
years as the industry works to develop
healthy pasta that works for schools.
“We continue to listen and work
closely with schools and parents to
implement common-sense nutritional
guidance that supports a healthier next
generation,” Concannon says. “But with
one-third of American children fighting
obesity, we cannot accept politically motivated efforts to undermine standards
and deny kids healthier options.” CMN
Brunkow Cheese
issues recall due
to undeclared soy
DARLINGTON, Wis. — Brunkow
Cheese is voluntarily recalling its
8-ounce tubs of Fayette Creamery brand
Jalapeno Pepper Raw Milk Cheddar
Cold Pack Cheese Spread because it may
contain an undeclared soy ingredient.
People who have allergies or severe
sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious
or life-threatening allergic reaction if
they consume these products.
The recalled cheese spreads are distributed nationwide in retail stores, at farmers’ markets and through direct sales on
premise at Brunkow Cheese in Darlington,
Wis. The products come in 8-ounce, clear
plastic tubs marked with a range of sell-by
dates and codes on the bottom.
No illnesses have been reported to
date in connection with this problem.
The recall was initiated after it was
discovered that the soy-containing
product was distributed with a label
that did not reveal the presence of soy.
Subsequent investigation indicates the
problem was caused by an oversight in
the company’s labeling process.
Production of the product has been
suspended until Brunkow Cheese is certaintheproblemhasbeencorrected. CMN
E. coli in Michigan
traced to raw milk
For more information please visit www.devilletechnologies.com
HOLLAND, Mich. — Two cases of E.
coli O157:H7 in West Michigan have
been traced to the consumption of raw
milk products from an Ottawa County,
Mich., cow share program. In March, a
31-year-old Muskegon County woman
became ill after drinking raw milk,
and in April, a 6-year-old child from
Kent County became ill after possible
consumption of the raw milk product.
The Ottawa, Muskegon and Kent
County health departments have issued
a joint release warning consumers of the
risks of consuming raw milk. It is not legal to sell raw milk or raw milk products
in Michigan. Some consumers in the
state obtain raw milk through herd share
programs, which are not licensed or inspected by state or local agencies. CMN
21
2014 KEY PLAYERS
Our Exclusive Annual Profile of Who’s Who in the Cheese Business
KEY PLAYERS
Agri-Mark Inc.
Methuen, Mass.
Key executives: Richard Stammer,
CEO; Ed Townley, COO; Richard Johnson, sr. VP, sales; Roberta MacDonald,
sr. VP, marketing; James Pratt, sr. VP,
manufacturing; Robert Wellington,
sr. VP, economics, communications
& legislative affairs; Raymond Dyke,
VP, technology; Robert Stoddart, sr.
VP, member services; Peter Gutierrez,
international sales dir.
Dairy plants: Chateaugay, N.Y.
(Cheddar, Muenster); Cabot, Vt.
(Cheddar, flavored Cheddars, cultured
products, cut & wrap); Middlebury, Vt.
(Cheddar, whey protein); West Springfield, Mass. (butter, powder, condensed
blends)
Estimated annual cheese produced:
55 million lbs.
Estimated annual cheese marketed:
55 million lbs.
2013 sales: $900 million
Projected 2014 sales: $910 million
Percentage of sales from cheese: 35%
Websites: www.agrimark.coop, www.
cabotcheese.coop, www.mccadam.coop
A look inside: Agri-Mark Inc. this
year was excited to launch its new premium Cabot Legacy line, which includes
three Cheddars for consumers looking to
entertain or have a quiet night at home.
The line draws on Cabot’s farmer
heritage, bringing three unique deli
cheeses to the dairy case: Farmhouse
Reserve, an artisanal-grade Cheddar; Alpine Cheddar; and White Oak Cheddar,
which has a subtle caramel sweetness
and hints of toasted nuts. The Britishstyle White Oak Cheddar was inspired
by the cooperative’s award-winning
Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, company
officials say.
The launch of the new line comes with
its own microsite, www.cabotcheese.
coop/legacy, which includes videos,
recipes, wine and beer pairings, and
educational information about the
cheeses.
“We’re investing a lot of resources
in the legacy collection, and we hope it
resonates with consumers,” says Doug
DiMento, spokesperson, Agri-Mark.
Agri-Mark is the largest dairy
farmer cooperative in New England.
The cooperative is active on regulatory
and legislative issues for its members,
and it works year-round to develop
new markets for its members’ milk.
Agri-Mark markets much of its milk
under its Cabot brand name, which has
steadily increased sales over the past
several years.
Together, with Agri-Mark’s McCadam brand in New York, Cabot and
McCadam represent 1,200 farm families
in America’s Northeast.
Another new item from Cabot that
debuted in 2013 is Everything Bagel
Cheddar, which features the classic
flavors of an everything bagel in a handrubbed Cheddar, available at retail in
the deli case.
Additional new items introduced
under the Cabot line in 2013 include
Cracker Cuts — 8-ounce pre-sliced
dairy bars — Light French Onion Dip
and Whipped Butter.
In an effort to bring consumers
closer to its farmer-members, Agri-Mark
in 2013 launched the first-ever Cabot
Dairy Farmer Gratitude Tour. More than
75 New York State and New England
dairy farmers, clad in red and black
plaid, descended upon New York City
Nov. 8 to personally give thanks to New
Yorkers for their loyalty and support.
Coach buses, wrapped in plaid, traveled
throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn
dropping off the farmers at scores of
locations to give thanks to consumers
with giveaways, award-winning cheese
tastings and an Instagram contest.
“It helped us increase our visibility
and sales, and it was a good opportunity
for our farmers to interact with consumers,” DiMento says. “We’re always trying
to make the connection with consumers
that we’re owned by farmers and our
products are locally-produced in the
Northeast.”
The cooperative also held an “Open
Farm Sunday” Oct. 13. Consumers were
invited to visit one of 49 farms to learn
about “farm to fork” sustainability, try
the “World’s Best Cheddar” and meet
their local dairy farmers.
In March, Cabot Creamery launched
the fifth iteration of Reward Volunteers.
Reward Volunteers 5.0 will honor volunteers from across the country with
a variety of prizes each month through
March 14, 2015.
The program was first launched in
February 2012. Since then, it has grown
each month and given away thousands of
dollars in cash and prizes to deserving
volunteers and volunteer organizations,
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For more information please visit www.tetrapak.com/cheese
22
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Agri-Mark officials say.
Cabot Creamery in April launched
a “Pedal for Good” ShopRite Store
Challenge. The seven-store challenge
launched April 26 at the Greater Morristown ShopRite in Cedar Knolls, N.J.,
and coincided with ShopRite’s Earth
Day 2014 celebration at its Cedar Knolls
store. The program runs through June
14 and includes stops at ShopRite stores
in Livingston, Union, Washington, West
Orange, Bernardsville and Hillsborough, N.J.
“We’re inviting ShopRite customers
to hop on our human-powered blender
bike to make Cabot smoothies and
‘Pedal for Good,’” says Karen Houchens,
marketing manager, Cabot. Participants
are challenged to rack up as many
miles as they can on the blender bike.
Houchens notes Cabot will donate
200 pounds of Cheddar to the winning
store’s food pantry of choice, and other
participating stores each will win 50
pounds of Cabot Cheddar for the food
pantries of their choice.
Agri-Mark Inc. and its Cabot and
McCadam brands continued to do well
on the cheese and dairy contest circuit
this past year.
At this spring’s World Championship Cheese Contest, Cabot Creamery
Cooperative’s Vermont Medium Cheddar earned third place in its class, and
Cabot’s Cheddar, Vermont aged 2-plus
years took first and third in the Cheddar,
Aged 2 Years or Longer class.
Cabot’s Cottage Cheese Team swept
the cottage cheese class at the contest
with its Vermont Style Cottage Cheese,
and the cooperative’s Hot Buffalo Wing
Cheddar placed first in the Pepper Fla-
vored “American” Style Cheeses (Colby
& Cheddar) class at the contest.
At the National Milk Producers
Federation’s Championship Cheese
Contest this past November, Agri-Mark’s
Vermont Medium Cheddar placed first
in its class.
At last fall’s World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, Cabot
Creamery earned a third place award
for its sour cream.
At the 2013 American Cheese Society
competition, Cabot Creamery earned
first place awards for its 75-percent
Reduced Fat Cheddar, Cabot Tuscan
Cheddar and Cabot Jalapeno 50-percent Reduced Fat Cheddar; second
place awards for its Cabot Vanilla Bean
Greek Style Yogurt and Cabot 83 Butter;
and third place awards for its Cabot
Monterey Jack and Cabot Old School
Cheddar.
The cooperative’s McCadam Cheese
brand placed second in its class with McCadam Muenster at the same contest.
The McCadam Cheese Team also
earned first place awards at last summer’s New York State Fair Dairy Products Competition for its Cheddar, Aged
Cheddar and “Super” Aged Cheddar.
Looking to the future, the cooperative is looking toward an expansion at
its plant in Chateaugay, N.Y.
“We’re looking at a long-term commitment to upgrade and expand that
plant over the next several years,”
DiMento says.
In addition, the cooperative is building a pipeline for natural gas to reach
the Chateaugay plant in 2014, and
sometime in 2015 or 2016, there will
be a natural gas line at its Middlebury,
Vt., plant, DiMento notes.
“We’re investing in new technology
within the plants to handle natural
gas, which is a cheaper and more clean
For more information please visit www.epiplastics.com
energy source,” he says.
Agri-Mark also is looking for ways to
double its profits over the next several
years to reach the $18-$20 million range,
he notes.
“The last seven years have been some
of the most profitable in the history of
the co-op,” he says.
Agropur Cooperative
Longueuil, Quebec
Key executives: Serge Riendeau,
pres.; Robert Coallier, CEO; Jocelyn
Lauzière, sr. VP & CFO; Benoit Gagnon,
exec. VP, corporate development; Robert Gour, sr. VP, change management;
Serge Fortier, sr. VP, information technology; Lorraine Bédard, sr. VP, legal
affairs, member relations & corporate
secretary; Louis Lefebvre, pres., Cheese
& Ingredients Division; Serge Paquette,
pres., Division Natrel & Fresh Products;
Dominique Benoit, sr. VP, institutional
affairs & communications; Pierre Corriveau, sr. VP, human capital
Cheese plants: A variety of cheese
and ingredient products are processed
in: Beauceville, Quebec; Granby, Quebec,
Hull, Iowa (Green Meadows Foods); La
Crosse, Wis. (Main Street Ingredients);
Lethbridge, Alberta (Sunnyrose Cheese),
Little Chute, Luxemburg and Weyauwega,
Wis. (Trega Foods); Notre-Dame-du-BonConseil, Quebec; Oka, Quebec; Pleissisville, Quebec; Preston, Minn. (Foremost);
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec; St-Damase,
Quebec (Damafro); Truro, Nova Scotia
(Farmers Cooperative Dairy); and Woodstock, Ontario (Bright Cheese House)
Estimated 2013 sales (fiscal year
ended Nov. 2, 2013): C$3.8 billion
Website: www.agropur.com
A look inside: Agropur Cooperative
celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2013
with a series of internal and external
activities throughout the year. Among
these was a banquet attended by more
than 1,000 guests, the “75 X Thank
you!” campaign, which provided each
employee across Canada and the United
States with a cooler filled with Agropur
products to thank them for their dedication and engagement, and the production of a book presenting highlights
throughout the cooperative’s history.
Agropur processes more than 7.5
billion pounds of milk annually in its
31 plants across North America, with
40 percent of its total products from
Canada and 60 percent from the United
States. The cooperative has grown
through more than 130 mergers and
acquisitions over its 75-year history;
currently has 6,188 employees and 3,348
farmer members; and plans to continue
its expansion over the coming years.
“We must attain critical mass over
the coming years in order to ensure our
cooperative’s longevity and remain a significant player in the fast-consolidating
global dairy industry,” says Robert Coallier, CEO, Agropur Cooperative. “That is
why we intend to pursue growth, both
organic and through acquisitions, and
aspire to become a dominant player in
the industry.”
Following its major acquisition of
Canada’s Farmers Cooperative Dairy
last spring, Agropur also last year acquired Foremost Farms USA’s dry blending business in Preston, Minn., as well
as other dairy businesses. In November,
Agropur agreed to acquire Fromagerie
Damafro, a major Quebec producer of
fine traditional cheeses and a Canadian
leader in the production of Camembert
and Brie. Also in November, Agropur
acquired M. Larivee International Inc.
(MLI), which has employees in Canada
and the United States.
“The acquisition of MLI goes hand
in hand with our desire to develop the
export market,” Coallier says. “MLI’s
expertise will see us significantly accelerate our development as well as
access very promising markets.”
This spring, Agropur concluded a
merger agreement with New Brunswickbased Dairytown Products Ltd., which
supplies butter, skim milk powder and
custom milk powder blends to the retail, foodservice and further processing
trades.
In December, Agropur announced
plans to build a new head office connected to its Fine Cheese Business
unit’s existing building in Longueuil,
Quebec. Construction began in March,
and the building, which will serve both
as Agropur’s head office and administrative center, will house more than 600
employees when it opens in early 2016.
This past year, Agropur also made
major investments by adding capacity
and floor space as well as increasing
state-of-the-art equipment at its Trega
Foods plant in Luxemburg, Wis. The Luxemburg expansion cost C$108 million.
“This key project for our cooperative
will ensure our organic growth on the
expanding U.S. market,” Coallier says
of the Luxemburg expansion, adding
that more than 50 percent of Agropur’s
cheese production now originates in the
United States.
The company also this past year has
added on to its Sunnyrose Cheese plant
in Lethbridge, Alberta, and its Agropur
Signature cheese plant in Oka, Quebec.
Several of Agropur’s cheeses received awards at U.S. contests this past
year. At the American Cheese Society’s
2013 competition, Agropur received
first place awards for its Camembert
l’Extra and Oka l’Artisan, and second
place awards for its Brie Normandie,
Camembert Vaudreuil, Chevalier Triple
Crème, Rondoux Double Crème and
Havarti Jalapeno.
23
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
At the 2013 Wisconsin State Fair
competition, Cheddars from Agropur’s
Weyauwega, Wis., plant won both first
and second place in the mild Cheddar
category, while cheeses from its Luxemburg, Wis., plant swept the Mozzarella
class. Agropur’s Feta from Weyauwega
also placed first in its class.
At the World Dairy Expo contest
last fall, reduced-fat Monterey Jack
produced at Agropur’s Hull, Iowa, plant
and distributed by Masters Gallery Foods
won first in the Reduced Fat category.
Agropur also placed first with its whey
protein isolate at this contest.
Agropur picked up more than 20
prizes at the 2014 World Championship
Cheese Contest. It won best of class
awards for its mild Cheddar, medium
Cheddar, whole-milk Mozzarella, lowmoisture Mozzarella, smoked Provolone,
Feta, reduced-sodium Provolone and
Brie Chevalier Triple Crème. It received
second place for mild Cheddar, sharp
Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack,
Provolone, smoked Provolone, Feta, Brie
Double Crème Vaudreuil, Brie Chevalier
Pepper and Crème de Grand Cheddar.
Third place awards went to its aged Cheddar, low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella,
Camembert l’Extra and Champfleury.
Agropur notes that the recentlysigned trade agreement between Canada
and the European Union is expected to
have a major impact on the Canadian
cheese industry and dairy sector, with
the gradual addition of close to 40
million pounds of European cheese to
the Canadian market. Despite this and
other challenges, for 75 years Agropur
has been focused on turning challenges
into business opportunities, according
to Serge Riendeau, president, Agropur
Cooperative.
“Our cooperative’s 75th anniversary
will be remembered as a year in which
we picked up the pace, tightened our
processes and invested strategically in
order to face the challenges of tomorrow,
respond effectively to the demands of
growth, and meet and exceed the expectations of growing numbers of clients
and consumers,” he says.
human resources; Elizabeth Rapone,
business mgr.
Cheese plant: Moonachie, N.J. (cut &
wrap facility). ANCO does not produce
cheese; it imports and distributes specialty cheeses throughout the U.S.
+/- 30 million lbs.
Market segments for cheese: 80%
retail; 20% foodservice
Websites: www.ancofoods.com, www.
iledefrancecheese.com, www.ilvillaggiocheese.com, www.affinagecheese.com
A look inside: ANCO Fine Cheese,
which is owned by Schratter Foods Inc.,
a subsidiary of Bongrain S.A., imports
cheeses from more than 20 different
countries.
Its parent company Bongrain S.A.
counts itself as one of the world’s largest
producers of specialty cheese, converting
approximately 8 billion pounds of milk
annually. The product ANCO imports
to the United States includes product
from Bongrain SA, Friesland Campina
and Wensleydale Creamery. For many
of the products it imports, ANCO is the
exclusive U.S. importer.
The company sources its cheese
directly from overseas manufacturers
and cuts and wraps when necessary at its
own facility in Moonachie, N.J. The ANCO
facility features Cryovac, L-seal and
Hayssen packaging capabilities as well
as smoking and Blue cheese rooms. The
company also recently began offering a
full line of shreds for foodservice that
are processed at the Moonachie plant.
ANCO says it is well-equipped to
service its customers nationwide.
The company distributes cheeses
throughout the United States from its
five distribution centers located in
Elizabeth, N.J.; Charlotte, N.C.; Miami,
Fla.; Houston, Texas; and Los Angeles,
Calif. This guarantees freshness and food
safety control, says Sebastien Lehembre,
marketing manager, ANCO. The company
offers direct-store-delivery and also
works with broker networks, offering
a great deal of flexibility for individual
customers’ needs.
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Fairfield, N.J.
Ownership: a division of Schratter
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Viroflay, France
Key executives: Alain Voss, CEO;
Bertrand Proust, CFO; Sebastien Lehembre, marketing mgr.; Ginger Bowen,
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2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
One of the lines for which ANCO is
best known is the Ile de France brand.
The brand includes Brie, the leading
imported Brie in the United States, as
well as a true Normandy Camembert
and Chèvre.
Other French brands ANCO carries
include St. André, Suprême and St. Agur,
a buttery Blue cheese.
This year, Ile de France, St. André,
Suprême and St. Agur are sponsoring
“Experience The French Touch,” a
consumer promotion intended to teach
and encourage U.S. consumers in the
use of French cheeses. The promotion
offers unique pairing ideas and shows
how simple ingredients can be added
together for a delicious “wow” factor.
The promotion includes an online and
social media presence, yearlong on- and
in-pack communication, in-store communications and seasonal promotions.
Il Villaggio, a major Italian brand
ANCO imports, also will be sponsoring its
own Italian cheese promotion this year.
Il Villaggio is ANCO’s No. 2 top-selling
brand and the No. 1 imported brand
of Parmigiano Reggiano and imported
Mascarpone.
In keeping with the growing popularity of Italian cheese nationwide, the Il
Villaggio brand will offer American consumers “The Italian Kitchen Promotion,”
which, like its French cheese promotion
counterpart, will include all aspects of
marketing including social media and
on-pack and in-store programs.
Aiding in the development of these
promotions is a corporate chef who was
hired last year, Lehembre says. Having
a corporate chef on board not only is
helpful in recipe development, but also
in sales calls with foodservice customers and showcasing different ways the
cheeses can be utilized.
In addition to generating excitement
for its best-known brands, ANCO is carrying several new SKUs under these brands
as well as others.
Recent additions to the Ile de France
line are Chèvremousse, a versatile
whipped goat cheese, and Crème de
Bleu, a spreadable Blue cheese with real
Blue crumbles. New items under the Il
Villaggio brand are Asiago Fresco PDO
and Montasio Mezzano PDO.
Last year, ANCO introduced to the
United States la Cabaña, a new exclusive brand for the company. The line
includes non-PDO Spanish cheeses such
as Rosemary Goat, a pale color cheese
with a creamy texture featuring balance
between the goat flavor and fresh herbs,
and Iberco, a cow/sheep/goat’s milk
cheese aged three months.
In February, ANCO began offering a
limited edition Red Fox-Red Leicester
Crunch from the United Kingdom’s
Belton Farm. The cheese is described
as being made from a unique recipe using carefully selected cultures and then
matured for a minimum of 15 months.
Also new from Belton Farm is a Blue
Stilton. And for consumers seeking an
on-the-go, high-quality snack, ANCO is
offering Belton Farm Mature Cheddar
Bites in 80-calorie portion-controlled
resealable bags as well as larger packaging for foodservice.
Meanwhile, Wensleydale cheeses,
English cheeses particularly known for
their added flavors such as cranberry and
apricot, are getting new labeling noting
the brand’s recently received Protected
Geographical Indication (PGI) status.
Wensleydale cheeses also are now being offered in easy-to-open 5.3-ounce
consumer packs.
Additionally, ANCO is further developing its line of Valley Forge domestic
cheeses.
The newly designed line is being
offered in two product ranges — the
core line, which is ideal for everyday
enjoyment and the more novice consumer, and Nature’s Reserve/Selection,
premium cheeses for special occasions
and cheese connoisseurs with a focus on
specific attributes such as aging, rBSTfree and organic.
Arthur Schuman Inc.
Fairfield, N.J.
For more information please visit www.ancofoods.com
Key executives: Neal Schuman, pres.
& CEO; Christophe Megevand, Tom
DeAngelo, Ralph Hoffman, Rich Phillips,
exec. VPs; Larry Schaefer, CFO
Cheese plants: Arthur Schuman
Inc., Fairfield, N.J. (cut & wrap wedges,
shredded & grated cups and PET jars,
cheese boards); Arthur Schuman West,
Vernon, Calif. (dehydrated cheese);
Arthur Schuman Midwest, Elgin, Ill.
(cut & wrap, shredded & grated bags,
party trays, slices); Lake Country Dairy,
Turtle Lake, Wis. (Parmesan, Romano,
Asiago, Mascarpone, specialty cheese);
Imperia Foods, Green Bay, Wis. (Bleu,
Gorgonzola); Imperia Foods, Montfort,
Wis. (Bleu, Gorgonzola)
30 million lbs.
150 million lbs.
Estimated 2013 sales: $505 million
retail; 35% foodservice; 35% ingredients
Percentage of products exported: 5%
Website: www.arthurschuman.com,
www.cellocheese.com
A look inside: Arthur Schuman Inc.
this past year continued to engage with
consumers and increase exposure to its
Cello Riserva line of specialty cheeses.
Throughout 2013, Arthur Schuman
launched several promotions on its
Facebook page centered around holiday
entertaining with Cello cheese. In October, a Halloween-inspired promotion
encouraged Facebook fans to upload a
photo of their “dressed-up” cheese creations directly to the Cello Facebook wall.
The company in November launched
a Tailgate Photo Challenge. Each week
throughout the month of November, fans
were encouraged to upload a photo of their
tailgate-worthy cheese creations to the
Cello Facebook page. Each week’s challenge consisted of a different theme, such
as Dips, Slow Cooker and “Homegate.”
In December, Cello celebrated the
holiday season with a Plating Holiday
Cheer Sweepstakes promotion, giving
fans the chance to win everything they
needed to make the perfect cheese plate
for their holiday party. Fans were asked
to comment on the featured cheese plate
of the week, and winners received a slate
cheese plate, cheese tools and a cooler
of Cello cheese.
“These promotions create excitement
around our cheeses and educate consumers on what’s available and how to use our
cheeses,” says Melissa Shore, marketing
director, Arthur Schuman Inc.
The company continues to do in-store
sampling to get cheeses directly into
consumers’ mouths, Shore adds.
As a fourth-generation, family-owned
business for more than 60 years, Arthur
Schuman Inc. has a long history of importing and distributing some of the best
cheeses in the world. From the company’s
beginnings as an importer of Parmigiano
Reggiano and Grana Padano, it has grown
by expanding its focus on distributing a
variety of great cheeses to all sectors of
the market and areas of the globe. In the
United States, Arthur Schuman operates
its own production and processing facilities across the country, producing more
than 70 million pounds of domestic cheese
and processing more than 80 million
pounds of cheese annually.
As an Italian cheese importer, Arthur
Schuman this past year also has focused
on two newer lines of imported cheeses
— “The Tuscan Collection” line of Busti
cheeses from Tuscany and a Mario Costa
Line of Gorgonzolas from Italy.
“We’re always looking to find the best
high-end specialty products in Europe to
bring to the U.S. market,” says Christophe
Megevand, head cheesemaker and executive vice president, Arthur Schuman Inc.
Shore adds that the company always
is looking for unique items with a lot of
flavor that can be a “destination” cheese
25
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
for consumers at retail.
Arthur Schuman this spring announced that it has partnered with Greek
company Dodoni SA, establishing Arthur
Schuman as the exclusive importer and
distributor of Dodoni SA Products in the
United States. The partnership provides
the U.S. market with widespread access
to premium, authentic Greek products,
says Neal Schuman, president and owner,
Arthur Schuman Inc.
“As a company that prides itself on
importing the best cheeses and working
with the strongest and most sustainable
companies, Dodoni SA is a natural fit for
us,” Schuman says. “We believe Dodoni,
and particularly its PDO (Protected
Destination of Origin) Feta cheese, will
thrive in the U.S. market.”
As part of its commitment to marketing high-quality cheeses from abroad,
Arthur Schuman continues to invest in
its domestic facilities. The company is
focusing on expanding and improving its
warehousing and distribution on the East
Coast to meet the demands of product
and processing innovation, as well as
new innovations in cheese packaging,
Shore notes.
“We focus largely on our tagline — heritage, leadership and innovation — which
really is at the forefront of everything we
do,” she says.
Megevand notes Arthur Schuman is
continuously upgrading its plants and
equipment for its Parmesan and Asiago
lines. The company also recently made
upgrades at its Lake Country Dairy facility
in Turtle Lake, Wis., as well as its Imperia
Foods plants in Montfort and Green Bay,
Wis. The company also is looking at expansions at both plants this year, he adds.
Arthur Schuman’s commitment to its
facilities and the brands it represents is
reflected in the wide industry recognition
its products received over the past year.
At this spring’s World Championship
Cheese Contest, Arthur Schuman’s Lake
Country Dairy plant took first and third
in the Open Class Soft Cheeses with its
Cello Rich & Creamy Style Mascarpone
and Cello Thick & Smooth Mascarpone,
respectively. Lake Country Dairy also
placed second in the Asiago class with its
Cello Riserva/Lake Country Dairy Asiago
at the contest.
At the 2013 Los Angeles International
Dairy Competition, Arthur Schuman was
awarded two gold medals for its Cello
Traditional Italian Style Mascarpone and
Cello Thick & Smooth Style Mascarpone.
At last fall’s World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, Arthur
Schuman’s Cello Riserva Copper Kettle
Parmesan placed second in the Open
Class Hard Cheese.
In addition, at last summer’s American Cheese Society competition, Arthur
Schuman’s Cello Thick & Smooth Mascarpone and Montfort Gorgonzola earned
second-place awards in the Mascarpone
— Made From Cow’s Milk and Rindless
Blue-Veined — Made From Cow’s Milk
classes, respectively.
Associated Milk
Producers Inc.
New Ulm, Minn.
Key executives: Ed Welch, pres.
& CEO; Donn DeVelder, exec. sr. VP;
Sheryl Meshke, exec. sr. VP; Jim Walsh,
VP, marketing
Cheese plants: Sanborn, Iowa (Cheddar, condensed whey); Paynesville, Minn.
(Cheddar barrels, WPC); Rochester,
Minn. (Cheddar, Colby, Colby Jack,
Monterey Jack, ice cream mix, WPC,
lactose, condensed whey); Hoven, S.D.
(Parmesan, Romano, Asiago); Blair, Wis.
(Cheddar, whey); Jim Falls, Wis. (Cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Pepper
Jack, whey); Portage, Wis. (cheese
packaging & processing)
415 million lbs.
600 million lbs.
Estimated 2013 sales: $1.8 billion
Website: www.ampi.com
A look inside: This past year, Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI)
installed a new processing system that
added the capability to dry WPC-80 at
its plant in Paynesville, Minn. AMPI
now can produce both WPC-80 and
WPC-34 at the plant as the demand
for dairy proteins, especially whey
proteins, continues to grow. The
Paynesville dryer is one of seven dryers in AMPI’s manufacturing network
which enable the cooperative to
market a complete portfolio of dairy
powders that includes low-heat nonfat
MANUFACTURING • CUTTING • GRATING • SHREDDING • CUBING • SLICING • SHAVING • DEHYDRATION
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Jim Gregori
Sean McFaul
Rich Phillips
(847) 840-3041
(626) 221-3869
(920) 327-1234
[email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
40 New Dutch Lane • Fairfield, NJ 07004
PH: (973) 227-0030 • FAX: (973) 227-1525
EMAIL: [email protected]
www.arthurschuman.com • www.cellocheese.com
For more information please visit www.arthurschuman.com
26
2014 KEY PLAYERS
seen continued growing demand for
its butter. Its sales of butter quarters
are up 5 million pounds from last year,
and they have been on a growth pattern for more than five years, Welch
says. He adds that he does not see the
trend slowing.
“To me, it’s a combination of things,”
he says. “A lot of people are eating away
from home and most restaurants want
to serve butter, not margarine. There’s
a resurgence in cooking shows, and
people who cook want to use quality
products, so they use butter.”
For its cheeses, AMPI is developing
more varieties of Pepper Jack every
year, Welch says.
“A lot of that is spurred by the
KEY PLAYERS
dry milk (NDM), high-heat NDM, buttermilk, whey and lactose in addition
to WPC-34 and WPC-80.
International demand has spurred
powder growth, says Ed Welch, president and CEO, AMPI.
“One area that’s really expanded
in 2013 is exports,” he says. “We don’t
export cheese, but we export lots of
powders. If there was a theme for 2013,
it was that exports were unbelievable.
We don’t expect exports to slow down.”
In addition to the growing demand
for milk powders, the cooperative has
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sandwich craze and demand for natural
cheese,” he notes. “All the Jack varieties of cheese have grown exponentially,
steadily for the last 10 years.”
Other areas of growth for AMPI
include natural cheese shreds and
chunks, which are up 5 million pounds
from last year, as well as process loaf
and slice on slice cheeses, which are up
13 million pounds. Part of that growth is
the result of a new process loaf line that
recently was added in AMPI’s Portage,
Wis., facility.
AMPI’s American-style cheese production totaled 400 million pounds in
2013, and this remains the co-op’s top
product category.
AMPI was awarded best Italian
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cheese for its Parmesan at the 2013
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(NMPF) Championship Cheese Contest.
AMPI’s pasteurized process American
slices also received best in class at the
NMPF competition, as well as at the 2014
World Championship Cheese Contest.
AMPI’s communications team received a number of honors this past year.
Sarah Schmidt, AMPI communications
director, was honored for Outstanding
Achievement in Communications at the
NMPF annual meeting held in Phoenix
in November. AMPI’s communications
team also received top awards at the
NMPF competition for the co-op’s
Dairymen’s Digest member magazine,
as well as for its writing, photography
and promotional materials.
In addition, the communications
team received top awards at the annual Cooperative Communicators
Association (CCA) institute held in
Nashville, Tenn., in June. Graphic
designer Nickie Sabo received the
2013 Michael Graznak Award for
young communicators, and Executive
Senior Vice President Sheryl Meshke
won the H.E. Klinefelter Award, CCA’s
highest honor for a career cooperative communicator. The AMPI team
also received first-place awards for a
campaign promoting the AMPI Young
Cooperator Summer Tour; a portfolio
of their department’s communication
tools; the Dairymen’s Digest; the
Moosletter, an employee newsletter;
and the Owner’s Manual, a brochure
promoting AMPI membership.
“We have had a really good year
in the communications department,”
Welch says, adding that all communications work for the cooperative is done
in-house. “For a long time, they have
been an area of pride for the co-op.
You are always communicating with
members, and with 2,500 members,
you want to make sure that’s one of
your strengths.”
Baker Cheese Co.
St. Cloud, Wis.
Jim, Joan, David, Steven
and Peter — “The Lindemann’s”
NORTHERN WISCONSIN PRODUCE
CHEESE DIVISION
P.O. Box 126 • Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54221-0126 • (920) 684-4461 • Fax: (920) 684-4471 • [email protected]
For more information please e-mail [email protected]
Key executives: Dick Baker, chairman of the board; Brian Baker, pres.;
Jeff Baker, VP, operations; Kevin Baker,
VP, finance; Eric Baker, dir., sales &
marketing
Cheese plant: St. Cloud, Wis. (String
cheese)
35-45 million lbs.
35-45 million lbs.
Website: www.bakercheese.com
27
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
A look inside: Baker Cheese Co.
continues its growth and tradition of
high-quality String cheese.
At this year’s World Championship
Cheese Contest the company was
awarded three of the top five spots in the
String cheese class.
Baker Cheese also obtained the
British Retail Consortium (BRC) certification, a food safety management
scheme recognized by the Global Food
Safety Initiative (GFSI), last September.
“By acquiring GFSI BRC certification, Baker Cheese has demonstrated
that they have met global standards and
utilize industry best practices in the
production of safe and quality cheese
products,” says Brian Baker, president,
Baker Cheese.
GFSI was created to harmonize
international food safety standards and
reduce the need for multiple supplier
audits. The BRC was the first standard
to be recognized as meeting the GFSI
benchmark.
“Our customers can be assured that
Baker Cheese has been qualified by an
independent third party auditor against
a stated standard,” Baker says. “Obtaining a GFSI certification is a benchmark
goal for brand owners and manufacturers involved in the food supply chain.”
Baker Cheese is continuously looking for innovations within the realm of
String cheese that will not interrupt its
quality. The company has undertaken
three different plant expansions in
the last 10 years. Recently, it’s added
additional milk silo storage and packaging lines.
“The next step in our natural expansions would probably be implementing
new warehouse space to store packaging materials as we are now close to
capacity,” Baker says. “We consistently
evaluate to see where we can improve.
We’ve been looking into adding a new
wastewater facility.”
Baker Cheese markets its own
String cheese products under the Baker
Cheese label and also produces and
packages String cheese for private-label
clients across the United States.
“We have grown our private label
partnerships quite a bit. We focus
strongly on partnering up with regional
marketers to help grow String cheese
within their own brand,” Baker says.
The company also has developed
private label sales in the Middle East
and Southeast Asia to help grow and
supply the demand for snack cheeses.
Baker Cheese has seen export growth
in South Korea, Vietnam and Mexico
as well.
“We see it as a large untapped opportunity,” Baker says. “Because of the
growing middle class in Asia and the
Middle East, families are now starting
to look for and demand high-quality U.S.
dairy products. We continue to try and
secure our additional footprint.”
Baker Cheese will focus on growing
its export presence over the next few
years. It has had success learning how
to supply product properly in those
areas and has had retention, Baker says.
Baker Cheese is in the midst of revamping its website. The message the
company looks to relay from a marketing standpoint is that Baker Cheese
is a strong private label family-owned
String cheese provider.
Baker Cheese has grown due to the
collaborative efforts of four generations
of Bakers. The plant’s current cheesemakers have approximately 115 years
of combined experience making String
cheese at the Baker Cheese plant.
Social media currently is not a
high priority for Baker Cheese as the
company is instead working on package design and size innovations. The
company has something in the works
for this upcoming year, Baker says.
“We shoot for having the quickest
turn around time for our customers,”
Baker adds. “We believe that maintaining a consistent speed lends itself to
lower costs and increases shelf life. It
allows a stronger distribution channel.
Our focus will continue to be this short
lead time, even as we grow.”
The company’s goals for the next
year support international and national
marketing opportunities. Baker Cheese
will focus on growing to meet market
demand domestically and abroad while
providing high-quality products.
Bel Brands USA
Chicago
Parent company: Fromageries
Bel, Paris
Key executives: Frederic Nalis,
pres., Americas and Asia Pacific Zone
The String Cheese
Specializing in Private Label and Retail
At Baker Cheese, we can provide the freshest
string cheese available in any size package and
quantity. If you’re looking for 1 ounce singles,
individually wrapped retail packages or retail
bulk packaging, look no further. We are a 100
percent turnkey operation which takes pride
in our high-quality string cheese, exceptional
customer service and our ability to maintain
an efficient, flexible production environment
capable of fulfilling your every need.
Whether you’re a small, local distributor
or a large, nationally recognized brand,
call us today at 920.477.7871 and discover
how we can put over 90 years of experience
to work for you.
ST. CLOUD, WI 53079
s
920-477-7871
s
» Quality and Freshness
» Long Shelf Life
» Fast Turnaround
» Custom Packaging
F: 920-477-2404
For more information please visit www.bakercheese.com
28
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
& CEO, Bel Brands USA; Didier Aziza,
CFO; Heather Rewiski, VP, sales; Dan
Waters, sr. dir., marketing; Christian
Deg, dir., supply chain; Marco Leal,
dir., human resources, Americas and
Asia Pacific; Vladimir Homola, dir.,
operations, Leitchfield; Ed Blascak, dir.,
operations, Little Chute; Cyril Cledelin,
dir., operations, Brookings
Cheese plants: Leitchfield, Ky. (Mini
Babybel, The Laughing Cow wedges,
The Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations
Cream Cheese); Brookings, S.D. (Mini
Babybel); Little Chute, Wis. (Merkts
cold pack cheese, Kaukauna cheese
balls & logs, Boursin spreadable cheese,
Price*s cheese spread, WisPride cheese
spread, private label spreads)
80 million lbs.
85 million lbs.
Projected 2014 sales: More than
$350 million
Websites: www.belbrandsusa.com,
www.thelaughingcow.com, www.
boursincheese.com, www.merkts.com,
www.kaukaunacheese.com, www.wispride.com
A look inside: Bel Brands USA is
investing more than $150 million in its
new, state-of-the-industry Mini Babybel
plant in Brookings, S.D.
Construction began in July 2012 on
the 170,000-square-foot manufacturing
facility on a 48-acre site near the I-29
corridor in Brookings.
Completion of the facility is on
track, and product testing began in
March, company officials say. Commercial production is targeted to begin
in July and will ramp up throughout
the year, with a final goal to produce
24 million pounds annually, which
equates to approximately 1.5 million
Mini Babybel cheese per day.
The plant will operate 24/7, 345
days a year, and as of this spring, Bel
Brands USA has hired 100 hourly and
salaried employees for the facility, the
company says. It plans to have nearly
275 employees when fully staffed later
this year.
Bel Brands USA this year added
Light White Cheddar to its lineup of
The Laughing Cow products. In addition, this July the company will be
launching two new flavors in its Boursin
line: Monterey Jack and Spicy Peppers,
and Creamy Asiago and Roasted Peppers, notes Kimberly Mulcahy, senior
manager of communications, CSR and
consumer relations, Bel Brands USA.
This summer, the company also
plans to introduce Mini Babybel White
Cheddar.
Mulcahy notes that in 2013, sales
of Mini Babybel grew by 24 percent
thanks to a new marketing campaign
and integrated sales and marketing
initiatives launched in 2013.
In addition, the new Laughing Cow
Light White Cheddar has been named
one of the 25 Best Packaged Foods of
2014 by Parents magazine, Mulcahy
notes.
Other Bel Brands products received
industry recognition this past year as
well. At this spring’s World Championship Cheese Contest, Bel Brands USA’s
Port Wine Cold Pack Cheese Spread
earned first place in the Cold Pack
Cheese Spreads class, and its Sharp
Cheddar Cold Pack Cheese Spread took
third place in the same class at the
contest. The Merkts products are made
at Bel Brands’ Little Chute, Wis., plant.
Bel Brands’ The Laughing Cow
Smooth Sensations Cream Cheese
Spread also was a finalist in the cheese
category at the 2013 Dairy Innovation
Awards during the 7th Global Dairy
Congress held last summer in Lucerne,
Switzerland.
In the year ahead, Bel Brands USA
will continue to focus on growing its
business in its core brands as well as
its regional spreads business, Mulcahy
says.
At the end of 2013, Bel Brands
announced that Y&R Midwest, the
agency’s Chicago office, would become
the North American agency of record
for Bel Brands USA in 2014 and now
is overseeing the brand’s strategy,
marketing and social media for the
cheesemaker’s three core brands:
The Laughing Cow, Mini Babybel and
Boursin.
“Y&R is the perfect global partner
for us,” says Dan Waters, senior director
of marketing, Bel Brands USA. “Having had the opportunity to see what
they can do for our brands in Europe,
Australia and Canada, we are excited
to see what they will accomplish for us
here in the United States.”
Waters notes the agency has a strong
global network complemented by a
commitment to deep local understanding in each market it serves.
“We have been particularly impressed with their understanding of
how to engage American consumers
over digital and social media, and we
are excited to see their ideas come to
life,” he says.
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www.carrvalleycheese.com
CARR VALLEY CHEESE CO., INC.
S3797 County G • La Valle, WI 53941
(800) 462-7258
For more information please visit www.carrvalleycheese.com
BelGioioso Cheese Inc.
Green Bay, Wis.
Key executives: Errico Auricchio,
pres.; Brian Bonebright, sr. VP & COO;
Mark Schleitwiler, VP; Gaetano Auricchio, VP, sales
Cheese plants: Byron, Wis. (Provolone); Chase, Wis. (Parmesan, Romano,
Asiago, Auribella, Kasseri, Toscanello,
Pepato, Peperoncino, vegetarian
Parmesan, Fontina); Freedom, Wis.
(Burrata, Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh
Mozzarella curd); Glenmore, Wis. (Provolone, Mascarpone, Fresh Mozzarella,
Burrata, Ricotta con Latte); Langes
Corners, Wis. (CreamyGorg, Crumbly
Gorgonzola, Italico, Crescenza-Stracchino); Ledgeview, Wis. (converting,
packaging, shipping, corporate office);
Pulaski, Wis. (American Grana); Sherwood, Wis. (veal feed); Schenectady,
N.Y. (marinated braids, smoked Fresh
Mozzarella, Scamorza, Ricotta)
Website: www.belgioioso.com
A look inside: BelGioioso Cheese
Inc. continued to grow its presence
this past year with new products, new
acquisitions and plant upgrades, with
more plans in the works.
BelGioioso introduced its new
gluten-free Shredded Blends made with
cow’s milk gathered daily from local
Wisconsin farms. The line includes the
Pizza Blend made with Romano, Fontina
and Provolone; a Pasta Blend made
with Sharp Provolone and Fontina;
and the Zesty Blend, a combination of
Peperoncino and Provolone. The shredded blends are provided in cases of 12,
5-ounce cups.
The company also unveiled its new
Fresh Mozzarella snacking cheese. Each
convenient 1-ounce package includes
three 1/3-ounce Ciliegine balls at 70
calories per package. They are sealed
without water in easy-open thermoform
packaging and are available in different
size mesh bags.
“The Fresh Mozzarella snacking
cheese is an important new item,” says
Errico Auricchio, president, BelGioioso.
“It works well for a healthy snack to
bring to school or the office.”
Fresh Mozzarella smoked with
natural hickory has been introduced
by the company. The cheese is packaged in thermoform for an extended
shelf life. The product comes in a case
of 12, 8-ounce Hickory Smoked Fresh
Mozzarella Balls.
“We have also worked on our labeling
in the last year,” Auricchio adds. “We
have updated it to be more consumerfriendly.”
29
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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BelGioioso cheeses continue to
garner industry recognition.
competition last August, BelGioioso
Ricotta con Latte Whole Milk received
a second place award in the Ricotta
— Made From Cow’s Milk class; its
Burrata received a second place award
in the Burrata — All Milks class; and
its Mascarpone received a third place
award in the Mascarpone — Made From
Cow’s Milk class.
Cheese Contest, BelGioioso was recognized as one of the top 16 finalists. The
company received best of class honors
in the Aged Provolone class for its Sharp
Provolone Mandarino, in the Fresh Mozzarella class for its Burrata and in the
Parmesan class for its American Grana.
BelGioioso’s Cappiello Zesty Marinated
Hand-Braided Fresh Mozzarella and
Creamy Gorg took second place in their
respective classes and its Parmesan was
awarded third in its class.
“The awards show our consistent,
good quality,” Auricchio says. “From
a marketing point of view it is helpful,
and it’s been useful for morale of the
cheesemakers.”
This past year, the company added
drying rooms to its Byron plant, giving
it an additional 10,000 square feet,
more storage, new locker rooms and
new offices.
The company also added 50,000
square feet to its Freedom, Wis., plant.
More Fresh Mozzarella lines were installed as part of the expansion.
“Fresh Mozzarella season is in summer and slows down in winter, so we
need more production space,” Auricchio
says. “We are just now completing the
additions to the Freedom plant to be
ready for our peak season.”
Marketing efforts for BelGioioso
over the past year have been focused on
its new products and promoting other
cheeses effectively.
“Our promotion and the consumption of Mascarpone is growing nicely and
is being well-accepted by the consumer,”
Auricchio says. “We want to make more
people aware of this cheese to use as
a replacement for butter, with half the
calories. We’re trying to show people
Mascarpone can go beyond its common
tiramisu use.”
BelGioioso released new television
commercials and plans to continue to air
more of them in 2014. It also completed
a redesign of its website.
Auricchio was pleased with BelGioioso’s performance over the past
year and has concerns for this year,
but remains completely confident in
his company.
“We had a good year last year; we
don’t expect this upcoming one to be
quite as good,” Auricchio says. “Milk is
at an all-time high and that will create
a challenge.”
Over the next year, the company is
planning to add more storage capacity
for Parmesan, Asiago and Provolone,
along with more aging rooms throughout
its locations.
“We’ll also be placing more emphasis
on exporting our products,” Auricchio
says. “The United States has the potential to become the world’s leading
dairy exporter.”
The company will look to continue
its commitment to quality and customer
service and will place emphasis on its
Burrata.
“Burrata has been growing over
the past year,” Auricchio says. “We see
it more and more in restaurants, and
consumers are opening their eyes to
it. The quality of Burrata, and all of
BelGioioso’s products, will remain our
chief goal.”
Burnett Dairy Cooperative
she says. “By adding flavors like bacon
and onion in the cheese, we are taking
out a couple of items they would need to
prep — making their lives easier while
adding amazing flavor.”
Peterson adds that customers love
the idea that Burnett Dairy is a farmerowned cooperative that can manage
everything from seed to feed to milk
quality.
The new Wood River Creamery
brand, which is marketed toward foodies, entertainers and adventurous cooks,
is centered around Alpha’s Morning
Sun, a cheese developed by Wisconsin
Master Cheesemaker Bruce Willis that’s
a unique fusion of Cheddar and Gruyere.
The cheese is available in Roasted
Red Pepper & Cracked Peppercorn,
Rosemary and plain varieties. Burnett
Dairy Co-op also recently developed a
new variety — Alpha’s Morning Sun with
Herbs de Provence — which is set to
launch at the International Dairy-DeliBake Expo this June.
“Our Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker only made two wheels of it to
see how it would do at (the 2014 World
Championship Cheese Contest), and it
ended up taking best of class,” Peterson
says. “The minute we heard the news,
he started up another batch. One of the
best things about being a farmer-owned
cooperative is that we can be quick and
nimble with our innovations.”
Other awards the cooperative won
at this spring’s World Championship
Cheese Contest include best of class
for its smoked String cheese, second
place for its aged Provolone and Gouda
with Rosemary, and third place for its
Alpha’s Morning Sun with Rosemary.
In addition to its new retail items,
Burnett Dairy Cooperative also is now
offering more unique flavors, produced
at its Cady Cheese plant, to foodservice.
These flavors include Bacon & Onion
Colby, Italian Sundried Tomato Monterey
Jack, 3 Pepper Golden Jack and Roasted
Garlic Monterey Jack. The company will
offer these in deli horns as well as in presliced packages. Alpha’s Morning Sun
also is available in bulk for foodservice.
The cooperative’s marketing programs
are focused on demo kits and customer
events, and driving trial and awareness
for its two new retail brands has been
extremely important, Peterson says. Additionally, with the launch of its new website
in fall 2013, Burnett Dairy Cooperative’s
online sales have continued to grow. For
the coming year, the company plans to
develop another new website focusing
Grantsburg, Wis.
Key executives: Dan Dowling, pres.
& CEO; David Gaiser, CFO; Bryan Olson,
VP, marketing/sales; Earl Wilson, VP,
dairy foods; Jared Yeske, quality control
mgr.; Bruce Willis, Wisconsin Master
Cheesemaker
Cheese plants: Grantsburg, Wis.,
(Mozzarella, Provolone, Mozzarella
String, Mozzarella String whips, Alpha’s
Morning Sun, Cheddar, Colby, Monterey
Jack, Colby Jack); Cady Cheese, Wilson,
Wis. (Colby, Monterey Jack, Gouda,
Cheddar)
Websites: www.burnettdairy.com,
www.cadycheese.com
A look inside: Burnett Dairy Cooperative launched two new retail brands
this past year: Burnett Dairy and Wood
River Creamery. Previously focused primarily on foodservice, the cooperative
now is looking to expand into the dairy
and specialty cases with its new brands.
The Burnett Dairy line includes
Bacon & Onion Colby, Italian Sundried
Tomato Monterey Jack, Roasted Garlic
Monterey Jack, Cheddar with Rosemary,
and plain and Ranch varieties of String
cheese. The co-op is marketing this
brand as “everyday artisan” cheese
because it elevates the everyday cheese
experience with inspired quality and
inventive flavors.
Nicki Peterson, marketing manager,
Burnett Dairy Cooperative, says retailers are excited about the new products
Burnett Dairy has launched so far because their customers are looking for
fun new flavors to enhance their meals
at home in every category.
“We listened to those demands and
brought the flavors to the dairy case,”
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30
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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only on its foodservice business, designed
to be a great resource for its foodservice
customers and prospects as they learn
more about the farmer-owned cooperative
and its products.
“Burnett Dairy’s goal for the coming
year is to continue to be the small and
agile company that we are,” Peterson
says. “You will see more innovative
products and flavors, more efficient
packaging, and a complete focus on our
customers and cheese quality. We will
also focus on supporting our new brands
and working with our retail customers
to ensure customer satisfaction.”
Cacique Inc.
City of Industry, Calif.
Key executives: Gil de Cárdenas, VP
& COO; Tirso Iglesias, VP, sales & marketing; Bob Cashen, dir., sales; Enrique
Botello, sr. category mgr.; Francisco
Hanon, category mgr.; Ivonne Camacho, sr. category mgr.; Diana de Loza,
category mgr.; Miguel Moreno, regional
business development mgr., Mountain
Region; Orlando Chavez, business development mgr.; Manuel Rubio, regional
business development mgr., Northern
Region; Jose Cuiriz, regional business
development mgr., Northern California
and Pacific Northwest Region; Felipe
Gomez, regional business development
mgr., mass market West; Rob Clair, zone
dir., Gulf and Southeast Regions; Kevin
McCraken, regional business development mgr., mass market Northeast and
Northern Regions; Yadira Isais, business
development mgr., Phoenix; Arturo Yniguez, business development mgr., San
Diego; David Rivera, regional business
development mgr., mass market Central
Cheese plant: City of Industry, Calif.
(Asadero, Cotija, Enchilado, Manchego,
Mozzarella, Oaxaca, Panela, Queso
Growing the Hispanic perishable category...
®
ĩEL MERO MERO!
For delicious recipes and more information
visit us at booth # 5042
www.CaciqueInc.com
For more information please visit www.caciqueinc.com
Join Us
Blanco Fresco, Queso Fresco, Queso
Quesadilla, Queso Quesadilla Jalapeno)
Website: www.caciqueinc.com
A look inside: Cacique has big plans
for new products this year and beyond
as it looks to serve a growing, changing
and more diverse customer base.
“In 2014, as well as in years to come,
innovation is going to be very big across
all platforms,” says Tirso Iglesias, vice
president of sales and marketing, Cacique Inc. “There are going to be several
innovative products this year and going
forward.”
While the company has yet to announce details on its anticipated new
products, Iglesias notes that a big
staple in Cacique’s future plans will be
marketing and sales growth to meet a
growing and changing consumer base.
The company already has a growing
social media campaign and is seeing a
very high engagement rate on a broad
range of social media platforms.
“We have a sizable following. For us,
this year it will be important to make
sure we have strength in all platforms so
we’re engaging consumers at all touch
points,” Iglesias says.
Cacique’s consumers are changing
as traditional consumers mature, and
younger consumers are exposed to a
much wider range of foods and options.
“There is a fight for the share of
wallet and share of mind. Research says
meeting the needs of Millennials is key
to growth,” Iglesias says.
Pre-2010, he notes that Cacique marketed its products almost exclusively
in Spanish. However, the company in
recent years has seen Mexican food
becoming more mainstream and more
authenticity popping up in restaurants.
“There is more interest in cooking
authentic Mexican foods at home, which
puts us in a position to be a trusted
advisor and a brand people look to to
do that,” Iglesias says, adding that there
are changes among both consumers and
retailers. “In the cheese section, we see
Hispanic specialty cheese is no longer in
the corner, but in the mainline set. We
feel the market will continue to grow,
and learning how to communicate and
understand consumers’ needs is going
to be an opportunity.”
As consumers have become more
in touch with the Cacique name, the
company in October reformulated and
relaunched its drinkable yogurt line to be
completely under the Cacique brand. Instead of the former “Younique” name, now
the product is known as “Cacique Yogurt
Smoothies.” Each 7-ounce single-serve
bottle contains 8 grams of protein and just
more than 100 calories. The line consists
of five traditional fruit flavors and three
varieties mixed with cereal geared more
toward the adult consumer. Iglesias says
since the relaunch, the smoothies have
seen a large gain in distribution as well
as an increase in base sales.
The company partnered with Chef
Aarón Sanchez for the Cacique 40th
31
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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Anniversary Food Truck national tour
Sept. 25-27. Food trucks featuring Cacique products and menu items created
by Sanchez made stops in Los Angeles,
the San Francisco Bay Area, Dallas
and Houston. Profits from the food
truck sales went toward the Hispanic
Scholarship Fund, the nation’s largest
not-for-profit organization supporting
Hispanic higher education.
“It created a lot of buzz and kept us
tied to some of our core values of family,
giving back to the community and supporting education, which is extremely
important to Cacique,” Iglesias says.
In addition to its new products
and campaigns, Iglesias says Cacique
continually is working to improve all
its processes, from improvements to its
plant to new tools for sales and marketing teams, and other improvements to
its system.
Going forward, he says the company
will continue its work to understand the
ever-changing consumer and to react
quickly to their needs, from increasing
distribution channels to conducting
first-hand consumer research.
“Companies that are able to do that
are going to be able to thrive in the
marketplace,” Iglesias says. “That’s our
focus. The consumer’s voice has never
been stronger. We’re using all media
outlets to understand where our consumers’ minds are at, and knowing how
they like to be spoken to and engaged
with is critical.”
Cedar Grove Cheese Inc.
Plain, Wis.
Key executives: Robert Wills, pres.;
Beth Nachreiner, VP; Deborah Byrne,
general mgr.
Cheese plants: Plain, Wis. (cow milk
cheeses: Willi Cheddar, Squeaks Cheddar curds, pizza cheese, Colby, Marble
Colby, Monterey Jack, Butterkase,
Farmers; sheep’s milk cheeses: Banquo,
Fleance, Feta; goat’s milk cheese: Cheddar, Mozzarella, Chevre; buffalo milk
cheeses: fresh Mozzarella, Gouda, Cheddar; mixed milk cheeses: Weird Sisters,
Faarko, Montague & Capriko); Clock
Shadow Creamery, Milwaukee (Quark,
Squeaks Cheddar curds, Ricotta, Queso
Blanca, Queso Menonita, Juustoleipa,
Bon Bree, LaBelle)
3.5 million lbs.
Websites: www.cedargrovecheese.
com, www.clockshadowcreamery.com
A look inside: After the opening of
Cedar Grove Cheese Inc.’s Clock Shadow
Creamery on Milwaukee’s south side in
June 2012, Bob Wills, president, Cedar
Grove Cheese, says his goal was for all
the facility’s wastewater and whey to
go into energy generation. That goal
was exceeded.
“In Milwaukee we started sending
our whey to a new digester built by the
Potawatomi Tribe,” Wills says. “The
energy we are producing is more than
off-setting what we’ve been using. It’s
gone beyond carbon neutral.”
While the company’s plant in Plain,
Wis., has a lot of green aspects, Wills
says, there are not immediate plans to
go completely green as implementing
environmental initiatives is more of a
challenge in the rural area.
Clock Shadow Creamery started
churning out a couple new products in
the past year. The company has added
Bon Bree Brick and Queso Menonita
to its lineup.
“The Brick-style Bon Bree is coming
out of the Clock Shadow Creamery,”
Wills says. “We revived a product that
had been missing from the market for
30 years since the Mapleton Cheese
Factory in Oconomowoc, Wis., closed.”
Cedar Grove continues to enter its
products in national contests, and last
year its Marble Colby garnered a first
place award at the American Cheese
Society (ACS) competition. Cheddar
Curd (Cajun) and Willi each took second
at the contest.
“We were very pleased with the
results from the contest,” Wills says.
“Other people who either made cheese
at our plant or were previous cheesemakers of ours won, and that was fun
to see.”
Wills was the co-chair for the ACS
conference last summer and led a
session on fresh cheese curds with
two other cheesemakers during the
conference.
“This past year was a busy year, and
helping host the ACS conference was
time-consuming,” Wills says. “It was
extremely successful, and I’m happy
to be aligned with it.”
Wills has continued his work on
several organizations, including on the
board of the American Cheese Education Foundation, a sister organization
of ACS that helps educate people about
the art and science of artisanal and
specialty cheese.
Cedar Grove Cheese has been seeing
10 percent growth in organic cheese
annually in its factory. Shortages in
organic milk have been a challenge,
but it has been the only limitation for
the enterprise this past year, Wills says.
“We’re also going to continue to
do the sheep, goat and water buffalo
cheeses as people really seem to be more
and more accepting of them,” Wills says.
In Milwaukee the company will
continue to work with new start-up
companies looking for a facility to manufacture dairy products. Cedar Grove is
lined up to start with an individual who
wants to make a Serbian-style cheese
and a company looking to make gelato,
Wills adds.
“We’re going to continue to spinout products from Milwaukee and to
get more market visibility,” Wills says.
“We’re going to continue riding our
old projects to a larger degree and to
work on our quality and food safety
programs.”
Crystal Farms
Minnetonka, Minn.
Parent company: Michael Foods
Inc., Minnetonka, Minn.
Key executives: Mark Anderson, VP
& general mgr.; Jeff Johnson, VP, sales;
Meredith Tutterow, sr. marketing dir.,
cheese
Cheese plant: Lake Mills, Wis. (cut
& wrap)
retail
Percentage of products exported:
less than 5%
Website: www.crystalfarms.com
A look inside: Crystal Farms has
introduced several new cheeses to its
retail portfolio this past year. Tapping
into the popular snack category, the
company last summer launched new
Nibblers Snack Cheese in four flavors:
Smoky BBQ seasoned Cheddar, Habanero seasoned Pepper Jack, Chipotle
Pepper seasoned Cheddar and Sour
Cream & Onion seasoned Monterey
Jack.
“It was really an interesting and
exciting launch for us,” says Meredith
Tutterow, senior marketing director, cheese, for Crystal Farms. “It’s
something that was innovative in how
snack cheese is being used. We take the
intersection of people’s desire for bold
flavors and everyone’s hunger for more
protein and combine it in Nibblers. We
really brought something unique to the
marketplace.”
Nibblers, bigger than traditionallysized crumbles for easy snacking, come
in 1.5-ounce stand-up single serve bags.
The Best Traditional
Specialty Cheese
You’ve Ever Tasted!
&
Each year we craft four million pounds of some of the
best cheese you will ever taste! And all of our cheese is
produced without artificial growth hormones (rBGH), animal
enzymes, or genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). We
believe in environmentally sound production...working in
concert with nature is an important part of our business.
1st Place Marbled Colby
2013 American
Cheese Society
Cedar Grove Cheese
2nd Place Cajun Curd
2013 American
Cheese Society
Clock Shadow Creamery
Handcrafted Cheese is our Specialty
•
•
•
•
Traditional Cheese
Artisan Cheese
Family Owned
Custom Processing
• NO Artificial Growth Hormones
(rBGH), Animal Enzymes
or Genetically Modified
Ingredients (GMOs)
Specializing in...
• Traditional Aging Without
• Quark Cheese
• Goat, Sheep & Water Chemicals
• Small Batch Cheese
Buffalo Cheese
Development
• Sharp & Extra Sharp
• Surface Ripened
Cedar Grove CHEESE &
Clock Shadow CREAMERY
E5904 Mill Road | P. O. Box 185 | Plain, WI 53577 | Phone: (800) 200-6020
Fax: (608) 546-2805 | E-mail: bob@cedargrovecheese
www.cedargrovecheese.com
2nd Place Marbled Colby
2012 American
Cheese Society
Cedar Grove Cheese
2nd Place Marbled Colby
2011 American
Cheese Society
Cedar Grove Cheese
Introducing:
Fresh Water
Buffalo Mozzarella
The only Fresh Water
Buffalo Mozzarella in
Wisconsin, and one of the
very few in the country!
KOSHER • ORGANIC • rBGH-FREE • CUSTOM MADE FLAVORS & VARIETIES
For more information please visit www.cedargrovecheese.com
32
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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Individual bags have a retail value of 99
cents and come in stock-friendly trays
with eight units per tray. The company
also offers 5-packs.
The product won recognition at last
fall’s National Association of Convenience Stores show in Atlanta as one of
10 items, out of about 300, which earned
a blue ribbon for “retailer top pick.”
“This is an exciting area for us,”
Tutterow says. “We haven’t had a lot of
convenience store distribution in the
past, so this is allowing us to break into
that channel.”
In February, Crystal Farms also
launched new Horseradish Cheddar
in 7-ounce blocks. The company says
this is the first natural horseradish
Cheddar in this sector and is ideal for
adding to sandwiches and burgers or to
eat as a snack.
“This also taps into bold flavors and
adds an interesting variety to our chunk
cheese sector,” Tutterow says. “It’s a
unique cheese with a lot of different
applications. We’re hearing a lot of
enthusiasm for it.”
In May, the company added two new
sliced cheese products. Its new Deli
Thins line includes ultra-thin slices of
natural cheese available in Marble Jack,
Provolone, Swiss, Cheddar and Pepper
Jack varieties. Each slice contains 45
calories or less, making them ideal for
people looking to moderate their diet
and still have all the flavor but with
fewer calories, Tutterow says.
Also in May, the company introduced
new cracker cut cheeses sold complete
with a serving tray, which includes a
transparent plastic rectangular top and
solid plastic bottom. This product will
be available in Cheddar, Marble Jack
and Pepper Jack varieties. The company
has offered cracker cut cheeses in bags
in the past, but the serving tray offering is new.
“You can flip the cheeses onto the
tray. We expect to be the first national
brand with this kind of product,” Tutterow says.
“We’re definitely going to continue to
emphasize innovation and new products
as part of our marketing plan moving
forward,” she adds.
For marketing this past year, the
company has put a lot of emphasis on
its new products as well as the stand-
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T.C. Jacoby & Co.
1716 Hidden Creek Court
St. Louis, MO 63131
314/821-4456
1-800-877-9556
Fax: 314/821-3251
www.jacoby.com
Contact Ted C. Jacoby III
For more information please visit www.jacoby.com
up gusseted packaging it introduced
a little over a year ago. Crystal Farms
will be refreshing its advertising efforts
this summer with a new campaign that
covers its entire line of cheeses.
In April, Crystal Farms’ parent company, Michael Foods Inc., announced
that Post Holdings Inc. intends to
acquire the company and its related
entities for $2.45 billion in the second
quarter of 2014. According to Post,
Michael Foods will continue to operate
independently under the company’s
current management team.
Dairy Farmers of America
Kansas City, Mo.
Key executives: Rick Smith, pres. &
CEO; Mark Korsmeyer, exec. VP
Dairy plants: Adrian, Mich. (condensed milk, cream, NDM); Beaver,
Utah (condensed milk, cream, longhorn
Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack);
Cabool, Mo. (adult nutritional beverages, dairy-based coffee beverages, energy
protein beverages, Sport Shake); Cass
City, Mich. (cream, condensed whole &
skim milk); Cedarburg, Wis. (fluid milk,
orange juice); Fallon, Nev. (WMP, SMP);
Fargo, N.D. (butter, cottage cheese,
cream, dips, fluid milk, ice cream, juice,
sour cream, yogurt); Farmington, Minn.
(cottage cheese, dips, smoothies, sour
cream); Fort Morgan, Colo. (condensed
milk, cream, NDM); Frederick, Md.
(milk, fruit drinks, juice); Goshen, Ind.
(condensed milk, cream, NDM); Houston, Texas (artisanal Hispanic cheeses,
creams); Hughson, Calif. (butter, condensed milk, cream, NDM); Linwood,
N.Y. (cream, skim); Mechanicsburg,
Pa. (dairy-based coffee beverages);
Middlebury Center, Pa. (condensed
milk, cream, cream powder, malted milk
powder, NDM, SMP, WMP); Minneapolis,
Minn. (fluid milk & other beverages);
New Britain, Conn. (cream, ice cream
mixes, milk, non-dairy items including
fruit drinks, fruit juices, water); New
Wilmington, Pa. (dry whey, Italian-style
cheese); Plymouth, Wis. (cut & wrap
natural cheese, process cheese, shreds);
Portales, N.M. (condensed skim, cream,
milk permeate powder, MPC, NDM,
SMP); Portland, Maine (butter, buttermilk, cottage cheese, cream, flavored
milk, fluid milk, fruit juice, sour cream,
tea); Reading, Pa. (cream, condensed
milk, malted milk powder, NDM, SMP,
WMP); Rochester, Minn. (2) (fluid milk,
ice cream, light ice cream, sherbets,
yogurt-based drinks); Schulenburg,
Texas (dairy dips, salsa); Springfield,
Mo. (dairy-based coffee beverages);
Turlock, Calif. (Italian-style cheese,
liquid whey); Ventura, Calif. (dairy-based
coffee beverages); West Middlesex, Pa.
(industrial shredded cheese, process
cheese); Winnsboro, Texas (anhydrous
milkfat, butter, buttermilk powder,
NDM, sweet cream); Winthrop, Minn.
(anhydrous milkfat, butterfat blends,
sweetened condensed milk); Zumbrota,
Minn. (American-style cheese, cream
powders, fluid whey, Gouda, hard Italian
cheese, specialty cheese)
Cheese and ingredient-related joint
ventures: DairiConcepts LP, Allerton,
Iowa, Dalbo, Minn., El Dorado Springs
& Springfield, Mo., Hummelstown,
Pa., Pollock, S.D., & Bruce, Chili and
Greenwood, Wis. — JV with Fonterra;
Southwest Cheese, Clovis, N.M. — JV
cheese operation with Glanbia plc &
the cooperative members of the Greater
Southwest Agency (DFA, Select Milk
Producers & Zia Milk Producers)
270.3 million lbs.
498.5 million lbs.
Projected 2014 sales: $14.6 billion
Percentage of sales from cheese: 7.9%
Percentage products exported: 2.8%
Website: www.dfamilk.com
A look inside: Dairy Farmers of
America (DFA) continued to grow its
commercial investments over the past
year, acquiring Dairy Maid Dairy, Frederick, Md., in 2013 and Oakhurst Dairy,
Portland, Maine, in 2014.
Last September, DFA also announced plans to build two new plants. A
ceremonial ground breaking took place
Sept. 20 in Linwood, N.Y., for a new cold
milk separation plant. This plant is the
first of its kind for DFA, which is partnering with the local dairy producers
of Craigs Station Ventures. The plant,
which is scheduled for completion this
summer, will be built on one of the partnering producer’s dairy operations and
will produce cream and skim milk for a
range of regional customers.
“Partnering with farmers allows DFA
and our partners to utilize combined
capital to develop sound projects that
will deliver value to all DFA members,”
says Rick Smith, president and CEO,
DFA. “This investment is consistent with
our strategy to deliver value to members
by better serving our customers, maintaining markets for our members and
developing local plant opportunities.”
The second plant, a dairy ingredient
plant in Cass City, Mich., will produce
condensed whole and skim milk and
cream for domestic customers while
providing a secure home for DFA members’ milk and reducing transportation
costs, the cooperative says.
In addition to these projects, construction on DFA’s state-of-the-art dairy
ingredients plant in Fallon, Nev., was
completed in April. The plant received
its first shipments of milk April 5 and will
supply domestic and global customers
with quality dried dairy ingredients.
DFA notes this is the first plant the
33
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
co-op has built from the ground up.
“Not only will the plant provide a
home for up to 2 million pounds of milk
per day, it also will serve as DFA’s gateway to the global marketplace and help
open new doors for the cooperative,”
says Mark Korsmeyer, executive vice
president, DFA, and president, Global
Dairy Products Group.
DFA this past year rolled out several
new products under its various brands.
Under the Kemps brand, new products launched this past year included
Kemps Sweet Meadows Farms Milk,
Greek yogurt, Greek snack mousse,
Greek cottage cheese, and chocolate and
strawberry milk in cow-shaped bottles.
Under DFA’s Borden Cheese brand,
the cooperative launched Natural Muenster slices, Natural Mozzarella slices,
Natural Sharp Cheddar slices, Queso
de Papa shredded cheese, Extra Sharp
finely shredded cheese, Singles Sensations Del Trio — a combination of Swiss,
Provolone and Mozzarella — Lite Mozzarella String cheese and an American
Singles twin back.
DFA also launched Cache Valley Lite
Mozzarella String cheese and Plugrá
European-style butter in 8-ounce tubs.
DFA’s vast array of U.S. facilities and
brands continued to garner industry
recognition over the past year.
Most recently, DFA’s Winnsboro,
Texas, plant won third place in the World
Championship Cheese Contest in the
Salted Butter class.
This past fall, the co-op’s Turlock
and Houston plants earned first place
awards for Provolone and Queso Fresco
Mexicano, respectively, in their respective classes at the National Milk Producers Federation Championship Cheese
Contest.
At the 2013 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, DFA’s
Zumbrota, Minn., plant earned second
place awards for its Cheddar and Sharp
Cheddar. The co-op’s Turlock, Calif.,
plant earned first and second place in
the Mozzarella class, as well as first,
second and third in the Provolone class
at the contest.
In addition, DFA’s West Middlesex,
Pa., plant earned second place for its
Pasteurized Process American Cheese
with Peppers; its Plymouth, Wis., plant
earned third place for its Borden Deluxe
Pasteurized Process American Cheese;
and its Winnsboro, Texas, plant earned
third place for its Salted Butter 80-percent at the contest.
DFA’s Kemps brand also earned
several awards at the contest, with first
place finishes for its Top the Tater Fiesta
Dip and Key Lime Greek Snack Mousse
(St. Paul, Minn.), and second place for
Kemps Whipping Cream (Cedarburg,
Wis.). Kemps Peach Greek Cottage
Cheese, Light Sour Cream (Cedarburg)
and Blackjack Cherry Frozen Yogurt
(St. Paul) won third place awards at
the contest.
“Exceptional products at DFA begin
with a commitment to quality on our
members’ farms that continues through
the entire production chain,” Korsmeyer
says. “This recognition reinforces that
quality products start with quality people
striving to do their best every day.”
DFA in late 2013 announced that it
would be merging with Dairylea Cooperative Inc., pending board approval. The
merger became official April 1 and combines Dairylea’s Northeast-based 1,200
members with DFA’s 13,000 nationwide
dairy farmer members.
The cooperatives say they have enjoyed a successful working relationship
since DFA was formed in 1998. Working together, Dairylea and DFA have
created efficiencies in milk assembly,
transportation and marketing, as well as
joint management of farm services and
membership operations in the Northeast,
the co-ops say.
“In many ways, it will just be business as usual as we expand upon the
working relationship DFA and Dairylea
have established over the past 15 years,”
Smith says.
At its annual meeting in March, DFA
announced it ended 2013 with strong
operating results from its wholly-owned
commercial investments and increased
earnings from affiliates.
The cooperative’s adjusted net income was $61.3 million for 2013. DFA’s
net sales totaled $12.8 billion for 2013,
a 6-percent increase compared to $12.1
billion in 2012.
“At DFA, we’re about making sure
our members can farm successfully and
profitably,” Smith says. “In 2013, we had
a successful year. Through strong operational performance and joint venture
returns, we were able to execute on our
strategic plan. We are also pleased with
the improved margins for members.”
In 2013, DFA directed the marketing of 60.6 billion pounds of milk for
both members and others through its
consolidated businesses and related
affiliates. This represents approximately
30 percent of the total milk production in
the United States. Payments to members
for milk marketed were $7.9 billion in
2013, compared to $7.3 billion in 2012.
This increase is primarily a result of the
higher U.S. annual average all-milk price.
Returns to members in 2013 totaled $41.9
million, with $23.3 million distributed
from the cooperative’s allocated patronage and $18.6 million through DFA’s
various capital retirement programs.
DFA’s Ingredients Division also continued to expand in 2013, with a focus
on export opportunities with global
customers in strategic markets. DFA
exported 222 million pounds of product
in 2013, for a fourth consecutive year of
record export sales.
Earnings of affiliates were $72.8 million in 2013 compared to $57.6 million
in 2012. Cash distributions from DFA
affiliates totaled $38 million in 2013
compared to $36.4 million in 2012.
Korsmeyer notes that in the year
ahead, DFA will continue to look for
new avenues to process its members’
milk and continue to look for additional
acquisition opportunities.
In addition, the cooperative plans
to focus keenly on social media from a
marketing and educational perspective
in 2014, he says.
“Our members are at the core of what
we do. As we move into 2014, we will
continue our commitment to bringing
added value to our members and delivering quality products to consumers around
the world,” Korsmeyer says.
Dairyfood USA Inc.
Blue Mounds, Wis.
Ownership: Biomerx GmbH, Linz,
Austria
Key executives: Daniel R. Culligan, pres.; Kent Pusch, VP, quality
assurance and R&D; Judd Batterman,
VP, administration; Al Kosharek, VP,
production
Cheese plant: Blue Mounds, Wis. (extended shelf life cheese foods, spreads,
sauces, smoked cheeses)
Percentage of sales from cheese:
100%
Percentage of products exported: 5 %
Website: www.dairyfoodusa.com
A look inside: Dairyfood USA Inc.,
which specializes in extended shelf-life
cheeses, saw a significant increase in its
revenue and volume of cheese sold in
2013, with a good portion of that increase
due to the success of its smoked cheeses.
The company is one of the largest
producers of Smoked Gouda in the
country, and the product remains one
of its most popular products, says Dan
Culligan, president, Dairyfood USA. Additionally, the company added a Smoked
Cheddar and a Smoked Provolone blend
to its Glacier Ridge Farms brand late last
year, and Culligan sees both of these as
poised for success as well.
“They are really new, introduced late
in the year, but we anticipate them having
very good reception in the marketplace,”
he says.
For more information please visit www.prospectanalytical.com
34
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
The smoked varieties are available in
multiple forms, including links for deli
slicing and foodservice as well as 8-ounce
rounds and 4-ounce bars for retail.
To help support the significant
increase in demand for its smoked
cheeses, in September Dairyfood USA
added another fully-automated smokehouse that is time, temperature and
humidity controlled. The company also
is in the middle of a multimillion dollar
expansion of its plant, which will add
nearly 20,000 square feet and increase
its production capabilities. The expan-
sion project, which broke ground last
August, is expected to be complete by
August of this year.
Culligan says the new addition will
include a state-of-the-art production
facility that will allow Dairyfood USA
to produce new products and improve
existing products across the board. Space
in the old plant also will be converted
into employee facilities.
“This is really an exciting time for
Dairyfood USA,” he says. “This latest
expansion shows our commitment not
only to our customers, but also to our
dedicated employees. We are investing
in our long-term future.”
The company is making inroads in retail with the Glacier Ridge Farms brand,
which in addition to the smoked cheeses
includes spreads in flavors such as Aged
Cheddar, Jalapeno Cheddar, Cheddar &
Bacon and Smoked Gouda. The company
has owned the Glacier Ridge brand for
some time but only recently has put a
major marketing emphasis on it.
The company also continues to
increase its family of private labels for
its cheese wedges, which have been
picked up by some of the largest grocery chains in the country. In 2012, the
company doubled production capacity
for its wedges due to their popularity.
New Chipotle Chile, Ranch and Harvest
Dill varieties recently joined the existing Garlic Herb, Parmesan Peppercorn,
Swiss, White Cheddar, Smoked Gouda
and Pepper Jack snack wedge varieties.
In addition to investments in production capacity, Dairyfood USA continues
to invest a significant amount of time,
effort and capital in its quality systems
and equipment to ensure food safety,
Culligan says. Last year the company
renewed its Safe Quality Foods (SQF)
Level 3 certification, scoring in the 98th
percentile.
Culligan says the company is committed to innovation and quality, and looks
forward to more growth this coming year.
“Our goal is to continue on our path
of increased sales and volume, and to
continue our significant growth,” he says.
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Seattle
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Ownership: Northwest Dairy Association, Seattle
Key executives: Jim Werkhoven,
chairman; Sherman Polinder, vice
chairman; Jim Wegner, pres. & CEO;
John Wells, treasurer, VP & CFO; Steve
Rowe, sr. VP & general counsel; Dermot
Carey, sr. VP, ingredients; Bill Tennant,
sr. VP, operations; Shawn Campbell,
VP, consumer products; Steve Matzen,
VP, Northwest Dairy Association; Terry
Castel, VP, supply chain
Dairy plants: Sunnyside, Wash.
(bulk Cheddar, Monterey Jack, WPC-34,
dried whey); Boise, Idaho (fluid milk,
UP fluid products, cultured products);
Caldwell, Idaho (NDM, MPC, SMP, bulk
& consumer packaged butter, cream);
Chehalis, Wash. (NDM, SMP, WPC-34,
sweet cream buttermilk powder, milk
powder blends, whole milk powder,
cream); Issaquah, Wash. (consumer
packaged & bulk butter, cultured dairy
products); Jerome, Idaho (condensed
skim milk, NDM, UF milk, MPC, SMP,
cream); Medford, Ore. (HTST fluid milk,
flavored drinks); Portland, Ore. (full line
of UP products); Lynden, Wash. (NDM,
SMP, cream); Seattle (HTST fluid milk,
flavored drinks); Spokane, Wash. (HTST
fluid milk, flavored drinks); Bozeman,
Mont. (HTST fluid milk, flavored drinks)
200 million lbs.
200 million lbs.
2013 sales: $2.2 billion (April 1, 2012
to March 31, 2013)
foodservice; 86% ingredients
Website: www.darigold.com
A look inside: Darigold Inc. in 2013
completed work on a new dryer at its
35
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Lynden, Wash., plant, which now has
the capability to produce whole milk
powder (WMP).
The new dryer was added following a
fire in February 2012. In addition to WMP,
the Lynden plant produces nonfat dry
milk (NDM), skim milk powder (SMP)
and cream.
“One of the benefits of the new dryer
design is that it will be able to produce
whole milk powder for some of our domestic customers as well as for export
markets in China, South America and the
Middle East/North Africa,” says Dermot
Carey, senior vice president, ingredients,
Darigold Inc.
Darigold last year also added capability to its Chehalis, Wash., plant to produce
WMP that is used both domestically and
for exports. The Chehalis plant also produces NDM, SMP, WPC-34, sweet cream
buttermilk powder, milk powder blends
and cream.
“The addition of WMP gives us essential product flexibility in volatile market
conditions and allows us to offer another
key ingredient to our strategic customers, making us even more relevant as a
supplier,” Carey says.
In addition, Darigold is planning to
install a new spray drying system at its
Sunnyside, Wash., cheese plant, as well
as adding SMP capacity, Carey notes. The
updates are scheduled to come online in
the first quarter of 2015.
Later in 2015, the cooperative plans
to add additional WMP capacity in Lynden, he adds.
Darigold this year also introduced
some dry salted Gouda into its product
line for export, Carey says.
The cooperative exports close to 45
percent of all of its milk in some form,
he notes.
“A lot of the product expansion and
line extension today is being driven by
export demand,” he says.
In addition to demand from overseas,
Darigold’s products continue to receive
domestic recognition in industry competitions.
Reduced-fat cottage cheese produced by Darigold’s Bob Milonovich of
the company’s Sunnyside, Wash., plant
received a first place award in the Open
Reduced Fat Cheese class at last summer’s Idaho Milk Processors Association
cheese contest.
At last fall’s National Milk Producers Federation Championship Cheese
Contest, Darigold owner Northwest Dairy
Association’s Issaquah, Wash., plant received a first place award in the Flavored
Cottage Cheese class for its Pineapple
Small Curd Cottage Cheese as well as
a first place award in the Reduced Fat
Cottage Cheese Class for its Reduced
Fat Trim Small Curd.
In addition, in a playful use of its
products, Darigold last fall unveiled replicas of Seattle mayoral candidates Mike
McGinn and Ed Murray made entirely
of the cooperative’s butter. The nearly
life-size replicas each were made from
150 pounds of butter and carved by artist
Linda Christensen. The replicas were
carved in Darigold’s walk-in cooler at
its South Seattle headquarters.
A heightened focus on sustainability
and social responsibility is a cornerstone
of Darigold Inc. The cooperative recently
released its second Cooperative Social
Responsibility (CSR) Report. The first
was published in 2010.
The CSR report discloses data on
Darigold’s performance, provides a
discussion of environmental, social and
economic challenges and opportunities
of the business, and summarizes Darigold’s goals for the future.
In the latest report, Darigold shares
the essence of who the cooperative is
— stories from the lives of Darigold’s
producer-owners and their families,
insights into its processing employees
and personal perspectives about its
operations and products.
The report also shares the progress
Darigold has made in its CSR efforts
since 2010.
“Much has been learned and accomplished over these past two years. We
have been steadily driving continuous
improvement in our processing facilities
and on our farms,” the report says.
The cooperative notes that on a perunit basis, it has lowered its CO2 emissions from electricity and natural gas in
its plants by 5.4 percent, meeting its goal
to reduce waste to landfill or incinerated
without energy recovery by 5 percent.
About 50 percent of the company’s waste
is diverted to recycling systems. Darigold
has reduced its consumption of water per
unit of production by nearly 12 percent,
well ahead of its target.
“Consistent with our strategy, our
sustainability efforts are extending
throughout our entire value chain and
into virtually every aspect of our operations,” the report says. “Our focus on
safety performance is sharper. At all
our facilities, we have created Energy
Management Teams and Environment,
Health, & Safety (EH&S) teams. Our
recycling is up and our waste is down.
We are driving significant breakthrough
innovations in our products, packaging
and processes. Many innovations have
required collaboration of people across
our entire company and with our suppliers. These breakthroughs have made
our environmental footprint smaller,
reduced our costs, improved labor efficiency and helped secure additional
business — reflecting the win-win-win
approach to sustainability that we
believe in.”
In Darigold’s 2012-2013 annual report, Darigold President and CEO Jim
Wegner and Board Chair Jim Werkhoven
note that measuring the success of a
cooperative isn’t as simple as the profit
or loss on the organization’s financial
report.
“Success is equally about creating a
secure market for our members’ milk in
both local and global markets, returning
maximum value to our owners and positioning the organization for future success,” the executives say. “It also includes
managing equity payments for those who
invested in the cooperative in the past
while continuing to appropriately invest
for the success of tomorrow’s members.”
Wegner and Werkhoven note the industry has changed over time and more
change is ahead.
“The individual farm and cooperative
business models that may have worked
a decade ago won’t necessarily bring
success in the future,” they say. “That’s
why our board continually examines the
needs of current producers and future
generations as we strategically plan
our future.
“We also recognize that one of our key
roles is to directly support our members,
balancing the needs of producers large
and small,” they add. “Both small and
large farms can be successful; the key
is to focus on efficiency more than size,
and to provide information and field support that is meaningful to all. We remain
committed to helping our members forge
new paths to their personal success as
we work together to help nourish the
world with high-quality dairy products.”
Davisco Foods
International Inc.
Le Sueur, Minn.
Key executives: Mark Davis, chairman; Jon Davis, pres. & CEO; Melanie
Grund, CFO; John Velgersdyk, VP, business administration; Polly Olson, VP,
business development, sales & marketing; Marvin Bartlett, dir., engineering;
Brian Paulson, dir., quality assurance;
Mike Klein, dir., whey operations; Troy
Ammann, dir., cheese operations & sales
Cheese plants: Jerome, Idaho (Mozzarella, Provolone, Cheddar, Monterey
Jack, reduced-fat varieties, reduced-sodium varieties, shreds for foodservice,
sweet dairy whey, deproteinized whey,
BiPRO, WPC-80, permeate powder);
Le Sueur, Minn. (Cheddar, Parmesan,
reduced-fat varieties, spray & contract
drying, BiPRO, deproteinized whey,
lactose); Nicollet, Minn. (contract
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2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
drying); Lake Norden, S.D. (Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, WPC-80,
lactose, contract drying)
400 million lbs.
425 million lbs.
15%
Website: www.daviscofoods.com
A look inside: Davisco Foods International Inc. continued to improve its
facilities and add to its product line
this past year.
The company completely renovated
its cheese production area at its Le
Sueur, Minn., plant in order to modernize production and increase throughput,
says Troy Ammann, director of cheese
operations and sales, Davisco Foods
International.
Davisco Foods is an international
cheese and food ingredient company
headquartered in Le Sueur, Minn.
Founded in 1943 by Stanley Davis with
his purchase of the St. Peter Creamery,
Davisco is managed by Jon Davis, CEO
and grandson of the founder. Davisco has
cheese companies in Le Sueur, Minn.,
Jerome, Idaho, and Lake Norden, S.D.,
as well as food ingredient companies
in Le Sueur and Nicollet, Minn.; Lake
Norden and Jerome. Davisco has sales
offices in Minneapolis, Geneva, Shanghai, Singapore and worldwide strategic
partners in the Middle East, Japan,
China and Africa.
Davisco Foods processes 11 million
pounds of milk per day into cheese and
whey products. The company prides itself on its support of local communities
by providing jobs and buying milk from
regional farmers.
Davisco Foods produces more than
10 million pounds of whey protein
isolates annually, accounting for 65
percent of whey protein isolates (WPIs)
sold worldwide.
Davisco Foods continued to expand
its dairy protein offerings in late 2013
with the launch of three new ingredients
to complement its portfolio of whey
protein products for food and nutrition
applications.
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stable is an alternative to standard
WPC-80, containing at least 80-percent
whey proteins, no more than 5-percent
moisture, 10-percent lactose and 6-percent minerals, and typically 5.5-percent
fat, the company notes. It is suitable for
thermally-processed foods where whey
protein aggregation sometimes can
be an issue when used at high levels,
including sauces, soups, beverages, yogurt, baked foods, confections, process
cheese, processed meats, infant formula
and nutrition products.
Davisco Foods also launched instantized WPC-80-identity preserved (IP),
an agglomerated whey protein concentrate containing at least 80-percent protein that offers ease of dispersability via
sunflower lecithin, a non-GMO/identity
preserved ingredient used at less than
1.5 percent in the product.
Davisco Foods notes that while whey
proteins are known for high solubility,
more rapid dispersability can be a
benefit in dry mixes and in certain unit
operations where rapid dissolution is
important.
Davisco also launched BiPRO IP,
which offers dispersability with a
non-GMO/IP sunflower lecithin, but
in a whey protein isolate made from
ion-exchange and unsurpassed purity,
the company says. It is fat-free and
lactose-free, and as with all BiPRO WPI
products provides very high solubility,
clarity in solution, clean taste and high
nutritional quality with at least 95 percent protein on a dry basis.
Davisco Foods says these three new
products provide the high protein quality that whey proteins are known for with
rapid digestibility, a complete amino
acid profile and high levels of branched
chain amino acids, including leucine.
Davisco Foods earlier this year
announced the results of a study spanning more than three years that shows
Davisco detected no significant change
in flavor, aroma, color or nutritional
composition in sweet dairy whey and
deproteinized whey. The study was
conducted in the Davisco warehouse
in Minnesota, matching the real-world
conditions products would face prior
to shipping to customers, the company
says.
By tracking changes in composition, color, flavor, aroma and solubility,
the study demonstrated only minimal
changes over a 3-year shelf life, Davisco
says, noting a longer shelf life with
Davisco whey powders will benefit
warehousing, logistics, supply chain and
manufacturers all the way to retail and
consumer products.
“That is the quality assurance that
Davisco promises and delivers,” the
company says.
Davisco Foods also continues to produce award-winning cheese products.
Cheese Contest, the company’s Lake
Norden plant placed first and third in
the Mild Provolone class with its Provolone and Lipase Provolone, respectively.
Lake Norden also took second in the Part
Skim Mozzarella class at the contest.
At last fall’s World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, Low
Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella made
at Davisco Foods’ Jerome, Idaho, plant
earned a third place award.
Davisco Foods President and CEO
Jon Davis, chair of the National Cheese
Institute (NCI) from 2011-2013, in
January was awarded a 2014 Soaring
Eagle Award by the International Dairy
Foods Association (IDFA). The award
recognizes the extraordinary service of
leaders in the dairy industry and those
who have provided exemplary leadership to IDFA, the International Ice
Cream Association, the Milk Industry
Foundation and NCI.
Emmi Roth USA Inc.
Monroe, Wis.
Parent company: Emmi Group,
Luzern, Switzerland
Key executives: Reto Mueller, CEO &
CFO; Linda Duwve, VP, sales & marketing; Rene Weber, VP, operations; Jodie
Wische, VP, specialty; Kerry Olson, VP,
foodservice; Emmanuel Voissard, VP,
retail sales
Cheese plants: Monroe, Wis. (Grand
Cru & a wide range of other specialty
cheeses); Platteville, Wis. (Roth Grand
Cru, Fontiago, Gouda, Butterkäse)
90% (going forward, Emmi Roth USA
will focus only on cheese)
Website: www.emmirothusa.com
A look inside: Emmi Roth USA Inc.
has devoted its focus entirely to cheese
the past year, as it discontinued its
yogurt line and turned its fresh dairy
products over to an entirely separate
business under the Emmi Group starting in 2014.
Last fall, Emmi Roth USA’s new stateof-the-art cheese plant in Platteville,
Wis., opened, and production continues
to increase at the 77,000-square-foot
facility. The company is looking to add
new cheeses to the plant’s production
as it is working on new innovations for
this coming year.
Flavor and convenience were key
themes in Emmi Roth USA’s product
innovations this past year. The company
showcased several new cheeses during
January’s Winter Fancy Food Show in
San Francisco, including many new
flavored cheeses.
New Roth 3 Chile Pepper Gouda
includes chipotle, habanero and jalapeno peppers, and a new Roth Chipotle
Havarti features smoky and spicy flavors.
The company also introduced three
new flavors of Raclette — Mediterranean, 5 Peppercorn and Roasted Garlic.
37
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
The company notes that these cheeses,
which melt well, add depth and surprise
to recipes, dips and sandwiches.
“We import some plain Raclette
from Switzerland, but we thought this
was an opportunity to really grow this
category,” says Becky Ryan, director
of marketing, Emmi Roth USA. “When
you have a washed-rind cheese, there
already is great flavor, and when we
add peppercorn and garlic, it really
starts to pump it up. It plays right into
the trends we see out there with new,
bolder flavors.”
For foodservice, Emmi Roth USA
has introduced Roth 6th Pan Ready
Pouches, new packaging for fresh
food preparation that fits directly into
foodservice 6th pans for convenience,
improved food safety and less shrink.
These pouches are available in Grand
Cru shreds, Buttermilk Blue, Buttermilk Gorgonzola and goat cheese
crumbles.
In 2013, the company introduced
new varieties and updated its packaging for existing varieties of its specialty
slice line, which now includes 6-ounce
packages of its Van Gough Original, Van
Gough Natural Smoked, Havarti Original, Havarti Dill, Havarti Peppadew,
Havarti Horseradish, Havarti Jalapeno
and Grand Cru Original.
“As people are looking for more
flavor, people also are starting to look
for more convenience and want a really
good cheese in a convenient format,”
Ryan says. “With the new packaging,
we really try to make it easier for the
consumer to see how to use it. Every
variety has a picture of a recipe made
by our in-house chefs, and on the back
is the recipe itself.”
The company has been very active
in social media marketing. Last fall
it launched more specific marketing
toward its foodservice customers with
a separate Facebook page, “Cheese
for Chefs,” to help with its outreach.
The page now has more than 40,000
followers. Emmi Roth USA also has
partnered with the Wisconsin Milk
Marketing Board for events with
culinary students to teach them
about handling cheese and using it
to increase flavor.
The Roth Cheese website featured a
yodeling contest this spring to promote
its Alpine-style cheeses. The winner
was awarded a trip to the Aspen Food
and Wine festival, and cheese also was
given out as awards.
On the import side, the company
featured its fondue in a campaign to
promote its use in a variety of occasions, including tailgates and football
parties. On Facebook, it featured
“Fantasy Dipping Week” to prompt
followers to consider things that could
be dipped in melted cheese, such as
buffalo wings, mini wieners, vegetables
or fruits. As part of this campaign, the
company introduced the Emmi Fondue
Party Helmet, a football helmet-shaped
fondue set that heats fondue in less
than 15 minutes. The fondue helmet
will be featured again this fall with a
new football season-themed advertising program.
The company brought home a
number of awards from U.S. and
international cheese competitions
this past year. At the 2013 American
Cheese Society competition, Grand
Cru Reserve won a first place award,
GranQueso Reserve won second place,
GranQueso Original won third place
and GranQueso Double-aged won third
place in their respective classes. Also,
the company’s Petite Swiss Reserve
won second place, Roth Reduced-Fat
Havarti won third place and Roth Dill
Havarti won third place.
At the 2013 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, Roth
3 Chile Pepper Gouda won first place,
while the company’s Petite Swiss Reserve won third in its class.
Emmi Roth USA also won a first place
award for its Petite Swiss Reserve at the
2013 Wisconsin State Fair.
Both European- and U.S.-made
cheeses from Emmi and Emmi Roth
USA took home medals at the 2013 World
Cheese Awards. Kaltbach Cave-aged
Le Gruyère AOP and Winzer each won
a “super gold,” while Le Gruyère AOP
won a gold medal.
Cheese Contest, Roth Buttermilk Blue
and Roth GranQueso won best of class
awards, while Roth GranQueso Reserve
won second its class.
Ryan notes that Roth cheeses won 24
awards this past year — a record for the
company’s domestically-made cheeses.
“Our GranQueso cheese has won
ACS awards for 10 years in a row. We did
well with GranQueso and others,” she
says. “We won awards for our imported
cheeses as well. We’re proud of the fact
that we’re not a small company, but we
produce really great cheese, and the
awards just prove that.”
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38
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Foremost Farms USA
Baraboo, Wis.
Key executives: Dave Fuhrmann,
pres. & CEO; Dirk Tachick, sr. VP, operations; Jim Sleper, VP, member services
& milk marketing; Michael Doyle, CFO
& VP, finance; Michael McDonald, VP,
human resources, safety & communications; Doug Wilke, VP, marketing &
technology
Cheese plants: Appleton, Wis. (Mozzarella, LMPS Mozzarella, reduced-fat
Mozzarella, direct shred, Provolone,
condensed WPC, dry permeate); Chilton, Wis. (Mozzarella, LMPS Mozzarella,
Provolone, smoked Provolone, String
cheese, condensed WPC, condensed
permeate); Clayton, Wis. (Mozzarella,
LMPS Mozzarella, Provolone, condensed
WPC, condensed permeate); Lancaster,
Wis. (milled Cheddar, milled marbled
Cheddar, condensed WPC, condensed
permeate, condensed whey); Marshfield,
Wis. (milled colored Cheddar, milled
white Cheddar, Colby, Farmers cheese,
lowfat Cheddar, lowfat Colby, Monterey
Jack, condensed whey); Milan, Wis. (Mozzarella, LMPS Mozzarella, reduced-fat
Mozzarella, Provolone, condensed WPC,
condensed permeate); Plover, Wis. (whole
whey powder, edible lactose, reduced minerals whey, reduced minerals WPC, WPC,
organic whole whey powder); Preston,
Minn. (WPC); Reedsburg, Wis. (butter,
condensed skim milk, condensed buttermilk, sweet cream); Richland Center,
Wis. (Mozzarella, LMPS Mozzarella, whole
whey powder, condensed whey permeate,
condensed WPC, condensed permeate);
Rothschild, Wis. (dry permeate, pharmaceutical lactose, edible lactose); Sparta,
Wis. (NDM, condensed skim milk, WPC,
cultured milk powder)
544.4 million lbs.
Our future
looks bright.
We specialize in custom manufacturing
cheeses and dairy ingredients that:
• (KKYLZZ[VKH`»ZMVVKHUKÅH]VY[YLUKZ
• Meet your needs for functionality, quality
HUKWYVJLZZPUNLɉ
JPLUJ`
• Meet the stringent food safety requirements
of a global customer base
Is Foremost in your future?
E10889 Penny Lane • Baraboo • WI • 53913-8115
(608) 355-8700 • www.foremostfarms.com
© 2014 Foremost Farms USA Cooperative
For more information please visit www.foremostfarms.com
555.4 million lbs.
Website: www.foremostfarms.com
A look inside: As capacity has grown
in many of its plants, Foremost Farms
decided to consolidate its cheese
manufacturing by closing plants in
Waumandee and Alma Center, Wis., in
the summer of 2013. American-type and
Italian-type cheese production were
consolidated at its Richland Center,
Appleton, Milan and Marshfield, Wis.,
cheese plants.
“As we looked at our complete production network and our processing
capacity, we determined that we needed
to close two facilities, partly because
of age, as the Alma Center plant had
older technology and was a smaller
plant. In the case of Waumandee, its
product mix just wasn’t profitable
anymore,” says Joan Behr, director of
corporate communications and brand
management, Foremost Farms USA. “We
have a history of consolidating plants
to manage overall operation cost and
keep business competitive.”
Despite the plant closures, Behr
notes that Foremost Farms produced
more cheese in 2013 (544.4 million
pounds) than it did in 2012 (525.3 million pounds).
“There has been growth on the Italian side. Our Mozzarella and Provolone
cheeses especially grew as our customers grew in their need for those styles
of cheeses,” Behr says. “We are going to
continue to look to grow our cheese sales
as well as our whey ingredients sales.”
This coming year, Foremost Farms
is working with customers that are
interested in cheeses with new flavors.
“We’re working with customers on
adding flavors to our existing products,”
Behr says. “As consumers accept cheese
as an ingredient in more food items,
they’re looking for more pronounced
flavors, pepper styles and that sort of
thing. We’re working with customers to
hone in on what those flavors should be
so we can both grow sales.”
Foremost Farms also is looking this
year to install a reverse osmosis system
in Michigan. The system will remove
water from member milk available in
that area so Foremost Farms can more
easily transport the condensed milk
solids to its own plants in Wisconsin to
use for cheesemaking.
Many of Foremost Farms’ cheeses
and other products won awards this
past year. Its Sharp Cheddar and Reduced Fat Provolone both won third
in their respective classes at the 2013
World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy
Product Contest. Its sweet whey won
first and second place awards, its whey
protein concentrate won first and third
39
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
place awards, and its salted butter won
first place at the contest as well.
Foremost Farms’ Reduced Fat
Provolone and salted butter both won
first place awards at the 2013 Wisconsin
State Fair Cheese & Butter Contest.
Also this past year, Foremost Farms
was recognized as a Green Professional in the Green Masters Program
established by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council for acting in an
environmentally, socially and financially responsible manner. Examples of
Foremost Farms’ sustainability efforts
include: developing goals and strategies
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
finding effective and efficient ways to
transfer the energy from dairy products
that have been cooled or preheated to
reduce energy consumption; constructing an industrial wastewater treatment
facility with a fellow dairy processor that
converts methane to electricity; and
working with customers to minimize
packaging materials and place finished
dairy products in reusable containers.
“Sustainability is an overall goal for
the company,” Behr says. “We actually
have a cross functional committee that
meets regularly to discuss attaining our
goals when it comes to energy usage,
water usage and recycling.”
Foremost Farms also continues to
focus on safety, and last summer the
employees at its Appleton, Wis., plant
achieved 2 million hours since September 2004 without a lost-time injury. This
milestone was a first for any plant in the
Foremost Farms processing network.
Foremost Farms was recognized by
the Wisconsin Safety Council for this
achievement.
“We have ongoing efforts to strive
for operational excellence — looking
at processes and how we can further
improve them, either improve the
product quality, remove some cost of
production, or provide a more valuable
service to our customers,” Behr says.
Niamh Kelly, VP, strategy; Eric Bastian, VP,
R&D, Glanbia USA
Cheese plants: Blackfoot, Idaho (40lb. block Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Parmesan, organic cheeses);
Gooding, Idaho (barrel cheese); Twin
Falls, Idaho (40-lb. block Cheddar, Colby, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, Monterey
Jack, reduced-fat Cheddar, reduced-fat
Monterey Jack, Muenster, Asadero,
Queso Quesadilla, organic Cheddar)
venture: Southwest Cheese Co., Clovis,
N.M. — JV cheese operation with the
cooperative members of the Greater
Southwest Agency (DFA, Select Milk Producers, Zia Milk Producers, LoneStar)
(40- and 640-lb. block Cheddar, Colby,
Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Muenster,
Asadero, Queso Quesadilla, Colby Jack)
850 million lbs.
850 million lbs.
2013 sales: $1.95 billion (includes
100 percent of Southwest Cheese joint
venture sales)
Website: www.glanbiausa.com
A look inside: Glanbia Foods in
2013 celebrated the opening of its new
14,000-square-foot Cheese Innovation
Center, where its industry experts will
work alongside customers to develop
the future of cheese products.
“The Cheese Innovation Center
represents our commitment to and
investment in our customer relationships, the global cheese industry and
our local community,” says Jeff Williams,
president and CEO, Glanbia Foods.
The new center is adjacent to the
company’s new headquarters for its U.S.
cheese business in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Dave Perry, director of cheese innovation, Glanbia Foods, notes the center
elevates Glanbia’s ability to create new
products, processes, services and solutions to satisfy changing market needs.
GEA Nu-Con Cleanable Powder Handling Systems
Glanbia Foods Inc.
Powder handling equipment can be CIP-ed effectively when the correct
equipment and designs have been implemented. A system that is CIPable includes a CIP kitchen with water and cleaning solution tanks,
pumps, heaters; dead-leg free valves, vessels, and hard pipes; and
integrated process automation.
Twin Falls, Idaho
Parent company: Glanbia plc,
Kilkenny, Ireland
Key executives: Jeff Williams, pres. &
CEO; George Chappell, pres., Southwest
Cheese; Wilf Costello, exec. VP, commercial; John Mutchler, exec. VP, supply
chain; Barney Krueger, sr. VP, technical
services; Daragh Maccabee, CFO & exec.
VP, finance; Shawn Athay, VP, human
resources & organizational development;
Skid Mounted Three-Tank CIP System
GEA Process Engineering Inc.
1600 O‘Keefe Road, Hudson WI, 54016
Phone: 1 715 386 9371, Fax: 1 715 386 9376
[email protected], www.gea.com
engineering for a better world
GEA Process Engineering
For more information please visit www.gea.com
40
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
“We now have every resource we need
under one roof, from our on-site experts
to cutting-edge technology and equipment, to capture market opportunities
at a quicker pace than ever before,”
Perry says.
Glanbia Foods’ Twin Falls and Gooding, Idaho, plants in late 2013 together
were recognized by Idaho Power as one
its “Top 10 Energy Efficiency Program
Participants.” The company’s energysaving measures will save Glanbia more
than 3 million kilowatt-hours per year,
which placed the company second on
Idaho Power’s Top 10 list. Because of
extensive energy upgrades made at
those plants, Idaho Power paid Glanbia
more than $250,000 in incentives.
“Glanbia Foods has been one of
our greatest partners in our efforts
to encourage energy effectiveness,”
says Chris Pollow, Idaho Power senior
engineer. “Their engagement in energy
efficiency practices helps them reduce
their energy use and helps us keep rates
among the lowest in the nation.”
Steve Maughan, senior project manager for Glanbia Foods, says numerous
energy efficiency upgrades were made at
these plants to help conserve electricity
and qualify for Idaho Power incentives.
“At our Twin Falls plant, we up-
graded the refrigeration systems and
installed motor controls that enabled
our processing systems to run more efficiently,” Maughan says. “In Gooding, we
upgraded lighting and building systems.
As a result of these changes, we saved
over 3 million kilowatts in 2012, enough
electricity to power 750 average-sized
Idaho homes in one year.”
Williams notes that a portion of the
money Glanbia saves on its electricity
use is returned by Idaho Power, which
in turns allows the company to use
that money for business growth and
investment.
“We are keen on being energy conscious as we will continue to do whatever
we can in the future to save energy,”
Fairway Dairy & Ingredients
is positioned to take care of all of your
cheese processing and packaging needs.
• Cheese is our specialty
• LTL to multiple loads
• Specializing in “balancing”
your inventory
• We are YOUR marketing and
procurement partners
•
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Table cheeses
Industrial
Foodservice
Butter
Dairy powders
90,000 sq. ft. of
manufacturing space
to meet your needs
• We can handle your
special projects
• Bring us your line and
we’ll do the rest
• Qualified, highly-trained staff
• Extensive Reclamation Center
• Cheese processing/
packaging
• Cut-n-wrap operation
• GMPs (Good Manufacturing
Practices)
• Cheese grading
• Offering extensive cheese
equipment background
Williams says. “We know that saving
energy is not only good for Glanbia, but
it helps to offset Idaho Power’s energy
demand and future plant needs. Energy
savings is a win-win for everyone.”
In 2013 Glanbia Foods also acquired
a cheese plant in Blackfoot, Idaho, from
Sartori Co. Glanbia says the acquisition
is a key enabler in its strategy to be the
largest and most innovative producer of
American-style cheese.
“This acquisition further demonstrates Glanbia’s commitment to
innovation and to the long-term sustainability of dairy in Idaho,” Williams says.
He notes that the Blackfoot plant’s
size is just right to allow Glanbia to
take new product development out of
its Cheese Innovation Center to commercial scale in a reduced time cycle.
“That’s going well,” he adds.
Williams adds that with bringing
the Cheese Innovation Center online,
Glanbia Foods also is looking to support
its exports and continue to grow that
side of the business.
“We want to imbed ourselves
overseas,” he says. “We can’t just be
transactional, but must be a consistent
supplier.”
Glanbia Foods’ cheeses received
several awards at last summer’s Idaho
Milk Processors Association’s cheese
contest. The company’s Medium White
Cheddar, Red Hot Habanero, Monterey
Jack with Black Olives & Garlic and
Gouda all received first place awards
at the contest.
Cheese Contest, Glanbia Foods received
best in class awards for its Monterey
Jack and Black Olive & Garlic Gouda;
second place awards for its Bacon Cheddar, Reduced Fat White Cheddar and
25-percent Reduced Sodium Cheddar;
and third place awards for its Reduced
Fat White Cheddar, Smoked Cheddar
and Bandaged Cheddar-Medium.
Gossner Foods Inc.
Logan, Utah
Fairway Dairy & Ingredients
17725 Juniper Path
Lakeville, MN 55044
Phone: (952) 431-8400
Fax: (952) 431-8470
email: [email protected] • Website: www.fairwaydairy.com
For more information please visit www.fairwaydairy.com
Key executives: Dolores Wheeler,
pres. & CEO; Greg Rowley, exec. VP;
Drew Miller, CFO; Dave Larsen, general
mgr., Utah cheese division; Kelly Luthi,
general mgr., aseptic operations; Jim
Jessen, production mgr., UHT plant;
Jason Simper, sales mgr., Gossner Foods;
Jason Crafts, dir., quality assurance;
Brian Wilson/Clemente Russo, co-mgrs.,
Idaho cheese division
Cheese plants: Logan, Utah (Swiss,
Baby Swiss, Muenster, naturally smoked
41
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
cheese, full service retail & foodservice
packaging operation); Heyburn, Idaho
(Swiss, Baby Swiss, Muenster, Colby
Jack & Pepper Jack mini-horn)
Aseptic milk plant: Logan, Utah
(shelf-stable milk products)
60 million lbs.
65 million lbs.
Website: www.gossner.com
A look inside: In January, Gossner
Foods Inc. closed its Imperial Valley
Cheese plant in El Centro, Calif., and
moved Swiss and Muenster production
from that plant to its Heyburn, Idaho,
facility. The decision to close the plant
was based on a lack of milk supply and
volume that didn’t support a revenue for
its whey stream, company officials say.
Meanwhile, the company continues
to expand its aseptic milk plant in Logan, Utah, where a new 20,000-squarefoot production facility recently was
completed, an additional 15,000 square
feet of its existing warehouse was converted to additional production space,
and a new high-speed line for aseptic
quarts with recloseable screw caps was
installed.
“The packaging format changed a
little bit to accommodate our white
milks,” says Kelly Luthi, general manager, aseptic operations. “It’s in a little
taller, more retail-friendly package, and
on a more automated line.”
Also in its aseptic line, Gossner
rolled out a chocolate milk into a major
U.S. retailer last fall. Luthi notes that
shelf-stable milk has seen steady growth
over the last 5-7 years as it finds more
acceptance among U.S. consumers. It
continues to grow in export markets
as well.
“Schools are looking more to it to fill
in for their needs when they can’t get
regular pasteurized milk,” he says. “A
lot of the product is going to food banks
nationwide through direct purchases
and government bids. And in the export
market, we’re doing quite a bit of private
label work.”
This coming year, Gossner Foods
is looking to add another line of its
8-ounce Prisma-style milk package to
add capacity to its existing line.
At its cheese processing plant in
Logan, Utah, Gossner Foods installed
a new high-speed slice line this spring.
The new line was installed primarily to
keep up with existing customer demand
for its co-pack retail packages, and will
allow the company some additional
capacity. Additionally, Gossner has
upgraded the whey processing equip-
ment in its Heyburn, Idaho, plant to
make food-grade lactose, improving its
revenue stream.
The front of the Utah cheese plant
and retail store was given an update
this past year to give it a more Swiss
character. The plant’s offices were
upgraded as well.
“We wanted to go back to our Swiss
heritage, so we remodeled the front of
the plant with white stucco and brown
accents,” says Dolores Wheeler, president and CEO, Gossner Foods. “We put
in light poles and some rock work too,
so it’s a very nice entrance.”
While visitors can’t tour the plant
due to security and safety measures,
Gossner Foods this past year started
inviting visitors to learn more about the
farm-to-table process through an educational video and activities for teachers
and students. The video starts with explaining the dairy farmers’ dedication to
what they do, and continues with plant
managers who tell about processing and
packaging dairy products.
“We have been offering it to teachers and students from senior high to
elementary children when they come
in,” Wheeler says. “We give them a scoop
of ice cream, a carton of flavored milk
and a cheese curd, and educate them
on how good dairy products are for you.”
She says much of the goal is to educate children who come to visit from
cities and don’t know much about the
origins of their food.
“A lot of teachers are very enthused
about it. A lot of our farmers also,”
Wheeler says, adding that often the
same day students view the video, they
also visit a farm to see how they milk the
cows. “We want it to grow — we want to
educate and tell them first-hand about
our good products.”
Wheeler says the goal at Gossner
Foods is to continue to grow both its
milk and cheese business.
“In order to do that, we have to
put out products that will satisfy our
customers,” she says. “Our goal is to do
the best job we can do, keep our farmers
in business and provide good wages for
our employees. If everything continues
to go well, we will continue to grow.”
Grafton, Vt. (aged Cheddar 1-4 years,
Grafton Cave Aged cheeses)
1.4 million lbs.
Estimated 2013 sales: $8.4 million
Projected 2014 sales: $9.1 million
Website: www.graftonvillagecheese.
com
A look inside: Grafton Village is wellknown for its Cheddar line and has found
continued success in its Cave-Aged line
introduced in 2011. It continues to work
on developing this line, and its R&D
department has been quite active over
the past year.
“We do have several R&D projects
in the works, and one is very close to
fruition,” says Meri Spicer, sales and
marketing director, Grafton Village
Cheese. “We’re hopeful we’ll be launching it this summer; we’re very excited to
be introducing a new product.”
Dane Huebner, master cheesemaker,
Grafton Village Cheese, is responsible
for cave-aged product development, and
part of that job is to experiment.
“We’re certainly not resting on our
laurels; we’re always looking at new
ideas,” Spicer says.
The cave-aged cheeses take a
minimum of 60 days to be able to fully
test, so it is a time-consuming process,
but Grafton Village’s innovations have
certainly paid off.
“We won over 40 awards in the past
year,” Spicer says. “The week of the American Cheese Society (ACS) competition
was cool; Bear Hill won a first and second
place at ACS and earlier that week had
won Gold and World’s Best Sheep from
the National Sheep Association at the
International Cheese Awards.”
Grafton Village Cheese won several
awards in the ACS competition: a first
place for Eweden Apple Pie in the Marinated Sheep’s Milk Cheese class; a first
place for Bear Hill in the Open Sheep’s
Milk Washed Rind Cheeses class (Bear
Hill went on to take second place overall
at ACS); and a second place for Vermont
Clothbound Cheddar in the Cheddar
Wrapped in Cloth (up to 12 months) class.
At the World Cheese Awards, Grafton
Village took home gold for its Shepsog
and Naked cheeses.
In addition to the National Sheep
Association Trophy for Bear Hill, the
company received a gold for Bear Hill
and Truffled Bismark; silver for Bismark
and Leyden; and bronze for Shepsog at
Grafton Village Cheese Co.
Grafton, Vt.
Ownership: Windham Foundation,
Grafton, Vt.
Key executives: Bob Allen, pres.; Ellyn Ladd, production mgr.; Meri Spicer,
sales & marketing dir.; Dane Huebner,
cheese artisan
Cheese plant: Brattleboro, Vt. (aged
Cheddar 1-4 years, flavored Cheddar);
For more information please visit www.gossner.com
42
2014 KEY PLAYERS
Grafton Village Cheese is part of the
nonprofit Windham Foundation, Grafton, Vt., whose mission is to promote the
vitality of Grafton and Vermont’s rural
communities through its philanthropic
and educational programs and its subsidiaries whose operations contribute
to these endeavors.
“We have a very important mission,
and everything we do is to support it,”
Spicer adds.
Grafton Village also supports the
Vermont Cheese Council, which is
dedicated to the production and advancement of Vermont cheese.
“We are a big supporter of the Vermont Cheese Council and will become
involved in new efforts to support Ver-
KEY PLAYERS
the 116th Annual International Cheese
Show in England last July.
For the upcoming year Grafton Village will be continuing to extend its
brand in the marketplace, emphasizing
its key attributes and key differences.
“We’re a handmade operation, which
allows our cheesemakers to maintain
traditional methods,” Spicer says. “We
don’t pasteurize our milk and predominantly use Jersey milk, which adds some
key elements to our flavor profile. We
want to make sure our customers know
what makes us unique.”
Corporate Headquarters
LTL consolidation
Warehousing
Warehousing & Rail Transloading
Heritage Facility
Warehousing
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI
EDGAR, WI
Warehousing
GOODING, ID
JOLIET, IL
LTL consolidation
Warehousing
Warehousing
Rail Transloading
ALLENTOWN, PA
LTL consolidation
Warehousing
JAMESBURG, NJ
Warehousing
Pick & Pack Operation
Import & Domestic
Redistribution Programs
Container Drayage &
Stripping
MODESTO, CA
Warehousing
Rail Transloading
WINTERHAVEN, FL
• Temperature Controlled and Dry
Transportation and Warehousing
• Truckload and LTL Services
IRVING, TX
LTL consolidation
• Long Haul and
Warehousing
Regional Services
Rail Transloading
• Dedicated Services
Warehousing
Services:
Rick Schlapman
MCDONOUGH, GA
LTL consolidation for
Regional Shipments
Warehousing
Rail Transloading
Transportation
Services:
Jason Johnson
800.333.4415
800.333.4415
[email protected]
[email protected]
Grände Cheese Co.
Brownsville, Wis.
Key executives: Wayne Matzke, pres.
& CEO; John Fridirici, VP, milk marketing & procurement; Paul Graham,
VP, custom ingredients group; Daryl
Gormley, group VP, Italian cheese; Dave
WEL Companies, Inc.
Offers . . .
DE PERE, WI
SERVICE and
WAREHOUSE
NETWORK
mont cheese,” Spicer says. “We don’t
have a fraction of the funding some
other states do and we’ll be taking
some key steps in the upcoming year.”
LTL consolidation for
intra FL Shipments
Warehousing
• Asset-based transportation and
warehouse provider
• Temperature controlled and dry
transportation and warehousing to the
lower 48 states
• Specialists to dairy, food and beverage
industries
• Customized cheese aging programs
• Ability to provide full service logistics,
Truckload, LTL, and dedicated or
collaborative transportation
• Employs over 800 people and utilizes
550 tractors and 830 temperature controlled
trailers with an average equipment age of
three years
• Utilizes 1.3 million square feet in 15
temperature controlled warehouses with
cross docking, trans-loading, and rail access
capabilities within 10 different states
• CSA and ISS safety rating
• Smartway Transport Partnership,
AIB International, USDA Certification,
FDA Certification and ATA
WEL Companies, Inc. utilizes the most
innovative technology available today.
Our information systems include:
• Full EDI transaction capable systems of the
innovative TMS AS400
• Satellite tracking and Electronic Logs through
PeopleNet Interactive
• Real-time online customer order tracking
capabilities
• Document management systems to reduce
paper flow
WEL stays focused on our goals to offer
our customers the most modern nationwide
warehousing, logistics, trans-loading and
container drayage and stripping services, while
utilizing the most innovative technology available
today. WEL is an environmentally, economically,
and socially sustainable company that continues
to invest and grow on an annual basis.
WEL Companies, Inc.
1625 S. Broadway
P. O. Box 5610 • De Pere, WI 54115
920.339.0110 • 800.333.4415
Fax: 920.983.2139
www.welcompanies.com
For more information please visit www.welcompanies.com
Herrmann, VP, information technology;
Ryan Cropper, VP, human resources;
Jeffrey Kondo, VP, cheese technology &
corporate quality assurance; Todd Koss,
CFO; Michael Magers, VP, marketing;
Michael Nelson, VP, operations
Cheese plants: Brownsville, Wis.
(Mozzarella, Fior di Latte); Rolling
Meadows, Fond du Lac, Wis. (dicing
& shredding, cut & wrap, aging); Fond
du Lac, Wis. (distribution); Friendship,
Wis. (value-added custom ingredients);
Juda, Wis. (Mozzarella, Ricotta);
Rubicon, Wis. (Cheddar, Parmesan,
Provolone, Romano); Wyocena, Wis.
(Mozzarella, Provolone)
Market segments for cheese: largely
foodservice
Website: www.grande.com
A look inside: This spring Grände
Cheese Co. completed an expansion
of its cheese plant in Brownsville, Wis.
The expansion adds capacity to its
fresh Mozzarella production and adds
more than 10,000 square feet. Grände
also added two new micro turbines
to its Brownsville plant that will help
convert its cheese production waste
into electricity.
“The expansion enables us to meet
the need for an expanded footprint at
the Brownsville facility,” says Wayne
Matzke, president and CEO, Grände
Cheese Co.
He adds that recent high-priced milk
and the very high cost of raw materials
continue to be challenges to overcome.
“We’ve set a new record on cheese
costs,” he says. “It’s a continued challenge for all of us to meet. We continue
to work on that.”
In addition to its cheese plant expansion, Grände also expanded its dairy
ingredients business in October with
the acquisition of PGP International’s
(PGPI) whey processing facility in
Juda, Wis., which is located adjacent to
Grände’s Mozzarella and Ricotta plant
in Juda. The products produced at the
new whey facility are being marketed
under the Wisconsin Whey International
brand.
Matzke says this acquisition allows
Grände to process almost all of the
whey for the company, which is critically important.
“Grände has been consistently growing its cheese and whey business,” he
says. “Because we had already been
supplying some of our whey to the PGPI
facility, this acquisition makes sense. It
will also help support our future growth
and diversification, as well as play a
significant role in the stability of the
Wisconsin dairy industry as this location
receives whey from several other local
cheese plants.”
Grände’s dairy ingredients business
unit, Custom Ingredients Group, exports
some of its commercial whey products
and now has a total of three whey processing plants in Wisconsin, in addition
to the company’s five cheese plants and
a home office and technology center in
43
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Lomira, Wis. The company’s technology
group supports product development and
operations with research and development lab work, food applications, testing kitchens and a manufacturing pilot
plant. All finished products are tested at
the technology center to assure that they
meet the company’s quality standards.
Grände continues marketing efforts
for its Italian cheeses and dairy ingredients, and it is looking to work on adding
some new, yet-to-be-disclosed products
in the coming year.
“We’re focused on really trying to
meet our customers’ needs,” Matzke says.
the company’s product strategy in the
newly created position of chief product
officer. “This includes fast ‘me-too’
items and completely new-to-the-market
products.”
Great Lakes Cheese continues to
expand in the snack cheese arena,
adding new innovation and products to
the category. The company is putting in
additional capacity for its cracker cut
cheese at its plants and continues to
bring smaller portion size cheese snacks
to the marketplace. Additionally, the
company offers a complete crumbles
program that includes Blue, Gorgonzola
and Feta.
This past year, Great Lakes Cheese
has worked on further developing
cheeses with strong flavor profiles such
as horseradish Cheddar and habanero
Cheddar. Additionally, the company is
seeing more interest in the dairy case
for upscale “premium” cheeses — such
as Havarti and Gouda — that have
traditionally been found more often in
the deli.
The company also is providing private label customers with a thin-sliced
cheese alternative, a product that was
introduced by branded companies and is
proving popular among calorie-conscious
consumers.
Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. continues to grow its footprint. It has
begun construction this year on its first
Southeast manufacturing facility. The
new 330,000-square-foot manufacturing
facility in the Manchester Industrial
Park in Manchester, Tenn., will be the
company’s fourth “super” plant and its
ninth facility nationwide. The company is
investing $100 million in the new plant,
which is expected to employ 200 people
by 2019. Production at the new plant is
expected to commence in early 2015.
“The decision to open another super
plant is a measure of our commitment
to delivering quality cheese products
to our customers who count on Great
Lakes for logistical efficiencies,” says
Craig Filkouski, vice president of
operations, Great Lakes Cheese. “We
believe that having strategically-placed
Exce¿ence
Since 1958, excellence has been part of our company’s
tradition. It’s something we never stop striving to achieve.
Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc.
Hiram, Ohio
Key executives: Gary Vanic, pres. &
CEO; Heidi Eller, chairman of the board;
Hans Epprecht, board member; John
Epprecht, VP, co-manufacturing; Dan
Zagzebski, chief product officer; Craig
Filkouski, VP, operations; Kurt Epprecht,
VP, procurement; Bill Andrews, VP, retail
sales East & foodservice; Russ Mullins,
VP, finance; Mary Jo Tourmet, VP, human
resources; Tom Eastham, dir., manufacturing; Doug Rouse, dir., operations; Tim
Ault, dir., quality
Cheese plants: Adams, N.Y. (aged
Cheddar, whey); Cuba, N.Y. (Mozzarella,
Provolone, String cheese, shreds & foodservice, whey); Hiram, Ohio (chunks,
slices, shreds, deli cuts); Fillmore, Utah
(chunks, slices, deli cuts, shreds — retail
& foodservice); La Crosse, Wis. (process
— retail & foodservice); Plymouth, Wis.
(chunks, slices, shreds — retail & foodservice); Seymour, Wis. (Blue); Wausau,
Wis. (Blue, deli trays, chunks, vacuum
slices, cups, packaging & distribution)
220 million lbs.
1.3 billion lbs.
2013 sales: $2.5 billion
Website: www.greatlakescheese.com
Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc., a leading
private label manufacturer, is focusing on
leadership and new product innovation
for its customers.
“As retailers push to differentiate
and grow their store brands, Great Lakes
Cheese is committed to providing customers with a relevant product portfolio
to help them win in the marketplace,”
says Dan Zagzebski, who is leading
For over 50 years, Great Lakes Cheese has been an award winning,
premier manufacturer and packer of natural and process bulk,
shredded and sliced cheeses. Our superior quality wins more
customers for you – and keeps them coming back.
We continue raising industry standards in manufacturing capabilities,
plant capacity, distribution and complete private label programs for
dairy, deli and food service.
Because our biggest accomplishment…is the customer satisfaction
we earn every day.
greatlakescheese.com | 800.677.7181
For more information please visit www.greatlakescheese.com
44
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
manufacturing facilities is essential to
serving the evolving needs of our customers and to provide opportunities for future
growth.” The company also is finalizing
an expansion at its La Crosse, Wis., plant.
The company continues to excel in
cheese competitions as well. Recently,
a sharp Cheddar made at the company’s
Adams, N.Y., plant placed first in its
class at the World Championship Cheese
Contest.
Guggisberg Cheese Inc.
Millersburg, Ohio
Key executives: Richard Guggisberg,
pres.; Diane Mellor, VP; Ray Kohl, pres.,
Guggisberg Sales Co.; Shawn Shertzer,
controller; Dick Bylsma, dir. of sales,
Indiana division
Cheese plants: Doughty Valley plant,
Millersburg, Ohio (Original Baby Swiss
wheels & deli slicing loaves; Amish Butter
cheese wheels & deli slicing loaves; Lacerne
cheese wheels; Farmers cheese deli slicing loaves); Sugarcreek, Ohio (200-pound
block premium Swiss, 200-pound block
Baby Swiss, Baby Swiss deli slicing loaves,
Swiss Lace deli slicing loaves, 200-pound
traditional Swiss wheels, cut & wrap,
evaporated whey concentrate); Deutsch
Kase Haus plant, Middlebury, Ind. (horns
of Cheddar, Colby, Colby Jack, Monterey
Jack, Pepper Jack, marble cheese, pepper
cheese, cheese with yogurt cultures, salsa
cheese, garden vegetable cheese, Amish
Creamery cheese, Farmers cheese, smoked
Gouda, Lacey Swiss)
33 million lbs.
Website: www.babyswiss.com
A look inside: Guggisberg Cheese Inc.
focused on expanding and upgrading over
the past year by adding approximately
40,000 square feet of aging rooms, cooler
and packaging space. Guggisberg also
added 20,000 square feet for phosphorous
treatment and storage.
“We have upgrades, modernization and
Unmatched quality and consistency in every vat, we
offer these varieties: Original Baby Swiss • Premium
Swiss • Amish Butter Cheese • Farmers Cheese available in Bulk, Precut and Slices. Complete Private
label programs for Deli and Food Service
• Food Safety & Audit Programs
• Original Baby Swiss Cheese
• Loved by Young and Old Alike
• 2 lb., 4 lb. and 7 lb. Deli Slicers
expansion planned for all phases of production,” says Ursula Guggisberg-Bennett,
marketing director, Guggisberg Cheese.
Guggisberg-Bennett adds that the company’s biggest accomplishment from the
past year is the complete line of packaged
bulk Swiss and pre-cut pieces it has made
available. The pre-cuts are produced in Guggisberg’s three facilities and are available
in exact-weight 12-ounce wedges.
Marketing initiatives for Guggisberg
Cheese have revolved around its contest
successes.
“We have offered signage, promotional
material and store sampling for retailers
to advertise Guggisberg Swiss as the 2013
U.S. Swiss Cheese Champion as well as
the 2013 Ohio Grand Champion Cheesemaker,” Guggisberg-Bennett says.
Last June, the first of three contests
in the Ohio Swiss Cheese Association’s
competition to determine last year’s Grand
Champion Cheesemaker was held. Guggisberg Cheese was awarded first place to
take the early lead in the competition. Guggisberg’s Baby Swiss cheese also received
first place in the “Open” category.
During the Ohio State Fair, when the
second of three contests was held, Guggisberg Cheese took gold in the Swiss class. In
September, the final judging took place at
the Ohio Swiss Festival’s cheese competition. Guggisberg Cheese took gold in the
Swiss class with its Premium Swiss entry,
and was featured throughout the festival as
the Grand Champion Cheesemaker of Ohio.
The World Dairy Expo contest in August
awarded Guggisberg Cheese with a first in
the Swiss Styles class for its Baby Swiss
wheel. The company also took second
place in the Colby, Monterey Jack class
for its Colby-Jack Longhorn.
In addition, Guggisberg Cheese was
chosen as one of 101 award-winning, best
cheeses in Culture magazine. The 101
best cheeses were chosen from among
hundreds of top award-winners at seven
international competitions held between
September 2012 and August 2013.
Looking ahead, Guggisberg Cheese will
continue to take advantage of its expansions and work toward a new, uniformed
look for its line.
“Our goal for 2014 is to significantly
expand production with an emphasis on
continuous improvement to ensure our position as a premier manufacturer and supplier
of Swiss cheese,” Guggisberg-Bennett says.
• All available in Various Pack Sizes
• Award-Winning Premium Swiss
• Pleasantly Mild and Nutty Flavor
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: RAY KOHL at (724) 940-1785
Located 1.5 Miles North of Charm - 5060 State Route 557 :: Millersburg, Ohio
330-893-2500
View our Cheeses on-line at babyswiss.com
For more information please visit www.babyswiss.com
Henning’s Cheese
Kiel, Wis.
Key executives: Kerry Henning,
pres.; Kert Henning, VP; Kay Schmitz,
secretary; Everett Henning, accounts
payable & receivable; Mindy Ausloos,
billing & store mgr.; Rebekah Henschel,
retail sales mgr.
Cheese plant: Kiel, Wis. (Cheddar,
Colby, Monterey Jack, reduced-fat Farmers, String cheese)
3.6 million lbs.
3.6 million lbs.
retail
Website: www.henningscheese.com
A look inside: Henning’s Cheese is
a fourth-generation family-operated
cheese business celebrating its 100th
anniversary this year. The year is being marked with celebrations and new
products, including precut cheese
wedges for retailers.
The company’s plant, which is Safe
Quality Foods (SQF) certified Level 2,
is working toward Level 3 certification
this year, says Kert Henning, company
vice president who manages the business along with his siblings and other
family members.
Much of the way Henning’s Cheese
makes its products dates back to
the early days of cheesemaking. The
company’s cheese is still hand matted in open vats, creating its unique
flavor and texture. Eighty percent of
the cheese is made into traditional,
bandage-wrapped wheels.
“We’re the last manufacturer of
mammoth Cheddar wheels over 75
pounds,” Henning says, noting the
company can make wheels as small
as 12 pounds or its largest ever, which
weighed in at just under 12,000 pounds.
The company also can make Colby
and Colby Jack wheels up to 1,000
pounds and Monterey Jack, Pepper
Jack and Habanero Jack wheels up to
300 pounds. In addition, the company
makes random weight blocks of cheese
and packages it in 8-ounce, 14-ounce
and 2-pound cuts for retailers. Other
varieties the company produces include reduced-fat Farmers and String
cheese.
Henning’s Cheese also makes a
number of flavored varieties overseen
by company president Kerry Henning,
a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker.
Kerry Henning blends unique spices
and fruits to create a wide variety of
flavored Cheddar cheeses.
The company’s most recent flavor
addition is Hatch Pepper Cheddar. The
cheese features the company’s creamy
smooth Cheddar and authentic Hatch
Chili Peppers from Hatch, N.M., which
impart a mild, sweet, savory pepper
flavor.
Henning’s Cheese, which sells to
retailers across the country, also is
debuting prepackaged wedges of its
traditional bandage-wrapped Cheddar.
By supplying prepackaged wedges,
Kert Henning hopes to make the company more versatile for customers who
45
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
can’t handle wheels or who would
prefer a variety of products including
wheels and prepackaged cheese. He
hopes the move also will draw more
attention to the company’s high-end
cheese, particularly those that have
a little age on them.
The company’s cheeses also are
available in the dairy cases of 150200 stores in eastern Wisconsin and
in cheese and deli departments nationwide.
“We like where we’re at,” Kert Henning says, but there also is always room
for improvement and growth, he adds,
noting that the company expanded its
plant in both 2010 and 2013 to keep
up with growing demand.
Henning’s Cheese has won a number of awards over the years. At this
spring’s World Championship Cheese
contest, the company placed first in
the Bandaged Cheddar, Mild to Medium
class. In addition, the company placed
second in the Pepper Flavored “American” Style Cheeses (Colby & Cheddar)
class with its Chipotle-flavored Cheddar. Mango Fire Cheddar the company
made for Saputo placed third in the
Pepper Flavored “American” Style
Cheeses (Cheddar & Colby) class.
Hilmar Cheese Co.
Hilmar, Calif.
Key executives: John Jeter, pres. &
CEO; Kevin Vogt, CFO; Phil Robnett, VP,
business development; Rick Kaepernick,
sr. VP, growth & development; Tedd
Struckmeyer, VP, engineering & business
development; Tom Ielmini, VP & general
mgr., Hilmar Ingredients; David Ahlem,
COO; Jeremy Travis, VP, quality assurance & operations; Kyle Jensen, VP &
general mgr, cheese
Cheese plants: Hilmar, Calif. (40-lb.
& 640-lb. block Cheddar, Monterey Jack,
Pepper Jack, Colby, Colby Jack, WPC,
WPI, WPH, lactose); Dalhart, Texas (40lb. & 640-lb. block Cheddar, Monterey
Jack, Pepper Jack, Colby, Colby Jack,
WPC, WPI)
Website: www.hilmarcheese.com
A look inside: Hilmar Cheese Co.
this past year settled into its new
headquarters and Innovation Center in
Hilmar, Calif. The new 55,000-squarefoot facility, which is Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)
Platinum certified, was completed last
summer.
The facility provides more room
for existing staff and houses business
development labs and technology cen-
ters, says David Ahlem, vice president
and general manager of cheese operations, Hilmar Cheese Co.
“The new center will help customers
add value in their respective markets,”
he says. The building is separate from
the company’s manufacturing plant
in Hilmar.
“LEED demonstrates our continuing commitment to stewardship and
sustainability,” says Richard Clauss,
chairman of Hilmar Cheese Co.’s
board of directors. “Our owners and
employees live here, and we strive to do
what is right — for our employees, the
dairy farmers that supply us milk, the
community and our natural resources.”
Core to the new headquarters is
the Innovation Center with the latest pilot plant and food application
equipment. The Innovation Center is
focused on delivering greater service
and knowledge to U.S. and global
customers, company officials say. Food
scientists use the newest equipment
and technology to help food companies
find success incorporating dairy into
healthy foods and beverages.
Hilmar Cheese specializes in the
production of natural cheeses utilized
by private label and national brands,
retail and foodservice companies
across the United States. While rare
among large manufacturing sites,
Hilmar Cheese has the unique ability
to produce a range of cheese in large
volumes and the flexibility to adjust
quickly to customers’ changing needs,
Ahlem notes.
Hilmar Ingredients, a division of
Hilmar Cheese, manufactures a wide
range of whey protein concentrates,
whey protein hydrolysates, whey
protein isolates and three grades of
edible lactose: edible, refined and
ultra-refined. The company’s whey and
lactose ingredients are sold worldwide
for use in applications including frozen
dinners, sports beverages, processed
cheeses, baked goods, infant formulas,
confectioneries and many others.
As demand for these products continues to grow, Hilmar Cheese earlier
this year announced that it is building
a milk powder processing facility in
Turlock, Calif.
“We are expanding our ingredients
business to meet strong global demand
for milk powders,” says John Jeter,
president and CEO, Hilmar Cheese.
“The U.S. dairy industry, and specifically California, is well-positioned to
be a consistent supplier to the world.”
The new facility in Turlock will
produce a variety of milk powders designed to be a primary foundation for
delivering nutrition in various forms
worldwide. The Hilmar Ingredients
division will market the milk powder.
“With this expansion into milk powders, we are continuing our tradition
of converting our high-quality milk
supply into the value-added products
customers want,” notes Tom Ielmini,
vice president and general manager,
Hilmar Ingredients. “We now have
customers in 50 countries and are
always striving to meet their needs.
This is part of a broader plan to be a
larger, more dynamic global supplier.”
Hilmar officials note the Turlock location provides numerous advantages,
including excellent export opportunities through the Port of Oakland. The
project is expected to be complete by
the summer of 2015 and will add 40
full-time jobs.
The company notes that the manufacturing process in the new facility
will use the most technologically-advanced equipment to capture the water
in milk for reuse to conserve ground
water. Water will be recycled, reused
and passed through a preliminary
treatment before going to the Turlock
Regional Water Quality facility. Energy
efficiencies will include energy efficient lighting and use of premium
efficiency electric motors.
The project reflects the company’s
ongoing commitment to sustainability, a core element of Hilmar Cheese
Co.’s mission statement, which says
“Through leadership-driven, highperformance teamwork, Hilmar Cheese
Co. and Hilmar Ingredients develop
and convert in a sustainable manner
our premium milk supply into innovative, top-quality dairy products for
customers worldwide who further add
value in their markets.”
Meanwhile, Hilmar Cheese’s Dalhart, Texas, facility — which was built
from a green-field site in 2005 — has
grown to about 400 employees and
processes almost 9 million pounds of
milk into cheese and whey products
each day. The company is nearing
completion of an expansion in Dalhart
that includes additional capabilities on an existing 40-pound natural
American-style cheese production
line and improvements to a variety of
processes to better service domestic
and international customers.
“We continue to invest in cheese
to meet the needs of our growing
customers domestically and abroad,”
Ahlem says.
The Dalhart facility previously
expanded in 2010. That expansion included additional milk storage capacity and four additional milk receiving
bays, as well as expansion to the natural
American-style cheese production line.
Since 2010, other improvements have
4th Generation of Family Tradition Since 1914
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bandaged Style Wheels of Cheese
Hand-Matted Cheddar “The Traditional Way”
rBGH Free, Gluten Free
All Natural Ingredients
USDA, State and GFSI SQF Inspected
Master Cheese Maker Certification in
Cheddar, Colby & Monterey Jack
Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese
20201 Point Creek Road • Kiel, WI 53042
Phone: (920) 894-3032 • Fax: (920) 894-3022
[email protected]
www.henningscheese.com
For more information please visit www.henningscheese.com
46
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
included additional water conservation and recycling capabilities.
“One of our core values is constant
improvement and innovation,” Ahlem
says. “The company walks the talk
by investing in new equipment and
processes each year.”
Hilmar Cheese also continues to support education with its annual scholarship program. Now in its 10th year, 31
students demonstrating community
involvement, academic performance
and financial need each will receive a
scholarship toward their higher education through the program.
“Hilmar Cheese Co. values education,” says Aaron Wickstrom, third generation family owner of Hilmar Cheese
and a scholarship committee member.
“We have invested in programs at our
Visitor Center to help people learn and
extend our efforts to furthering the
education of deserving local students.”
Hilmar Cheese also had the opportunity earlier this year to make a
corporate donation of $225,000 to a new
year-round homeless shelter being built
by the Turlock Gospel Mission.
The project, which will include a
kitchen, dining hall and office space,
dormitories, restroom, shower and
laundry facilities, is estimated to cost
$1.8 million.
“We had a unique opportunity to
support this entity that serves the needs
of the homeless in our region,” Ahlem
says. “It’s rewarding for us to invest in
the Turlock community and give back.”
In the year ahead, Hilmar Cheese will
continue to grow with its cheese customers and invest in technological resources
to meet their needs, Ahlem says.
Holland’s Family Cheese LLC
Thorp, Wis.
Key executives: Rolf Penterman, coowner; Marieke Penterman, co-owner
Cheese plant: Thorp, Wis. (Gouda,
flavored Gouda, aged Gouda, Marieke
Golden)
200,000 lbs.
200,000 lbs.
Website: www.hollandsfamily
cheese.com
A look inside: Holland’s Family
Cheese LLC has a brand new facility.
Its freestall barn and parlor were completed in November 2013. The company
is currently milking 300 cows.
Its new creamery and store opened
in February 2014. Included in the new
9,000-square-foot building with the
creamery and the store, Holland’s has
added offices, a conference room, a
commercial kitchen and additional
storage. The $5.1 million investment
tripled the size of the company and
doubled its annual production.
“It’s great, everyday is like Christmas,” says Kari Skibbie, sales manager,
Holland’s Family Cheese. “We keep getting new things. Before we were at about
600 square feet, so this is wonderful.”
Holland’s Family Cheese also is
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adding to its team. With the new retail
space, Holland’s will be increasing its
hours to seven days a week and from 7
a.m. to 7 p.m.
“It will be exponential when it comes
to adding employees,” Skibbie says.
“We also have to add another shift for
cheesemaking and need tour guides
and other staff.”
The company is offering self-guided
and guided tours of every facet of its
operation, beginning with the cows
being milked.
Holland’s had education in mind
when the space was constructed. The
parlor has a built-in space on the end
where people can watch the cows being
milked, and also an upstairs viewing
area that allows visitors to see the entire
parlor. Owner Marieke Penterman also
had the pipeline from the parlor made
from glass, so visitors can see the milk
and feel its warmth. Holland’s also will
install an artificial cow kids will be able
to milk this year.
“We want it to be much more of a
tourist destination,” Skibbie adds.
Holland’s has won an award in every
competition it has entered since 2007.
This past year has not broken that tradition. In fact, every Holland’s cheese is
award-winning.
At the 2013 American Cheese Society competition Holland’s Marieke
Gouda Mature (6-9 months) placed first,
and Marieke Gouda Premium (12-18
months) placed second, in the Dutch
Style — All Milks class. In the Cheeses
Flavored with All Peppers — All Milks
class, the company’s Marieke Gouda
Cumin took first place.
The Wisconsin State Fair competition bestowed Holland’s with a first in
the Smoked Flavored Cheese class for
its Smoked Gouda.
At the 2014 World Championship
Cheese Contest, Holland’s made the
top 16 finalists with its Marieke Gouda
Super (18-24 months).
Holland’s swept the Aged Gouda
category, taking first place with its
Marieke Gouda Super, second with
its Marieke Overjarige (2 years+) and
third with its Marieke Gouda Mature
(6-9 months). In the Smoked Gouda
category, the company earned second
with its Marieke Gouda Smoked and
third with its Marieke Gouda Smoked
Cumin. Under the Pepper Flavored
Cheeses category, Holland’s Marieke
Gouda Jalapeno was given third. Its
Marieke Golden garnered a third in
the Open Class Semi-soft (Semi-hard)
Cheeses category.
Holland’s claimed the top award in
the 2013 U.S. Championship Cheese
Contest with Marieke Gouda, aged 6-9
months.
“Since the big win it’s been an incredibly amazing ride,” Skibbie says.
“We can’t produce fast enough.”
In terms of marketing, Holland’s
is working on acclimating to its new
space, and it doubled its production in
April. The company has not yet added
many more distributors, but continues
to work with Gourmet Foods International (GFI).
“We help GFI plan and they pre-order
for what they need,” Skibbie says. “We
doubled in April and began using cheese
from the new plant.”
The Holland’s cheese coming from
the new plant will be different, as it is
creamier due to the company increasing its percentage of Brown Swiss milk
rather than Holstein milk.
In the upcoming year, the company
will be looking to release a Zachte
Boerenkaas-style Gouda cheese, which
translates to a soft farmhouse cheese.
It will be made with raw milk from the
farm, and Holland’s is looking to make
it available in wheel format.
“We’ve had a few tests, but it’s not
quite where we want it to be,” Skibbie
says. “Marieke (Penterman) wants it to
be spreadable, but not as soft as Brie.
She’s just waiting to perfect it.”
Penterman also would like to make
more ice cream and yogurt once the
operation is completely underway,
Skibbie adds.
Joseph Gallo Farms
Atwater, Calif.
Key executives: Michael D. Gallo,
CEO; Peter Gallo, VP
Dairy plants: Atwater, Calif. (2)
cheese production and packaging
(Cheddar, Gouda, Monterey Jack,
Mozzarella, Muenster, Pasta Filata
Mozzarella, Provolone, cut & wrap);
whey processing
50 million lbs.
52 million lbs.
29% of sales
Website: www.josephfarms.com
A look inside: Joseph Gallo Farms
is looking to revamp and redesign its
label and packaging this year.
“We’ve restructured our management team, which we’re very excited
about,” says Michael Gallo, CEO, Joseph Gallo Farms, and son of company
founder Joseph Gallo. “We have a new
general manager and CFO as well as
some other new hires. With this restructuring, we are bringing the company up
to speed with some new designs for our
product labels.”
Joseph Gallo Farms has been a
family farm in Atwater, Calif., since
1946. Over the years the company has
grown to include its own cows as well
as its own line of premium 100-percent
47
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
all-natural cheese.
“At Joseph Farms, we craft the
highest-quality natural products using
sustainable practices,” Gallo notes.
“Our commitment has earned Joseph
Farms countless honors and awards
for our dairy products and sustainable
practices.”
While the company milks about
9,000 of its own cows, it also buys
milk from outside suppliers. With
this milk, the company manufactures
Jacks — including Marbled, Monterey
and Pepper — as well as Cheddars,
Mozzarella (including Pasta Filata),
Gouda, Muenster, Provolone and Swiss.
In the past year, Joseph Gallo Farms
began offering 1-pound Whole Milk
Mozzarella Balls, as well as Whole
Milk Mozzarella 6-pound loaves for
foodservice, Mike Gallo says.
Joseph Gallo Farms is planning to
release 8-ounce Mozzarella balls and
2-pound Pasta Filata loaves this year,
and the company also is looking at the
possibility of producing organic cheese
this year, he says.
The company also is launching reformulated lowfat Jack and Cheddar,
sold primarily in blocks.
“We had been making these lowfat
cheeses for some time but had discontinued them due to lack of interest,”
Gallo says. “But consumer interest in
these items is ramping up.”
Joseph Gallo Farms this year is
putting in a new shred and packaging
line at its cheese production facility,
Gallo notes.
In addition to its cheese production
and packaging facility in Atwater, the
company also has a whey processing
facility where it produces whey protein
isolates and pro cream.
The company’s whey protein isolate
earned a second place award in the
WPC-80 Percent and Whey Protein
Isolates class at last fall’s World Dairy
Expo Championship Dairy Product
Contest.
In addition, last year the company
launched Gallo Global Nutrition, a
division devoted to marketing its whey
products and meeting the growing
global demand for these products,
Gallo says.
The company is looking to add additional products at both its protein
and cheese processing plants in the
coming year, Gallo notes.
Joseph Gallo Farms has a methane
digester on its farm that it initially
brought online about 10 years ago,
Gallo says. The system produces biogas
from cow manure in a 7-acre covered
lagoon anaerobic digester. The gas
is scrubbed and piped to two power
generators which produce a total of
1.5 megawatts of electricity. Heat from
the generators is captured to produce
steam for the cheese plant, saving on
much of the propane needed to fuel
its boilers.
“Since the digester was first installed, we’ve been making improvements and additions to it,” Gallo says.
“Last year we added more electrical
generation; this is an ongoing project
with more improvements coming this
year.”
He notes that it is important to him
that the company preserves its natural
heritage for generations to come.
“Sustainable agriculture means we
must replenish rather than exhaust our
natural resources,” Gallo says. “What
we’ve created is a business that is both
profitable and sustainable. I’ve always
believed in it, and we’ve proven over
time that these goals are achievable
and that wildlife and agriculture are
fully compatible.”
In 2013, the company was awarded
the Governor’s Environmental and
Economic Leadership Award for its sustainable farming and cheesemaking.
“We are honored and pleased that
the governor has recognized our commitment to sustainable practices,”
Gallo says. “This award is a testament
to the amazing support we receive from
our family of customers and employees, and it inspires us to continually
improve.”
Michael Gallo and Joseph Gallo
Farms in May were awarded the
Outstanding Dairy Processing &
Manufacturing Sustainability Award
by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
as part of the third annual U.S. Dairy
Sustainability Awards. The award was
presented at a special ceremony in
Washington, D.C.
Gallo notes that with new products
on the horizon and the new management structure in place, as well as
the upcoming logo and packaging
redesign, he is excited for the year
ahead.
“It’s been a lot of change, but we’re
excited, and I think the end result is
going to be a more efficient, marketdriven company vs. a production-driven
company,” he says.
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2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Klondike Cheese Co.
Monroe, Wis.
Key executives: Ron Buholzer, pres.;
Steve Buholzer, VP; Dave Buholzer,
secretary/treasurer; Adam Buholzer, VP,
production; Luke Buholzer, VP, sales;
Matt Erdley, VP, engineering; Teena
Buholzer, marketing dir.
Cheese plant: Monroe, Wis. (Brick,
traditional & flavored Feta, Greek yogurt, Havarti, Muenster, yogurt-based
dips, reduced-fat sour cream)
Market segments for cheese: 15%retail; 80% foodservice; 5% ingredients
Website: www.klondikecheese.com
A look inside: For Klondike Cheese
Co., this past year has revolved around
maintaining its cheese pedigree and
acclimating to its new Greek yogurt
production.
Last March, Klondike Cheese invested $12 million in new equipment
and construction that expanded its
existing plant in Monroe, Wis., by 40,000
square feet.
Demand for Greek yogurt from the
company’s existing Feta customers, as
well as the boom in the popularity of Greek
yogurt nationwide sparked the expansion.
“Production of Greek yogurt is going
pretty well; we’re finding that we are very
well set-up to do foodservice and industrial,” says Luke Buholzer, vice president,
sales, Klondike Cheese. “The plant’s not
yet at capacity, but it’s coming along.
We’ve picked up some big accounts.”
A large portion of the company’s
yogurt production is for private label
customers, although the company
markets some Greek yogurt under its
existing Odyssey label.
Offering:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Authentic Mediterranean taste
Available in lowfat and nonfat varieties
2X the protein
Thick, creamy taste
Exceptional quality with every spoonful
Mayonnaise and sour cream substitute
Retail, foodservice and industrial markets
Better Flavor, Better Quality,
Better Commitment.
It’s A Family Tradition!
2013 United States
Championship Cheese Contest
1st Place:
Flavored Feta
1st Place:
Havarti
1st Place:
Fat Free Feta
1st Place:
Flavored Havarti
2012 World Championship
Cheese Contest
1st Place:
Feta
1st Place:
Peppercorn Feta
1st Place:
Muenster
1st Place:
Dill Havarti
“When we come in first, you
know exactly where we stand
to best serve you!”
Ron Buholzer,
Dave Buholzer and
Steve Buholzer
608.325.3021 • www.klondikecheese.com
WISCONSIN MADE
BY MASTER
CHEESEMAKERS
For more information please visit www.klondikecheese.com
Currently, Klondike produces Black
Cherry, Blueberry, Peach, Raspberry,
Strawberry,Vanilla and Plain Nonfat and
2 percent fat varieties in 5.3-ounce retail
cups. Each retail cup contains about 15
grams of protein. The company has the
ability to produce fruit-blended yogurt
or fruit-on-the-bottom.
In addition to retail cups, the
company packages 16-, 24-, and
32-ounce containers of Plain,
Strawberry, Blueberry and Vanilla varieties. It also packages 5-gallon pails,
55-gallon barrels and 275-gallon totes.
“We produced about 1 million pounds
of Greek yogurt over the last year,” Buholzer says. “As far as plans for expansion in
our yogurt, it’s tough to say, but it is likely.
We have built a lot of flexibility into the
plant, allowing for custom formulations
to create our products.”
The Greek yogurt line expanded the
company’s workforce, including the
addition of Stan Woodworth to the position of national sales manager, yogurt,
Klondike Cheese.
Klondike developed and released
an 8-ounce Feta and brine for retail
this past year.
“We have seen good success with it
so far,” Buholzer adds. “It is a fantastic
product and we would have launched it
sooner, but we could not find packaging
to accommodate 8 ounces.”
For the upcoming year, Klondike
will continue to groom its Greek yogurt
production. The company will exercise
a complete packaging redesign on all of
its products as well.
“We have picked the marketing firm
and are working on laying the foundation,” Buholzer says. “I’m happy to put
some money behind marketing.”
Buholzer adds that during the next
year the company will be trying to get
even more involved with customers
to learn what works best for them
individually.
Klondike Cheese fared well on the
competition circuit over the last year.
competition, its Brick cheese received a
first place award in the Brick Cheese —
Made From Cow’s Milk class. Klondike
also received a third place award for its
Lowfat Feta and a second place award
for its reduced-fat Feta.
In the Feta with Flavor Added — All
Milks class, the company took second
with its Mediterranean Herb Feta and
third with it Peppercorn Feta.
Additionally, at the 2013 Wisconsin
State Fair Cheese & Butter Contest,
Klondike Cheese’s Dill Havarti placed
first in the Flavored Semi-Soft Cheese
class.
Cheese Contest, Klondike Cheese
earned third place finishes for Muenster
in the Brick, Muenster class, Reduced
Fat Peppercorn Feta in Brine in the Reduced Fat Soft & Semi-soft (Semi-hard)
Cheeses class, and for its Lowfat Feta
in Brine in the Lowfat Cheeses class.
49
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Kraft Foods Group Inc.
Northfield, Ill.
Key executives: Tony Vernon, CEO;
George Zoghbi, exec. VP & pres., Cheese
& Dairy
Cheese plants: Tulare, Calif.; Champaign, Ill.; Albany, Minn.; New Ulm,
Minn. ; Springfield, Mo.; Campbell, N.Y.;
Lowville, N.Y.; Walton, N.Y.; Beaver Dam,
Wis.; Wausau, Wis.; Ingleside, Ontario;
Mount Royal, Quebec
2013 sales: Total company net
revenues are approximately $18.22
billion. U.S. Cheese net revenues are
approximately $3.93 billion.
Website: www.kraftfoodsgroup.com
A look inside: Kraft Foods Group is
one of the largest consumer packaged
food and beverage companies in North
America and worldwide, with net revenues of $18.2 billion and earnings from
continuing operations before income
taxes of $4.1 billion in 2013. Kraft was
ninth on Rabobank’s 2013 Global Dairy
Top-20 survey of the world’s largest dairy
companies.
Kraft’s diverse brand portfolio consists of many of the most popular food
brands in North America, including
two brands with annual net revenues
exceeding $1 billion each — Kraft
cheeses, dinners and dressings and
Oscar Mayer meats — plus more than
25 brands with annual net revenues between $100 million and $1 billion each.
Net revenues for the company’s
Cheese segment totaled $3.9 billion for
the 2013 fiscal year. Net revenues for the
category increased 2.5 percent,which
includes the impact of higher sales to
Mondelez International. The increase
also was driven by favorable volume/mix
as higher shipments of natural cheese
and sandwich cheese were partially
offset by lower shipments of snacking cheese, due in part to a voluntary
String cheese recall last fall because of
premature spoilage in some products.
The company reports segment operating income increased 2.6 percent
as lower marketing spending, lower
overhead costs, favorable volume/mix,
and lower manufacturing costs driven
by net productivity were partially offset
by unfavorable pricing net of commodity costs.
In 2013, Kraft completed the previously announced closures of its dairy
plants in Waupaca, Wis., and Bentonville, Ark.
Kraft continues to be known for its
marketing prowess with a number of
events, promotions and new products.
New product additions for the
company this past year have included
Kraft Slim Cut, a natural cheese slice
option that contains 35 calories per
slice (105 calories in a 3-slice serving).
The product, launched last summer, is
available in Swiss, Sharp Cheddar and
Colby Jack.
The company also has updated some
of its formulations.
Earlier this year, Kraft announced
the launch of Kraft Singles with No
Artificial Preservatives, a renovation
that removes artificial ingredients while
still delivering the same quality, taste,
look and melt its consumers expect.
“We know families today want convenient foods that have no artificial
preservatives and a simpler, more
recognizable ingredient list, and Kraft
is working to deliver more of these options,” says Brian Gelb, senior associate
brand manager, Kraft Foods.
Kraft Singles with No Artificial Preservatives are offered for the American
and White American varieties.
An apparent focus of the company
this past year also has been its cream
cheeses.
In April, the Philadelphia brand announced that fans of Philadelphia cream
cheese will find its most popular spreads
with even more fruits and vegetables
than before. Knowing American families
are paying closer attention to what they
eat and increasingly seeking out more
recognizable ingredients, the company
says it has added more of the real fruits
and vegetables Philadelphia fans love
to its leading sweet and savory spreads,
which contain no artificial flavors. Each
of these flavors was renovated to best
showcase its real ingredients.
The company also followed up its
spring 2013 introduction of Philadelphia
cream cheese with Spicy Jalapenos
and launched a Chipotle cream cheese
spread in September. The Chipotle
product offers a smoky and spicy, yet
rich and creamy cream cheese spread
that pairs well with fruit preserves on
a cracker for a tasty snack or offers a
bit of zesty flavor to a fresh bagel, the
company says. The brand’s other new
flavor, Brown Sugar & Cinnamon cream
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2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
cheese spread, is packed with “comfort”
ingredients including brown sugar, cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg.
Last fall, Kraft also introduced Philadelphia Cream Cheese 2X Protein. The
new dairy spread not only offers twice
as much protein (4g vs. 2g per serving)
as traditional cream cheese spread, but
also has 70 percent less fat and calories
(per serving) than the leading peanut
butter, Kraft notes.
Last September, Kraft’s Philadelphia
Cream Cheese broke the Guinness
World Records achievement for creating the world’s largest cheesecake.
The record-breaking cake, weighing in
at 6,900 pounds, was unveiled at the
ninth annual Cream Cheese Festival
in Lowville, N.Y., by celebrity Chef Duff
Goldman. Goldman unveiled the colossal cheesecake with the Philadelphia
team to help raise awareness for Share
Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign
and the campaign’s work to end childhood hunger in America. The brand has
also worked with the No Kid Hungry
program with other promotions as well,
including a holiday online cookbook.
Kraft and Polly-O String Cheese
brands did a back-to-school program that
included a coupon for $12 worth of savings in bags of select varieties. In addition
to retailer participation, Kraft spread
the word of this promotion through a
special program with 15 select bloggers
who received one prize pack valued at
$100 to keep and one to give to a reader
for a blog post about how they would use
Kraft and Polly-O String Cheese as part
of their wholesome snacking routines.
Kraft Foods’ Velveeta team also
helped get families back to the school
routine with dinner solutions last summer. The promotion featured special
retail displays with tearpads including
coupons and recipes. Kraft Fresh Take
also initiated a regional integrated
program that included simple menu
ideas for busy weeknights. This outreach
included TV and in-store advertising as
well as couponing and digital media on
coupons.com.
The company got some press earlier
this year when, during professional
football season, there was a limited
availability of some Velveeta products
in certain stores nationwide. The shortlived shortage was reportedly due to a
combination of Kraft’s recent transfer
of 1-pound Velveeta production to a different facility and increased seasonal
demand.
In other dairy category news, this
past year the company introduced
Breakstone’s/Knudsen Greek-Style
Sour Cream & Nonfat Yogurt. Blended
with Greek yogurt, this new offering is
a great addition to dips, side dishes,
entrees and desserts, the company says,
adding that it features the same taste
and creamy texture of Breakstone’s/
Knudsen sour cream with 50 percent
less fat, 50 percent less cholesterol and
two times the protein and calcium of
regular sour cream.
Men’s Health’s “125 Best Foods
for Men 2013” named Philadelphia
Whipped Spread “best cream cheese.”
In addition, cream cheese made at
the company’s Beaver Dam, Wis., plant
placed first in the Spreadable Cheeses
class at the World Championship Cheese
Contest this spring. Fresh Mozzarella
made at the company’s Campbell, N.Y.,
placed third in its class at the same
contest. Additionally, cheese made by
Agropur for Kraft placed first in the
Medium Cheddar (3 to 6 months) class.
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LaClare Farms
Chilton, Wis.
Key executives: Clara Hedrich,
owner; Larry Hedrich, general mgr.;
Greg Hedrich, business mgr.; Katie
Hedrich-Fuhrmann, cheesemaker &
marketing mgr.
Cheese plants: ; LaClare Farms
Farmstead Plant, Pipe, Wis., (Evalon
aged goat cheese; Evalon with Fenugreek goat cheese; Evalon with Cumin
goat cheese; Chandoka mixed milk
Cheddar; Ziege Zacke mixed milk
Blue; Martrone mixed milk surface
ripened; specialty goat cheeses: raw
Cheddar, Cheddar, Fondy Jack original
and flavored, Tomato Basil and Pepper
Jack); partnership with Lamers Dairy,
Appleton, Wis., for fluid milk bottling
(whole milk half gallons, lowfat quarts)
Website: www.laclarefarm.com
A look inside: In 2013 LaClare Farms
finished construction and moved into its
new facility in Pipe, Wis., late in 2013.
The expansion has allowed all of the
LaClare cheeses to come together in
the new facility.
The new facility includes a dairy
plant, retail store and café, which offers a daily menu for lunch and dinner,
along with a milking parlor and housing
for 600 milking goats. The retail shop
offers specialty cheeses, craft beers,
wines, ice cream and Wisconsin local
foods.
“This has truly been a labor of love
for our family,” says Larry Hedrich, general manager, LaClare Farms. “We are
proud to open one of the most modern
dairy processing facilities in the United
States producing the highest-quality
dairy products possible.”
The LaClare Farms dairy plant is
capable of processing cow, goat and
sheep milk products, including cheese,
cultured products and bottled milk. In
addition to crafting its own LaClare
Farms products, the Hedrichs perform
custom processing and aging, and they
work with other dairy entrepreneurs to
develop new products.
Figuring things out at the new plant
is a challenging and exciting process,
says Greg Hedrich, business manager,
LaClare Farms.
The entire facility offers public
viewing windows so visitors may see
firsthand what’s happening in the goat
milking parlor, dairy processing plant
and cheese aging rooms. From the café,
people can see into the parlor to witness
the milking and into the cheese aging
rooms as well.
“Things are going very well; we
opened piece by piece last year as things
were finished,” says Greg Hedrich. “It
really creates a great experience and
educates people.”
For visitors it is possible for people
to try every cheese LaClare creates. “It
has become a favorite thing for people
to come and experience in the evening,”
Greg Hedrich adds.
During the grand opening, LaClare
Farms officially introduced Martone, a
fresh surface-ripened cheese made with
a combination of cow’s milk and goat’s
milk. Available in plain and with an ash
coating, the cheese has a clean flavor
and pleasing tang with buttery characteristics, according to the company.
Martone is available in 3-ounce wheels.
“The release of the Martone was a
big thing last year,” Greg Hedrich says.
“Katie (Hedrich-Fuhrmann) spent a
couple years developing this product.
She was close for awhile, but continued
until it was exactly right.”
Martone has been well-received, and
during 2014 LaClare will be working to
secure and expand the product’s place
in the market.
LaClare will also continue to hone
in its new plant and other facilities.
“With the new plant, what’s fun is
that we can make products for us and
for other people,” Greg Hedrich says.
The company has a product in the
works for release in 2014. It’s described
as being a little different than typical
Cheddar, having many of the same
properties but accompanied by a fruity
flavor.
LaClare Farms’ flagship Evalon,
aged goat milk cheese patterned after
a Dutch style with hints of fruity notes
at the finish, continues to do well. Evalon placed third at the 2013 American
Cheese Society competition last August. In March, Evalon, made by Katie
Hedrich-Fuhrmann, was among the top
16 finalists at the World Championship
Cheese Contest. Evalon earned best of
class in the Hard Goat’s Milk Cheese
class at the contest.
“We placed well and that was very
exciting,” Greg Hedrich says. “Looking
forward we will maintain that cheese
and look to expanding our market share
on the East Coast and into California.
We want more people to know about
LaClare.
“We still have our core market in the
Midwest, and we will continue to grow
within that market,” he adds.
Like many dairy operations dependent on goat milk, Hedrich sees finding
goat’s milk as the big challenge for
this year.
“We want to help grow our plant by
being on the forefront to get more milk
in the door,” Greg Hedrich says. “We have
to help develop farms. We have big goals
to grow the milk supply and to help the
industry as a whole.”
51
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Land O’Lakes Inc.
Arden Hills, Minn.
Key executives: Chris Policinski,
pres. & CEO; John Ellenberger, sr. VP,
U.S. Dairy Foods; Dan Knutson, exec.
VP & CFO; Beth Ford, exec. VP & chief
supply chain and operations officer
Dairy plants: Orland, Calif.; Tulare,
Calif.; Pine Island, Minn.; Kent, Ohio;
Carlisle, Pa.; Kiel, Wis.; Spencer, Wis.
ventures: Melrose Dairy Proteins, Melrose, Minn. — JV partner Dairy Farmers
of America; Advanced Food Products,
Clear Lakes, Wis. — JV partner Bongrain SA
Website: www.landolakesinc.com
A look inside: In 2013, Land O’Lakes
Inc. delivered strong results and announced record annual sales of $14.2
billion, up 4.4 percent from the prior
year, and record net earnings of almost
$306 million, a 27 -percent increase over
the prior year.
The strong 2013 results continue a
trend of significant growth during which
the farmer-owned Fortune 200 food
and agriculture cooperative has more
than doubled annual sales and grown
net earnings by more than 330 percent
over the last seven years.
“Our strong 2013 performance builds
on our success of the last seven years,”
says Chris Policinski, president and
CEO, Land O’Lakes Inc. “The recordsetting year in Dairy Foods, combined
with the continued strong performance
of WinField (a distributor of crop
protection products and agricultural
seed), exemplify our commitment to
delivering the products, programs and
services that provide the greatest value
for our customers and members alike.”
Overall results for 2013 also included a record return of $147 million
to members, representing a 30-percent
increase in patronage compared to 2012.
This is the fifth consecutive year cash
to members has exceeded $100 million,
bringing the seven-year total to more
than $750 million.
Policinski notes a number of strong
performances across Land O’Lakes’
core businesses drove the favorable
year-end results including its Dairy Food
business, which had 101 percent yearover-year growth in pretax earnings.
For the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2013,
Land O’Lakes delivered net earnings
of $108 million, a 19-percent increase
compared to the fourth quarter of 2012.
“Our strategic direction is clear: Deliver strong financial performance while
continuing to enhance our capabilities
for future growth,” Policinski says. “We
will continue to make strategic invest-
ments in our core businesses — from
agriculture to animal nutrition to the
dairy case.”
Land O’Lakes’ Dairy Foods business
generated record pretax earnings of
$75 million on sales of $4.5 billion,
up 8 percent from 2012. This year’s
results, Dairy Foods’ highest earnings
ever, were driven by improved margins
on milk powders and butter in Global
Dairy Ingredients along with records
in sales volume and earnings in Land
O’Lakes’ Retail Foods and Foodservice
businesses.
In May, Land O’Lakes Inc. announced a realignment of its Eastern
Wisconsin milk supply strategy, including a multi-year investment in the milk
shed that includes increasing capacity
at its Kiel, Wis., plant, known for its
award-winning Cheddar and Monterey
Jack cheese production. The company also announced plans to cease
production and permanently close its
Denmark, Wis., plant.
As part of the realignment, the
company is making a multi-million
dollar investment to increase capacity
and expand receiving at its Kiel plant
through improvements in plant infrastructure. Among the improvements
at the Kiel facility will be new milk
silos, new cheese vats, upgraded whey
receiving and a new vat room.
“Wisconsin is a key growth area for
Land O’Lakes, and decisions such as
this will help us achieve our aggressive growth goals,” Policinski says.
“The investments at our Kiel plant will
provide our members with increased
opportunities to grow production in
this critical region for our company.”
The cooperative also says the decision to discontinue manufacturing
Provolone and Mozzarella products at
its Denmark plant is due to lack of profitability in recent years. The plant will
cease production and permanently close
July 1. Member milk that was shipped to
the Denmark facility will be sold to an
unrelated third party beginning July 1.
Land O’Lakes says this announcement follows a long review to determine
the best strategy to maximize growth opportunities and expand market access
for the company’s member-owners and
builds on the company’s plans to drive
smart, focused growth and strategy
to drive overall performance through
constant evaluation of all segments of
the business.
The total planned investment was
not released.
In December, Land O’Lakes announced the acquisition of Geosys, a
global technology firm that provides satellite imaging and insights to agribusiness. The acquisition caps a multi-year
relationship between Geosys and Land
O’Lakes through its WinField division.
“This acquisition further cements
Land O’Lakes’ position as a leader in
agribusiness,” Policinski says. “We are
developing tomorrow’s agricultural
technology today, and this acquisition
fits that strategic drive.”
Land O’Lakes Layers segment, conducted through Moark LLC, had pretax
losses in 2013 of $25 million, a $14
million improvement over 2012. While
the company was challenged in 2013 by
supply issues and high feed prices relative to egg prices, an extensive focus on
cost savings and improved operational
efficiency drove the improvement in
2013. Still, the decision was made to
divest this business.
Policinski notes that as Land
O’Lakes has added to its capabilities,
the cooperative also has explored new
platforms that expand its market access
and maximize the value of member
production.
Recognizing an untapped segment of
the dairy case, Land O’Lakes acquired
Kozy Shack in July 2012 to serve as a
foundation for the co-op’s expansion
into dairy-based snacks.
These efforts proved successful, as
Kozy Shack was a key contributor to
Dairy Foods’ strong 2013 in the brand’s
first full year as part of Land O’Lakes,
Policinski says.
Building on its “farm-to-market
approach,” Land O’Lakes’ Dairy Foods
business made a strategic investment
to make the Land O’Lakes brand more
relevant to the younger generation in
2013.
Based on research about how butter
is used by this generation, the cooperative introduced Saute Express Meal
Starter, a dinner solution for younger
families seeking convenient, flavorful
options. A pre-portioned combination
of butter, olive oil and a variety of
herbs and spices, Saute Express Meal
Starter can be added to a main dish of
chicken, pork or fish to create a meal.
The product recently earned a 2014
Better Homes and Gardens Best New
Product Award.
Land O’Lakes received other industry recognition over the past year as
well. Carol Kitchen, senior vice president/general manager of Land O’Lakes
Global Dairy Ingredients business, was
named 2013 Female Executive of the
Year by the Women in Agribusiness
National Advisory Board. Kitchen, who
has worked at Land O’Lakes for 15 years,
received the award during the Women
in Agribusiness Summit held in October
in Minneapolis.
Strategic Consulting for
Dairy and Food Companies
The McCully Group has worked with many of the
top dairy companies in North America as well as
major multi-national food companies.
Client engagements include:
■ Business Investment Analysis
• Strategic analysis of new product and market opportunities
• Optimization of supply chain costs
■ Procurement and Supply Chain Strategy
• Development of procurement strategies
• Organizational design studies
■ Commodity Risk Management
• Commodity risk management policy and procedures
• Commodity market analysis
The McCully Group, LLC
Mike McCully
312.646.0361
[email protected] • www.themccullygroup.com
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52
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Land O’Lakes products also received
industry recognition over the past year.
Cheese Contest, Land O’Lakes’ Aged
Cheddar and Medium Cheddar each
placed second in their respective
classes.
At last summer’s Wisconsin State
Fair Cheese & Butter Contest, Land
O’Lakes’ Aged Cheddar earned first
place in its class.
The cooperative’s Cheddar won first
place in its class at the 2013 World Dairy
Contest. In addition, Land O’Lakes’
Aged Cheddar won second and third
in its class at the contest.
At the 2013 National Milk Producers
Federation (NMPF) cheese contest,
Land O’Lakes’ Four Cheese Italian
Blend and Queso Cheese Dip won
first place awards in their respective
categories.
Land O’Lakes notes that to stay
ahead of the sustainability trend, the
cooperative took steps with industry
organizations this past year to develop
and implement high-impact programs
that meet customer expectations in a
manner that respects the individual
choices of its member-owners. As an
example, the co-op cites building on its
ongoing leadership in the area of animal
care through NMPF’s FARM program.
Land O’Lakes launched a new Farm
Smart tool on 30 member farms in 2013.
The pilot program, developed by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, creates
an environmental profile that includes
producers’ greenhouse gas footprints.
Last summer, the cooperative, in
partnership with the Midwest Dairy
Council (MDC), awarded six schools
with prize packages — ranging from
a supply of cheese to a visit from a pro
football alumni player — for their creative video submissions to the “Hero’s
Cheesy Challenge Celebration.”
The challenge, created through
a partnership with MDC and Land
O’Lakes, rewarded Fuel Up to Play
60-enrolled Iowa schools for engaging
in healthy eating and physical activity
behaviors.
Leprino Foods Co.
Denver
Key executives: James Leprino,
chairman; Dan Vecchiarelli, vice
chairman; Larry Jensen, pres.; Mike
Durkin, sr. VP & CFO; Kevin Burke,
sr. VP, global business development;
Tom Hegarty, sr. VP, production
operations; Terry Anderson, sr. VP,
production technical services; Mike
Reidy, sr. VP, corporate affairs; Jason
Eckert, sr. VP, global quality; Barbara
Kallay, sr. VP, human resources
Cheese plants: Lemoore, Calif. (2)
(Mozzarella, WPC-34, WPC-80 [regular & instantized], lactose); Tracy,
Calif. (Mozzarella, String cheese,
WPC-34, lactose); Fort Morgan,
Colo. (Mozzarella, WPC-80, lactose);
Greeley, Colo. (Mozzarella, WPC-80,
WPI, lactose, NDM); Allendale, Mich.
(Mozzarella, sweet whey); Remus,
Mich. (String cheese); Roswell,
N.M. (Mozzarella, WPC-34, lactose);
Waverly, N.Y. (Mozzarella, sweet
whey); Llangefni, Wales (JV with
Glanbia plc — Mozzarella,condensed
whey); Magheralin, Northern Ireland
(JV with Glanbia plc — Mozzarella,
WPC, permeate)
Website: www.leprinofoods.com
A look inside: Over the past year,
Leprino Foods Co. has streamlined
operations as it grows into the recent expansion at its newest plant
in Greeley, Colo., and focuses on
improvements at its Fort Morgan,
Colo., and Waverly, N.Y., sites.
“We’re at a point now where we’re
growing into the expansion that we’ve
recently completed in Greeley,” says
Mike Reidy, senior vice president of
corporate affairs, Leprino Foods.
“Our focus this year will largely be
on finishing the projects at our Fort
Morgan and Waverly plants.”
This past spring Leprino Foods began a significant construction project
in Fort Morgan to add String cheese
capability to the plant. The project
was completed at the end of 2013.
“We added the capability to swing
production from the existing product
line into String cheeses, so we now
can do both frozen shredded and
String cheese at the Fort Morgan
plant,” Reidy says.
At the Waverly plant, the company
is in the process of migrating from
production of shredded product to
ribbon product in mid-2014, he says.
The second phase of Leprino
Foods’ state-of-the-art facility in
Greeley also debuted last spring. The
first phase, which was completed
in 2011, included the plant’s nonfat dry milk processing, while the
second phase included additional
production of Mozzarella, WPC-80
and lactose.
“At this point we have reached our
full run rate on milk in phase two in
Greeley,” Reidy says.
The second phase also included
the launch of Leprino’s newest product, whey protein isolate.
Rapid growth in demand for dairy
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proteins continues throughout the
global marketplace, and customers
are requiring higher concentrations
of protein for more sophisticated
applications, Reidy notes.
As part of its growth and streamlining of operations, Leprino Foods
last fall announced the closure of its
Ravenna, Neb., facility. The plant,
which produced Mozzarella String
cheese and related protein and permeate, closed Nov. 8.
Leprino Foods says the difficult
but necessary decision was driven by
technological advances at its other
facilities, the changing milk supply situation in the region and the
company’s continuing commitment
to meet its customers’ requirements
now and in the future.
“We continue to meet our customers’ needs with the plant upgrades
and expansions we have put in place
and the milk supplies supporting our
facilities,” Reidy says. “We are utilizing the technological advances and
capacity increases at our other facilities, specifically at Fort Morgan.”
Reidy adds the decision was a
difficult one for the company.
“We remain very grateful to the
employees who dedicated their
service over the years,” he says.
About 173 positions were affected
by the closure, and employees were
offered plant severance pay, health
care benefit continuation assistance,
potential opportunities at other Leprino Foods locations with relocation
assistance and a retention bonus
program for employees who stayed
through the plant closing date.
In the year ahead, Leprino Foods
will continue its emphasis on its core
values — quality, service, competitive pricing and ethics — and ensuring the company is positioned to
deliver on those core values, Reidy
says.
“We continue to be highly responsive to our customers, both domestic
and international, innovating products of the highest quality for which
we will render our very high standards of customer service,” he says.
The company this past year received several customer Supplier of
the Year awards, Reidy notes.
Leprino Foods also was recognized
with the 2013-2014 Chairman’s Award
for Economic Development from the
Kings Economic Development Corp.,
Kings County, Calif., as well as Silver
Partner status from the Colorado
Department of Public Health and
Environment as part of its 2013-2014
Colorado Environmental Leadership Program, and a Green Shipper
Award from the Regional Air Quality
Council and Colorado Motor Carrier
Association.
In addition, Leprino Foods employee Amanda Keenan, product
analyst in the accounting department
53
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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and communications lead representative for the company’s Waverly plant,
was awarded a $1,000 2013 American
Dairy Products Institute Jim Page
Memorial Scholarship last spring. In
her role at Leprino Foods, Keenan has
assisted with the company’s updated
software systems and processes while
simultaneously pursuing a business
management degree from Empire
State College.
employee locker rooms and a new
maintenance area. The improvements
also include a new in-house pathogen
testing lab, which will significantly
reduce the time it takes for customers
to receive results.
The expansion — which is the third
in the last 12 years — will support
more volume growth and improve
product capabilities as the company
continues to expand its offerings
and customer base. The expansion is
expected to add about 50 jobs over
the next five years as it adds lines
and more shifts.
“Some of those job additions are
somewhat surprising considering all
the mechanization used throughout
our operation. We continually do more
with less,” says Jeff Giffin, president
and CEO, Masters Gallery Foods. “To
be expanding our workforce while
putting in labor-saving devices is a
testament to our volume growth.”
The company partners with cheesemakers who provide numerous cheese
varieties which are then processed,
packaged and sold by Masters Gallery Foods. Recent additions are
high-speed packaging lines for retail
shreds as well as a snack-stick line.
It continues to expand its stand-up
pouch offerings for retail sizes and
now has more flexibility for either
stand-up or pillow pack. Snack sticks
are a growing area which Masters Gal-
lery entered in January 2013.
“We’ve invested heavily in standup pouch capabilities and now have
multiple lines capable of running either stand-up pouches or pillow pack
shreds, whichever our customers desire,” says Jeffrey Gentine, executive
vice president and co-owner, Masters
Gallery Foods. “It’s a packaging trend
that is really being driven by retailers
to maximize space in the crowded
and valuable dairy case. The national
brands are going there, and many
of our private label customers have
actually been ahead of this trend.”
Giffin says that the company also
has focused on its exports, allowing
Masters Gallery Foods Inc.
Plymouth, Wis.
Key executives: Jeff Giffin, pres. &
CEO; Jeffrey Gentine, exec. VP & coowner; Jim Jirschele, VP, foodservice
sales; Dan MacPhee, VP, retail sales;
Dennis Kasuboski, VP, industrial
sales; Jodi Schoerner, VP, finance;
Mark Grasse, VP, operations; Tammy
Flora, VP, human resources; Sandy
Toney, VP, corporate quality & product
development; Tom Cain, dir., industrial sales; Brad Wackett, dir., food
ingredient sales; Andy Pfister, dir.,
procurement; Scott Brown, dir., information technology; Neal Moegenburg,
dir., manufacturing; Sara Willet, dir.,
quality assurance; Libby Rentmeester,
dir., product development; Tim Lenz,
dir., technical services
Cheese plant: Plymouth, Wis. (offering complete programs for: retail
— gusset or pillow pack, shreds,
cubes, dice, snack sticks, chunks and
slices; foodservice — 5-lb. through
15-lb. shreds, cubes, dice, blends,
restricted melt, special melt application, Cryovac and snack cheeses;
industrial — bulk 40-lb. to 640-lb.
blocks, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, aging programs,
raw material ingredients for soups,
crackers & barrels)
Website: www.mastersgalleryfoods.com
A look inside: This year Masters
Gallery Foods wraps up a major expansion that began in late 2012 at its
Plymouth, Wis., cheese plant. By this
summer the plant will have a total
of about 310,000 square feet, which
includes two new production rooms,
double the cooler space for both bulk
and finished goods storage, larger
For more information please visit www.mastersgalleryfoods.com
54
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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it to expand that part of its industrial
business as dairy exports in general
have grown. He notes there is more
world demand, which increases
cheese prices to the point that they
are competitive in the world market.
“Customers are increasingly looking to the United States for supply.
I think we are going to see exports
continue to grow for a long, long time,”
Giffin says.
Domestically, Gentine adds that
the company anticipates continued
growth in its aged and flavored
cheeses to meet the rising demand
for bolder, high-flavor cheeses.
“This trend is not only seen at the
retail level, but also with our foodservice and food ingredient customers
who are looking to drive flavor without necessarily using more cheese,”
Gentine says.
Besides remaining in front of
emerging trends, the company aims to
continue its focus on product quality,
customer service and being a good
employer within the community.
Masters Gallery Foods and its staff
received some notable honors this
past year, recognizing the company as
a leader within the cheese industry
and manufacturing arena.
In March, Masters Gallery Foods
was recognized as the 2013 Wisconsin
Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award
winner in the large company category.
The program, sponsored by Baker
Tilly, Michael Best and Friedrich
LLP, and Wisconsin Manufacturers
and Commerce, recognizes Wisconsin
manufacturers of all sizes and indus-
tries for their accomplishments as
well as for helping to build a better
quality of life for the citizens of their
communities.
“Thanks to the combined efforts
of Masters Gallery Foods’ team
members, this award recognizes the
environment we’ve created — one
that has extreme passion to succeed
and a willingness to go the extra mile,”
Giffin says.
“It’s an honor to be recognized outside of our industry, to know that our
efforts both internally and externally
have resonated on a state-wide level,”
Gentine adds.
The company was also honored by
the Plymouth, Wis., Chamber of Commerce with the 2013 Large Business
of the Year award. And for the 11th
consecutive year, Masters Gallery
Foods was selected as a “Wisconsin
75” company, a revenue-based annual
listing of the largest privately held
businesses in Wisconsin.
Sandy Toney, who last fall was promoted to vice president of corporate
quality and product development,
was one of four assistant chief judges
for this spring’s World Championship
Cheese Contest. Toney, who oversees
the graders at Masters Gallery Foods,
is the first woman in the contest’s
history to be selected as an assistant
chief judge.
At the 2013 World Dairy Expo
Championship Dairy Product Contest,
Toney’s quality team led Masters Gallery Foods and its supply partners to
receive three best of class awards,
including Sharp Cheddar (Land
O’Lakes, Kiel, Wis.), Aged Cheddar
(Land O’Lakes, Kiel, Wis.), and Reduced Fat Monterey Jack (Agropur,
Hull, Iowa). Masters Gallery Foods
also received third in the Open Class
Shredded Cheese class for its Sharp
Cheddar Blend.
Cheese Contest this spring, the
Masters Gallery team placed third
in the Open Class Shredded Cheese
class for its Gourmet Cheddar Blend
of Wisconsin, New York and Vermont
Cheddar Cheese, and fifth for its
Double Cheddar Blend.
Meister Cheese Co. LLC
Muscoda, Wis.
Key executives: Scott Meister,
pres.; Vicki Thingvold, chief flavor
development officer
Dairy plants: Meister Cheese Co.
LLC, Muscoda, Wis. (Cheddar; Colby;
Colby Jack; Fontina; Gouda; Havarti;
flavored Monterey Jack; Monterey
Jack; natural cheese in 40-lb. blocks,
13-inch longhorns & 6-inch deli horns;
on-site cut & wrap; private label programs); Muscoda Protein Products
LLP, Muscoda, Wis. (lactose, conventional & organic; WPC-34, WPC-80)
Website: www.meistercheese.com
A look inside: After completing
major expansions in 2011 to increase
production at its cheese and lactose
plants in Muscoda, Wis., Meister
Cheese Co. has more construction
Specialty Cheese for
Retail and Foodservice
Evoking Artisanal Quality to Build Your Brands
Meister Cheese prides itself on using local milk from family
farms practicing sustainable agriculture to make their
world-class cheese.
Whether you require a custom formulation or one of
our specialty cheeses, please call to discuss the
IDUUHDFKLQJEHQHÀWVRIDSDUWQHUZKRKDVEHHQ
practicing sustainability efforts that go far beyond
buzz words since our company was founded
in 1916.
Contact Scott Meister at 608.739.3134
to learn more about Meister Cheese Company.
Take a tour and learn more about our
sustainable practices that go back 100 years!
Meister C
Meister
Cheese
heese C
Company
ompany
608.
60
608.739.3134
8.73
739.
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For more information please visit www.meistercheese.com
planned for this year as it continues
to increase its output.
“We are expanding our plant and
equipment to increase 40-pound block
and 640-pound block production,”
says Scott Meister, president, Meister
Cheese Co.
Meister says the construction,
which is starting this spring, is expected to be complete by the new year.
Meister Cheese employs 75 people
and produces cheese six days a week.
The company manufactures “gourmetstyle” specialty cheeses that are
available in a number of formats. In
addition to its bulk cheese production, Meister Cheese can cut, package
and label for retail sale. Its specialty
cheese is marketed under the Käse
Meister brand, and the company also
makes cheese for private label.
Because of its diverse supply of
milk, Meister Cheese can produce
products certified to kosher, organic
or rbST-free specifications. Meister
Cheese also has its own “A Triple F,”
or “Animal Friendly Family Farms”
program, a partnership with Scenic
Central Milk Producers that recognizes ethical and sustainable methods of
production by Wisconsin dairy farms.
At last year’s American Cheese
Society competition, Meister’s Morel
Jack took third in the Monterey Jack
with Flavor Added — All Milks class.
This year’s World Championship
Cheese Contest awarded a second
place to Meister’s Colby Longhorn in
the Colby class and third place for
its Habanero Longhorn in the Pepper
Flavored Monterey Jack class.
Mt. Sterling Co-op Creamery
Mt. Sterling, Wis.
Key executives: Janice Schwennen, pres.; Patricia Lund, VP; Chad
Kubousek, VP; Al Schindelar, secretary/
treasurer; Rob Panuska, member at
large
Cheese plants: Mt. Sterling, Wis.
(raw milk goat Cheddars, goat jack
& flavors, goat Mozzarella & shreds,
goat Feta & crumbles, goat butter,
pasteurized goat Cheddars, raw milk
goat Bleus)
Websites: www.buymtsterling
goatcheese.com
A look inside: Mt. Sterling Co-op
Creamery is a member-owned and
operated cooperative that creates raw
cheese from goat’s milk. The owners
55
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
of family-operated dairy goat farms
supplying the co-op are united in their
desire to produce high-quality dairy
goat products.
Mt. Sterling introduced two new
raw goat’s milk cheeses, Sterling Bleu
and Smoked Sterling Bleu, over this
last year to its artisan cheese line.
The Smoked Bleu is naturally hardwood smoked. Mt. Sterling partnered
with the Caves of Faribault to age the
Sterling Bleu line of cheeses.
The company’s products are available at Wisconsin co-ops and online.
Mt. Sterling created its Whey
Cream Goat Butter in 1994, which is
credited with being the industry’s first
goat whey cream butter. At the 2013
American Cheese Society competition,
Mt. Sterling took home second place
for its Whey Cream Butter in the Cultures — Made From Goat’s, Sheep’s
or Mixed Milk category.
In 2013 the co-op purchased a
property adjacent to the factory and
is renovating a house on the property
to accommodate retail operations and
dry storage, both of which had been
housed in the cheese factory.
“We are still working on the remodeling,” says Patricia Lund, vice
president, Mt. Sterling. “We have a
property across from the factory, and
we’ll be adding some packaging and
storage area to it, hopefully finishing
up this summer.”
Over the course of the next year,
Mt. Sterling will be concentrated on
obtaining as much milk as possible and
taking advantage of a dairy industry
that has stabilized a little bit, Lund
adds.
Website: www.nasonvilledairy.com
A look inside: This past year Nasonville Dairy Inc. has focused on
producing cheeses for Omega Valley
Farmers LLC, a division of Heartland
Cooperative Services, Dorchester, Wis.
By contracting with farmers using a
proprietary feed blend, Omega Valley
Farmers offers cheese made with milk
that is naturally rich in omega-3.
The cheeses have moved into
several local grocery store chains
in Central Wisconsin and have been
sampled at trade shows, including
the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery
Association’s show and Fancy Food.
Ken Heiman, secretary and Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker, Nasonville
Dairy, converts the omega-3-rich milk
into white and yellow Cheddar, Farmers
and several flavors of Monterey Jack.
“We are working diligently on the
launch of the Omega-3 cheeses,” Heiman says, adding the cheeses will soon
be available at a major grocery chain.
“We’ve also been noticing that
American consumers seem to be on a
kick about getting things hotter and
hotter,” he adds. “To accommodate,
we’ve come out with a Smoked Ghost
Pepper Jack for our regular cheese
line.”
This spicy creation adds to Nasonville Dairy’s Omega 3 Jalapeno Pepper
Jack and Habanero Jack cheeses. The
Habanero Jack is described as an
Award-Winning
Goat Milk Cheeses
We are united in our desire to produce
high-quality dairy goat products:
FheZkY[h#emd[ZYecfWdo
IcWbb\Wc_bo\Whci1ikijW_dWXbocWdW][Z
HWmc_baY^[ZZWhi1Z_l[hi[fheZkYjb_d[
IcWbb#XWjY^"^WdZi#edfheY[ii_d]
DWj_edWbcWha[jZ_ijh_Xkj_ed
intense chili intended for those who
enjoy a lot of heat.
Nasonville Dairy has not only
expanded its product line, but its
headquarters as well.
“We finished the 10,000-square-foot
expansion on the cooler to store Feta
and Cheddar, and added a new Feta
curing area,” Heiman says. “We also
added new docks, new locker rooms
and new parking lots.”
Nasonville Dairy’s Feta was granted
a third place award in its class at the
American Cheese Society’s competition last fall.
Looking to the upcoming year, Heiman says Nasonville Dairy will work to
s3TERLING2ESERVE
s2AW-ILK#HEDDARS
s#OUNTRY*ACK#HEESES
s-OZZARELLA
s&ETA
Flavorful, natural taste in every bite.
There is a choice for every need.
Nasonville Dairy Inc.
Marshfield, Wis.
Key executives: Kim Heiman, pres;
Arnold Heiman, VP; Ken Heiman, secretary; Kelvin Heiman, treasurer
Cheese plants: Marshfield, Wis.
(Asiago, Brick, Cheddar, cheese
blends, Colby, Colby-Monterey Jack,
Cotija, Farmers cheese, Feta, Fontina,
Monterey Jack, Muenster, Parmesan,
pizza cheese, Queso Blanco, Queso
Blanco Para Freir, Queso Cincho,
Romano, yogurt cheese); Abbotsford,
Wis. (flavored cheese, cheese blends)
45 million lbs.
46 million lbs.
PRODUCER OWNED SINCE 1976
Patricia Lund
Mt. Sterling Co-op Creamery
P. O. Box 103
Mt. Sterling, WI 54645
563.387.7701s866.289.4628
[email protected]
www.buymtsterlinggoatcheese.com
For more information please visit www.buymtsterlinggoatcheese.com
56
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
become more and more transparent
to its customers. Customers have
become extremely influential in how
the market is shaped and whether
products are organic, grass-fed,
ranged or rBST-free, he adds.
“We have to be able to satisfy their
curiosity, and to be able to satisfy
them, we have to prove our products,”
Heiman says. “The omega-3 project
is provable.”
Nasonville Dairy will look to fulfill the needs of consumers over the
next year and to secure its place in
the industry.
“Wisconsin alone has around
630 different kinds of cheeses, so
we’d like to use this past year as a
benchmark to centralize our line,
meaning some products may have to
go,” Heiman says. “We’re also looking at the whey business to see if we
should be there.”
The company is becoming more
and more involved with the world
market as its customer base starts
to widen.
“The world market is knocking on
the door of the United States, whether
that be China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil,
and its outstanding to me,” Heiman
says. “If the country can continue to
export at a certain level we can be in
a comfortable position to keep dairy
farmers and plants healthy, and become a world-renowned market. We’ll
be looking to fulfill that market.”
Norseland Inc.
Darien, Conn.
Ownership: TINE SA, Oslo, Norway
Key executives: John Sullivan, pres.
& CEO; Linda Karaffa, VP; Carter Califri,
general mgr., sales & marketing
Cheese plants: Norseland primarily
imports and markets specialty cheese
and owns a U.S. facility to produce
Jarlsberg products
Website: www.jarlsbergusa.com,
www.norseland.com
Lite and a spinning bike giveaway
on Facebook. The upcoming summer
promotion will feature the “Jarlsberger,” a term Norseland coined for
a hamburger using Jarlsberg cheese.
It also will include an in-store $1-off
coupon and a chance to win a ProGrill on Facebook during the grilling
season.
Earlier this year Norseland also
relaunched its Jarlsberg USA website
to reflect parent company TINE’s
global messaging for 2014. The website features recipes, promotions
and videos, and its theme, “Yours
to Share,” focuses on the Jarlsberg
experience and encourages interaction with consumers by connecting
the joy of eating Jarlsberg to lifestyle
occasions.
“For over five decades, Jarlsberg
has played a key role in developing
the specialty cheese category and
experience, becoming a favorite
brand in the United States,” says
Carter Califri, Norseland’s general
manager of sales and marketing. “In
the digital space, we communicate
premium by shifting the focus on
lifestyle: celebrating the act of giving,
A look inside: Norseland Inc.
this past year has introduced and
promoted several new products,
both under its flagship Jarlsberg
brand and in other imported brands
it represents.
The newest product under the
Jarlsberg specialty cheese brand
is Jarlsberg Minis — a 100-percent
natural cheese snack. The new 20gram minis are individually dipped
in wax and wrapped in cellophane,
crafted to replicate the distinct Jarlsberg wheel but in a convenient snack
size. Jarlsberg Minis are available in
3.57-ounce bags of five.
To promote its Jarlsberg cheeses,
Norseland has launched an integrated themed promotion, “Get a
Little Mild, Mellow and Nutty.” The
promotions will run throughout the
year during key seasonal periods
— Winter, Summer, Back to School,
Tailgating and Holiday — with eyecatching point of sale to help generate excitement in stores nationwide
and engage consumers online with
contests, coupons and seasonal
recipes.
The latest promotion, which ran
Feb. 1-April 30, featured Jarlsberg
A&B Process Systems designs, fabricates &
installs the finest Process Systems available!
ON TIME & IN BUDGET
We are located in the heart of Dairyland having
decades of experience serving the dairy industry.
We inspect, & test our products and components
to precise standards using the latest technology
in our Hygienic & A.S.M.E. Certified facilities.
Ken Heiman, Master Cheesemaker
From humble beginnings to time-honored
traditions, Nasonville Dairy always offers
“A Family Tradition of Quality.”
s /VER6ARIETIES3TYLESAND4YPESOF
!WARD7INNING#HEESE
s %XTENSIVE5NIQUE#HEESESFROM
4RADITIONALTO3PECIALTY
s #RAFTEDBYA-ASTER#HEESEMAKER
s #ONSISTENT!FFORDABLY0RICED0RODUCT
s 4HIRD'ENERATION7ISCONSIN$AIRY
3UPPORTING,OCAL$AIRY&ARMERS
Explore our online store and product
offerings by visiting our website at
www.nasonvilledairy.com
Products: (not limited to)
Clean-in-Place (CIP)
Mix Tanks
Melt Systems
Process Piping Installation
HTST & Vat Pasteurization
HTST Balance Tanks
HTST Hold Tubes
VacuShear®
Flavor Vats
Batching & Blending Systems
Transfer Panels
Modular Process Systems
Water & Wastewater Management
Services Provided: (not limited to)
Process Engineering
Custom Design & Fabrication
Automation & Controls
Factory Acceptance Testing
Installation
Documentation
Start-up & Training
Nasonville Dairy
(WY7EST
-ARSHlELD7)
0HONE
&AX
Email: [email protected]
www.nasonvilledairy.com
For more information please visit www.nasonvilledairy.com
201 S Wisconsin Ave Stratford WI 54484
Call today 888.258.2789
visit us at www.abprocess.com
For more information please visit www.abprocess.com
57
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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the joy of sharing and the benefit of
knowing your favorite cheese brand
— Jarlsberg.”
In addition to the Jarlsberg promotions, the Norseland marketing and
sales departments this past year also
have introduced and promoted several new products and programs for
its Snøfrisk, Ilchester, Woolwich Dairy,
Garcia Baquero, Old Amsterdam and
Gabriella brands.
Ilchester’s product development
team plans to introduce several new
British specialty blended cheeses
this year and recently introduced an
aged version of the brand’s popular
Applewood smoked Cheddar, Vintage
Applewood, made with PDO matured
Cheddar.
Woolwich Dairy has introduced four
new flavors to its Chevrai brand of fresh
unripened goat cheese: Fig Balsamic,
Sweet Pepper Heat, Thai Fusion and
Lemon Lime. Woolwich Dairy also recently introduced its Wholesome Goat
fresh, spreadable Chevres, available in
Plain & Simple, Big Kick Herb & Garlic,
and Coco Loco varieties.
Westland’s Old Amsterdam, a premium aged Gouda from Holland with a
rich, robust flavor and smooth texture,
is now available in new “easy open”
individually wrapped half-ounce snack
portions.
Finally, Lotito Foods’ Gabriella
brand has unveiled a new Caprese Salad
Kit, which includes Ciliegini fresh Mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes
and pre-measured basil sauce.
“Open and mix to make a delicious
freshly-made Caprese salad,” Califri
says. “It’s great for use behind the deli
case, for fresh salads, or pack out and
pre-price individual containers.”
Califri also notes that Spanish
cheesemaker Garcia Baquero, which
Norseland represents, was awarded a
“Super Gold” at the 2013 World Cheese
Awards held in England last September
for its Cinco Lanzas — a 16-month aged
cheese made with sheep’s, goat’s and
cow’s milk for a balanced and complex
flavor profile and smooth, creamy finish. Garcia Baquero’s Manchego Curado
also was listed as one of 2013’s 101 best
cheeses in Culture magazine.
Partnering with Whole Foods Market
stores, Norseland has entered its second
year of a program where it will donate
25 cents to the Whole Planet Foundation for each pound of Snøfrisk cheese
wheels and spreads purchased by Whole
Foods stores.
“We are so honored to be the first
ever cheese supplier partner,” Califri
says of the program. “Because Whole
Foods Market covers all of the operating
costs of the foundation, 100 percent of
Norseland’s contributions and generosity will help empower micro entrepreneurs to change their own lives. Through
this partnership, we aim to raise more
than $10,000 to help fund poverty alleviation through microcredit to help
entrepreneurs in developing countries
lift themselves out of poverty.”
Old Europe Cheese Inc.
Benton Harbor, Mich.
Ownership: Reny Picot ILAS, Madrid, Spain
Key executives: Francois Capt,
general mgr.; Michael Balane, national
sales mgr.
Cheese plant: Benton Harbor,
Mich. (Brie, baked Brie, Camembert,
Camembert Fermier, Carre St. Joseph,
Gouda, natural smoked Gouda, Edam
loaf, Edam balls, Fontina, American
Manchego)
more than 6 million lbs.
Estimated 2013 sales: more than
$23 million
Estimated 2014 sales: more than
$25 million
Website: www.oldeuropecheese.com
A look inside: Old Europe Cheese
Inc. continues to build its product
portfolio and invest in its manufacturing facility in Benton Harbor, Mich.
This past year, the company added
a dry storage building and reconfigured the on-site smoke house. It also
will add more cooler space in the
bakery and rearrange some machinery
to create more flow.
“In 2015 we will be adding on to
our curing cellars and should be done
by July,” says Francois Capt, general
manager, Old Europe Cheese. “This
will give us 33 percent more softripened cheese curing room capacity.”
With this addition, the company
will not need to make many changes
in the near future. It concentrates on
NEW
1RUVHODQG,QF_3DUNODQGV'ULYH6XLWH_'DULHQ&7_ZZZQRUVHODQGFRP_ZZZMDUOVEHUJXVDFRP
For more information please visit www.norseland.com
58
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
maintaining a good flow and developing at a manageable rate, Capt adds.
“Old Europe Cheese continues to
expand our line of award-winning
cheeses, yet still focuses on the core
items that have led to our success,”
says Michael Balane, national sales
manager, Old Europe Cheese. “One
should never compromise the quality
of the stalwart cheeses for the sake
of the next fading trend.”
This past year, Old Europe Cheese
introduced American Morbier wheels.
The company describes these wheels
as a creamy soft cheese with a tangy
flavor, featuring a layer of vegetable
ash in the middle, following French
tradition.
“The Morbier made a great showing
at the World (Championship Cheese)
Contest,” Capt says. “It is available in
7-pound wheels or cut in 7- or 9-ounce
slices.”
Morbier placed third in the Flavored Soft Ripened Cheeses class at
the 2014 World Championship Cheese
Contest. Old Europe Cheese’s Brie
with Herb Layer garnered best of
class honors at the contest, and its
Camembert achieved a second place
finish in its class.
During the 2013 American Cheese
Society competition, Old Europe
Cheese attained first place for its
3-kilogram Triple Cream Brie in the
Soft Ripened/Cream Added — All
Milks class.
Other new products for the company include the launch of Camembert
Traditional, a cheese described as
creamy, smoother and more lactic in
flavor. For this product, Old Europe
Cheese commissioned a French artist
to create the label.
“We launched a 7- and 8-ounce
slicing Brie,” Capt says. “Our goal
is to sell as much as possible in one
size to make nice packaging, which
is not easy in the beginning. We are
confident these sizes will work well.”
It’s Gold,
Silver and
Bronze For
Reny Picot!
Tradition, flavor and quality
come together to create this
year’s prestigious 2014 World
Championship Cheese Winners.
GOLD: Brie – Triple Créme
Layered with Herbs
• Using Only The Freshest Milk
• Carefully Handcrafted
• Made By Award-Winning
Cheesemakers
• Delectable Flavors in a
Variety of Sizes
SILVER: Camembert
BRONZE: American Morbier –
French Style Cheese
Old Europe Cheese also put a
couple layered Bries on its line with
its Triple Crème Herb Layered Brie
and Triple Crème Pepper Layered
Brie. The Herb Layered Brie begins
with the company’s hand-crafted 70
percent Brie and adds to it a blend of
herbs and middle layer of seasoning.
The Pepper Layered Brie starts with
the same Brie, and then finishes with
a five-pepper blend and middle layer
of seasoning.
“We have a new plain baked Brie
coming out in the 8-ounce as a new
item this year,” Capt says. “We’re also
going to be launching a cherry-filled
Brie. Cherry is something people
like here, and it should be very wellreceived.”
Old Europe Cheese this year was
awarded Safe Quality Foods Level 3
Certification. This indicates a comprehensive implementation of food
safety and quality management systems development, the company says.
“We are going to continue our
growth with an emphasis on maintaining our high-quality standards that
separates Old Europe Cheese from
its competitors,” Balane says.
“The certification was a big deal,”
Capt adds. “After 25 years there are a
lot of changes, and we spend a lot of
money and time on food safety. We’re
always trying to improve.”
The company will continue to introduce new items and grow its existing
portfolio with its customer base, keeping a balance and not over-saturating
the marketplace, Balane adds.
From a marketing standpoint,
Old Europe Cheese will continue its
program of individualizing promotions
specific to customer needs.
“With current economic conditions, many retailers have been looking more to everyday low price strategy
programs to offer their consumers
the best possible value,” Balane says.
Old Europe Cheese is in the process
of updating its website and plans to do
a full label design review to freshen
the look of the Reny Picot banner.
“Always A Cut Above
The Rest” . . . Indulge yourself
and your customers with
only the best from Reny Picot
Organic Valley Family of
Farms/CROPP
SPECIAL MENTION:
Brie - Triple Créme Layered with
Six Peppercorn Blend
La Farge, Wis.
RENY PICOT CHEESES, PROUDLY
HAND-CRAFTED BY OLD EUROPE CHEESE
SPECIAL MENTION:
Natural Smoked Gouda
1330 East Empire Ave. • Benton Harbor, MI 49022
800.447.8182 • 269.925.5003 • Fax: 269.925.9560
www.oldeuropecheese.com
For more information please visit www.oldeuropecheese.com
Key executives: George Siemon,
CEO; Mike Bedessem, CFO; Louise
Hemstead, COO; Eric Newman, VP, sales;
Theresa Marquez, mission exec.; Jerry
McGeorge, dir., cooperative affairs
Cheese plants: Organic Valley
partners with 25 processing facilities located throughout Wisconsin,
59
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
Minnesota, California, Idaho, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Vermont and South
Dakota to produce organic cheeses to
the company’s specifications. Organic
Valley operates its own cheese cut and
wrap facility in La Farge, Wis., where
it converts items including 8-oz., 1-lb.
and 2-lb. exact weight bars and 5-lb.
foodservice loaves
9.72 million lbs. hard dairy; 2.5 million
lbs. cream cheese; 3.12 million lbs.
cottage cheese
8.83 million lbs. hard dairy; 2.33 million
lbs. cream cheese; 3.1 million lbs. cottage cheese
Market segments for cheese: 84.1% retail; 1.6% foodservice; 14.3% ingredients
Website: www.organicvalley.coop
A look inside: During 2013, the
cooperative’s 25th anniversary year,
Organic Valley Family of Farms/CROPP
completed its distribution center expansion in Cashton, Wis., which added an
additional 33,000 square feet to the
existing building. Additionally, Organic
Valley installed a 5,000-gallon biodiesel
fueling station near its headquarters
in La Farge, Wis., for use in its local
vehicle fleet.
Organic Valley farmer-owners installed seven on-farm renewable energy
projects in Wisconsin, Iowa, Vermont,
Michigan and Ohio, producing approximately 200,000 kilowatt-hours of clean
energy annually. The company’s installations produced more than 80 percent
more clean, renewable energy in 2013
than the previous year.
“2013 had its challenges,” says
George Siemon, CEO and founding
farmer, Organic Valley. “Our cooperative spirit is what has always helped
us overcome challenges. In some ways
it was fitting that we tapped into our
cooperative spirit more than ever in
our 25th anniversary year.”
In May 2013, a fire burned down more
than half of Organic Valley’s La Farge
headquarters. Although 600 employees
were displaced, no one was injured.
Organic Valley was back in business the
next day fulfilling orders.
“While our material losses were
painful, we are so very grateful that
no one was harmed,” Siemon says.
“We are incredibly thankful to the
community members, volunteer firefighters and emergency personnel
for their heroic efforts and ongoing
support.”
The rebuild of the headquarters
is currently on schedule, with the
central section of the building more
than 90 percent complete and the
remaining west section to be completed soon.
Organic Valley introduced numerous
new products throughout the previous
year including: 8-ounce Grassmilk
Raw Cheddar and 8-ounce Grassmilk
Raw Sharp Cheddar; 64-ounce Lactose
Free Whole Milk; 32-ounce Lactose
Free Half & Half; 8-ounce Whole Milk
Single Serves; and 64-ounce Organic
Valley Grassmilk (available in whole, 2
percent and skim).
At the Los Angeles International
Dairy Competition 2013, Organic Valley
received gold awards for its European
Style Butter (cultured and unsalted),
Pasture Butter, Cream Cheese, half and
half and pasteurized whole milk.
At the 2013 World Dairy Expo
Championship Dairy Product Contest,
Organic Valley’s cultured butter took
first place and its Blue Cheese and
European Style Butter each took third
place in their respective classes.
Organic Valley’s salted butter
brought home a third place award at
the 2013 American Cheese Society
competition.
The company’s Organic Pasteurized
Mild Cheddar garnered a third place
finish at this year’s World Championship
Cheese Contest in the Cheddar, Mild (0
to 3 months) class.
Organic Valley remains committed
to supporting national causes, local
organizations, schools and farmers
through $2.6 million in donations in
2013, up from $2.2 million in 2012. It
also has approved 56 new jobs to fill in
the year to come.
In December a study conducted by
Washington State University, and peerreviewed by scientific journal PLOS
ONE, showed organic milk as being
nutritionally superior and garnered
national media coverage for Organic
Valley.
“It was gratifying to read in a scientific journal what our farm families have
known for a long time,” Siemon says.
Pacific Cheese Co. Inc.
Hayward, Calif.
Key executives: Steve Gaddis, pres.
& CEO; Tony Ricker, COO; Lee Davis, VP,
operations & quality; George Cornell,
VP, industry relations; Dale Tate, CFO;
Bob Leonard, sr. VP, sales
Cheese plants: Hayward, Calif.; Reno,
Nev.; Amarillo, Texas (all include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, blended
shreds for foodservice; Reno plant includes process American cheeses)
Website: www.pacificcheese.com
A look inside: Pacific Cheese Co.
Inc. continues to invest in its people,
equipment and technology to expand
its manufacturing capabilities and
production capacity.
Pacific Cheese offers a variety of
cheese for foodservice and retail environments, both under private labels
and its own brands including Cheswick,
North Beach, Pacific Blue, California
Select Farms and others. Its product
line includes natural and process commodity cheeses, specialty and artisan
varieties, international imports and
popular Hispanic-style cheeses.
Among the cheese categories Pacific
Cheese markets are: fresh and softripened cheeses such as Ricotta and
Brie; blue-veined cheeses like traditional Blue and Gorgonzola; Pasta Filata
cheeses like Mozzarella and Provolone;
and semi-hard and hard cheeses such as
Cheddar and Parmesan. The company
offers these in a variety of cut styles. In
addition, it offers organic, kosher and
rbST-free cheese varieties.
In the past year, significant investments have been made to Pacific
Cheese’s newer production facilities
located in Reno, Nev., and Amarillo,
Texas, the company says.
In Reno, Pacific Cheese added new,
more efficient shredding machines,
which have doubled capacity for highspeed cheese shredding for foodservice
and bulk items for domestic and international sales.
In Amarillo, Pacific Cheese has not
only increased shred capacity, it also
has added new equipment to expand
production of cut-and-wrap cheese for
use in retail, as well as 5- and 10-pound
loaves of cheese for use in foodservice
operations.
When it comes to quality, Pacific
Cheese is committed to achieving the
industry’s highest food safety standards,
the company says. This year, Pacific
Cheese’s plant in Reno will achieve
certification from the Safe Quality Foods
(SQF) program. With this certification in Reno, Pacific Cheese will have
achieved SQF certification in all of its
manufacturing facilities.
“This certification is proof that Pacific Cheese is committed to producing
safe, quality cheese,” says Steve Gaddis,
President and CEO, Pacific Cheese. SQF
is a food safety management program
that is recognized by the Global Food
Safety Initiative. This certification is a
globally-recognized standard of excellence in the food industry.
In the year ahead, Pacific Cheese
will focus on growing its cream cheese
business by focusing on increasing sales
to industrial and foodservice customers.
Pacific Cheese says its cream cheese,
made at its California plant, features
Pacific Cheese is a leading provider of consolidation, import-export
and manufacturing services. We blend a tradition of superior customer
service, state-of-the-art technology and broad market access with
extensive product availability. By providing a critical link between
manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer, Pacific Cheese is a leader
in custom product management.
Manufacturing
& Processing
Importing &
Exporting Services
s Organic s Kosher
s Custom Cheese Production
s Container Sharing
s Conversion
Contract Marketing
Consolidation &
Logistical Support
s Trading Programs
s Support Services
s Out-Sourcing
s Customized
s Complete
Packaging & Shredding
s Foodservice s Deli
s2ETAILs)NDUSTRIAL
PACIFIC CHEESE COMPANY
21090 Cabot Boulevards P.O. Box 56598sHayward, CA 94545-6598
Phone: (510) 784-8800sFax: (510) 784-1053sWebsite: www.pacificcheese.com
For more information please visit www.pacificcheese.com
60
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
an ultra fresh taste and smooth, creamy
texture. It is ideal for baking and adds
a creamy texture to cheesecakes and
richness to sauces, dips and spreads,
the company notes.
The company also continues to grow
its social media presence with its Twitter
and Facebook pages, as well as a blog
featuring recipes and other cheese facts
at www.pacificcheese.com/community.
Pine River Pre-Pack Inc.
Newton, Wis.
Key executives: Phil Lindemann,
pres. & CEO; Barth Lindemann, secretary/treasurer; Mary Lindemann,
dir., marketing
Cheese plant: Newton, Wis. (cold
pack cheese food)
Website: www.pineriver.com
A look inside: Pine River Pre-Pack
Inc., which marked its 50th anniversary
in 2013, continues to innovate with its
award-winning cheese spreads.
A producer of cold pack cheese food,
Pine River Pre-Pack focuses on making
quality, consistent and safe products,
says Mary Lindemann, marketing director, Pine River.
“We have a talented staff who truly
cares about quality, consistency and
food safety,” Lindemann says. “Pine
River’s success is a reflection of the
entire team, not any one individual
department.”
Success is a tradition at Pine
River, which garnered several industry
awards this past year.
Cheese Contest, Pine River Pre-Pack
swept the Cold Pack Cheese, Cheese
Food class, with its Chunky Bleu Flavor
Cold Pack Cheese Food, Garlic & Herb
Cold Pack Cheese Food and Extra Sharp
Cheddar Cold Pack Cheese Food taking
first, second and third, respectively.
Pine River also placed second in the
Cold Pack Cheese Spreads class with
its Garden Vegetable Cold Pack Cheese
Spread at the contest.
We use only the highest quality Wisconsin cheese
and dairy ingredients in “high percentages per
batch” to help create consistent, award-winning
cold pack cheese food.
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Offering a Full Flavor Line:
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s(ORSERADISH
s*ALAPENO
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Celebrating Championship Awards in All of These Contests!
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Call us today
to learn more!
Pine River Pre-Pack, Inc.
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For more information please visit www.pineriver.com
At the 2013 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product contest held last
fall, Pine River swept the Cold Pack
Cheese, Cheese Food, Cheese Spread
class, with its Sharp Cheddar Cold Pack
Cheese Food, Chunky Bleu Cold Pack
Cheese Food and Port Wine Cold Pack
Cheese Food taking first, second and
third, respectively.
At last summer’s American Cheese
Society competition, Pine River was
awarded third place in the Open Category Cold Pack Style — All Milks class
for its Chunky Bleu Flavor Cold Pack
Cheese Food.
The award-winning Chunky Bleu
Flavor Cold Pack Cheese Food is a newer
addition to the lineup, Lindemann
notes. The company also rolled out a
new Cheddar spread in the past year.
“We strive for consistency with our
spreads,” she says. “You know when you
buy a cup of Pine River spread it is always
going to be delicious and creamy!”
Pine River makes two types of cheese
spread: Cold Pack and Snack Spread.
They are distinguished by the method
of mixing and ingredients, the company
notes.
Cold Pack is made by blending cuts
of Grade A Wisconsin natural Cheddar,
aged nine months, with cream and other
dairy ingredients. Herbs, spices or nuts
are added to create unique flavors.
Snack Spread is made by blending
cuts of Grade A Wisconsin Cheddar
and other choice ingredients. A variety of popular flavors are made by
adding herbs or spices. In processing,
it’s heated to make it less sensitive to
temperature changes in shipping and
storage.
Two of Pine River’s cheese spreads
were featured last fall on the QVC television network in a product bundle that
also included summer sausages made
by Echo Valley Meats. The package featured the company’s pasteurized snack
spread in Swiss and Cheddar flavors.
With the company now marking
its 51st year in business, Lindemann
notes Pine River’s marketing strategy
continues to focus on getting spreads
in people’s mouths.
“We attend trade shows and participate in opportunities when asked
to serve our spreads to folks,” she says.
Lindemann adds that Pine River
also uses social media, including the
company’s Facebook page, and has an
online store to make products available
nationwide.
“We are constantly monitoring flavor
trends and grocery store buying habits,”
she says, noting that Pine River is looking to roll out some new flavors at this
year’s International Deli-Dairy-Bakery
Association conference in June.
The company hopes to do more with
social media and begin working with
Twitter and Pinterest as well, Lindemann notes.
Looking ahead, Pine River is tentatively planning to build another warehouse in 2015 to house its Cheddar block
inventory as it ages. The company also
is working to become SQF (Safe Quality
Foods) certified this year.
Lindemann notes that Pine River is
working toward being prepared for new
safety rules being rolled out as part of
the Food Safety Modernization Act.
In the year ahead, Pine River actively
is pursuing distributorship on the West
Coast as well as in Canada, Lindemann
notes.
“We plan to achieve that by making
the best cold pack cheese spread at
the best price,” she says. “We hope to
achieve increased business and happy,
long-term customers. We envision people enjoying our spreads at home with
family and friends and having it become
a regular item on their grocery list.”
The company is always looking to
grow in the “niche” private label market,
Lindemann adds.
Rogue Creamery
Central Point, Ore.
Key executives: Cary Bryant, coowner, CEO; David Gremmels, coowner & pres.; Francis Plowman, dir.,
marketing; Craig Nelson, plant mgr. &
lead cheesemaker; Tyler Bare, financial
controller
Cheese plant: Central Point, Ore.,
including cut & wrap operation (aged &
flavored milled, handmade Cheddars,
handmade Cheddar curds, TouVelles
& Blues: Oregon Blue, Oregonzola,
Crater Lake Blue, Rogue River Blue,
Echo Mountain Blue, Smokey Blue,
Caveman Blue, Flora Nelle Blue, Blue
Heaven Blue cheese powder, TouVelle,
Smokey TouVelle, Rosemary TouVelle,
Lavender TouVelle, medium Cheddar,
sharp Cheddar, extra sharp Cheddar,
raw milk Cheddar, Soba Ale Cheddar,
Chocolate Stout Cheddar, Hopyard
Cheddar, Cacow Belle, 80th Anniversary Ale Cheddar, plain curds, pesto
curds, garlic curds, jalapeno curds,
chipotle curds)
Website: www.roguecreamery.com
A look inside: Rogue Creamery,
which celebrated its 80th anniversary
this past year, upgraded its historic
80-year-old cheese shop to coincide
with a facelift on Front Street where
the shop is located in Central Point, Ore.
To celebrate its 80th year, Rogue
Creamery introduced several new beer
Cheddars such as its 80th Anniversary
Cheddar in partnership with Rogue
Ales, says Francis Plowman, director
61
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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of marketing, Rogue Creamery.
“The 80th Anniversary Ale recipe
was a joint project between the owners
of Rogue Creamery and the brewmaster of Rogue Ales to create a unique
ale that became the inspiration for
the cheese,” he says. “The ale was
formulated to be an ideal complement
to Rogue Creamery’s signature Blue
cheeses.”
The partnership between Rogue
Creamery and Rogue Ales has been
ongoing for more than 10 years as
the companies have collaborated on
four different beer cheeses including
Chocolate Stout, Morimoto Soba Ale
and Hopyard in addition to the anniversary creation.
Rogue Creamery in March also
held the 10th annual Oregon Cheese
Festival, which kicked off with a Meet
the Cheesemakers and Winemakers
Dinner. Festival attendees sampled
cow, sheep and goat’s milk cheeses
from Oregon creameries, and activities for children including games and
baby cow petting also were provided.
Rogue Creamery early this year
made history when it registered as
an “Oregon Benefit Company” with
Oregon Secretary of State Kate
Brown. The creamery registered Jan.
2, the first day a new state law went
into effect that allows businesses to
build social responsibility into their
bylaws. Oregon has become the 20th
state to allow formation of “benefit”
corporations, an alternative business
structure that allows companies to
consider a wider range of goals as
part of their mission.
David Gremmels, co-owner and
president, Rogue Creamery, notes
that Oregon is “a great state in which
to do business, and with the ‘B’ company classification, businesses like
Rogue Creamery have an excellent
opportunity to make an impact in the
communities where they operate.”
Gremmels notes that sustainability
is the culture at Rogue Creamery and
that the company is committed to
organic practices and is working toward having all suppliers organicallycertified.
“Under B company registration,
Rogue Creamery will build upon its
work in our community to further
awareness of Oregon dairy and
American farmstead and artisan
cheesemakers; sponsor and support
programs that increase opportunities for public education to increase
awareness of diversity, sustainability,
environment and artisan food; and
develop long-term conservation, recycling, renewable green energy and
sustainable and organic agriculture
programs through its Nellie Green
Pedal Power Program including the
bike commute initiative,” he says.
Rogue Creamery also is committed
to making high-quality cheeses. At last
summer’s American Cheese Society
competition, Rogue Creamery placed
first and second in the Blue-Veined
With a Rind or External Coating —
Made From Cow’s Milk class with its
Rogue River Blue and Caveman Blue,
respectively. In addition, the creamery’s Smokey Blue placed second and
its Echo Mountain Blue placed third in
their respective classes at the contest.
At this spring’s World Championship Cheese Contest, Rogue Creamery
received third place in the BlueVeined, Exterior Molding class for
Rogue River Blue.
In addition to product recognition,
Rogue Creamery co-owners Gremmels
and Cary Bryant were presented the
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Director’s Impact Award last spring
by Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber at the
SBA Small Business Week Luncheon
at the Portland Art Museum. Each
spring, the SBA recognizes small
businesses across the country during
Small Business Week. The award recognizes a commitment to community
and sustainability.
In addition, Rogue Creamery last
year ranked No. 10 on Oregon Business magazine’s “100 Best Green
Companies,” the fourth consecutive
year the creamery has been ranked as
one of Oregon’s best green companies.
“Sustainability is part of the culture at Rogue Creamery,” Gremmels
says. “It has been for 80 years. Rogue
Creamery is a small company striving to be a big example of a socially,
environmentally and economically
sustainable business. We are doing
business simply and purely in a supportive community filled with Blue
cheese lovers.”
Stone City, S.D.; Almena, Wis.; Fond
du Lac, Wis.; Lena, Wis.; Monroe, Wis.;
Reedsburg, Wis.; Waupun, Wis.; Black
Creek, Wis. (Mozzarella, Provolone,
String, Parmesan, Romano, Asiago,
Fontinella, Gorgonzola, Cheddar,
Edam, Colby, Colby Jack, Fontina,
Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Muenster, Swiss, Lorraine, fresh frozen Mozzarella, snack sticks, WPC-80 instant
& non-instant, WPC-35, dry sweet
whey, acid whey, deproteinized whey
powder, lactose, supervised kosher,
shredding, cutting & packaging)
Dairy Foods Division (USA) —
Gustine, Calif.; Sulphur Springs,
Texas; White Bear Lake, Minn.; Decatur, Ala; Murray, Ky.; Newington,
Conn.; Frederick, Md.; Fraser, N.Y.
(ice cream mix, specialty beverages,
half & half, whipping cream, dairy
creamer, aerosol whipped topping);
Tulare, Calif; Friendship, N.Y. (cottage
cheese, sour cream, buttermilk, dry
curd, Farmers cheese)
Dairy Products Division (Canada)
— Abbotsford, British Columbia;
Burnaby, British Columbia; Courtenay,
British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta;
Edmonton, Alberta; Red Deer, Alberta;
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Brandon,
Manitoba; Georgetown, Ontario; Otta-
wa, Ontario; Tavistock, Ontario; Trenton, Ontario; Mont-Laurier, Quebec;
Plessisville, Quebec; Saint-Hyacinthe,
Quebec; Saint-Léonard, Quebec; SaintRaymond de Portneuf, Quebec; TroisRivières, Quebec; Saint John, New
Brunswick; Dartmouth, Nova Scotia;
Mount Pearl, Nova Scotia; Sydney, Nova
Scotia (wide variety of cheeses including Mozzarella & Cheddar, specialty
cheeses such as Ricotta, Provolone,
Parmesan, Feta & Havarti, fine cheeses
such as Brie & Camembert, other
firm cheeses including Brick, Colby,
Farmer, Muenster & Monterey Jack,
as well as fresh curd and processed
cheeses. Saputo also produces and
markets fluid milk, cream, yogurt, sour
cream & cottage cheese. In addition,
Saputo sells cheese products under
private labels and produces butter,
powdered milk and evaporated milk,
ice cream mixes & a number of dairy
ingredients derived from its cheese
production, including whey powder,
lactose & whey protein.)
Dairy Products Division (Argentina) — (2) (wide variety of soft,
semi-soft, hard & grated cheeses, as
well as butter, cream, milk powder &
dairy ingredients)
Saputo Inc.
Saint-Léonard, Quebec
Key executives: Emanuele (Lino)
Saputo, chairman of the board; Lino
A. Saputo Jr., CEO & vice chairman
of the board; Dino Dello Sbarba,
pres. & COO; Louis-Philippe Carrière,
exec. VP, finance & administration;
Kai Bockmann, pres. & COO, Dairy
Products Division (International);
Terry Brockman, pres. & COO, Dairy
Products Division (USA); Paul Corney,
pres. & COO, Dairy Foods Division
(USA); Lionel Ettedgui, pres. & COO,
Bakery Division; David Lord, pres.
& COO, Dairy Division (Australia);
Lorenzo Spinelli, pres. & COO, Dairy
Products Division (Canada); Gaétane
Wagner, exec. VP, human resources
Dairy plants: Dairy Products Division (USA) — South Gate, Calif.;
Tulare, Calif. (3); Newman, Calif.; Big
For more information please visit www.saputospecialty.com
62
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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Total company sales (for fiscal
year ended March 31, 2013): C$7.297
billion
Website: www.saputo.com
A look inside: Saputo Inc., a publicly-traded company, has been making acquisitions. In February 2014,
Saputo closed its offer to purchase
the shares of Warrnambool Cheese
and Butter Factory Company Holdings
Ltd. (Warrnambool), and successfully
acquired 87.92 percent of outstanding
shares. Started more than 125 years
ago, Warrnambool is now Australia’s
fourth largest dairy processor with
milk intake representing approximately 10 percent of Australia’s annual production. The company, which
employs 420 people, draws milk from
some of the most productive dairy regions in Australia to produce cheese,
butter and butter blends, milk, cream
and dairy ingredients.
This spring, Saputo acquired the
fluid milk activities of Scotsburn CoOperative Services Ltd. Scotsburn is
a Nova Scotia cooperative that will
continue its other activities such
as its frozen ice cream and frozen
novelties business. The Scotsburn
fluid milk business operates two fluid
milk processing facilities located in
Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Mount Pearl,
Newfoundland, in Atlantic Canada. Its
operations consist of manufacturing,
selling, marketing, distributing and
merchandising of products such as
fluid milk, cream, sour cream, ice
cream mix and cottage cheese, mainly
under the Scotsburn brand.
Saputo announced in March that it
is closing four of its facilities — two
in Canada (one plant in Wetaskiwin,
Alberta, and one in Glenwood, Alberta) as well as two in the United
States (one in New London, Wis.,
and one in Hancock, Md.). These
plants’ production will be integrated
into other Saputo facilities. The first
facility closure was scheduled for
May 2014, with the last scheduled
for December 2015. In recent years,
Saputo has maintained efforts to
pursue additional efficiencies and
decrease costs while strengthening
its market presence. In relation to
these rationalizations, the company
intends to add approximately C$35
million in new fixed assets in other
Saputo facilities and will avoid the
same amount in capital expenditures
that would have been necessary to
upgrade impacted facilities. The
announced measures are part of the
company’s continual analysis of its
overall activities. Last year, the company closed a cheese manufacturing
facility in Warwick, Quebec, and early
this year completed the closure of a
plant in Winkler, Manitoba.
Saputo products are sold in more
than 40 countries under brand names
such as Saputo, Alexis de Portneuf,
Armstrong, Baxter, Dairyland, Dragone, DuVillage 1860, Friendship, Frigo
Cheese Heads, Great Midwest, King’s
Choice, Kingsey, La Paulina, Milk2Go,
Neilson, Nutrilait, Ricrem, Salemville,
Sungold, Stella and Treasure Cave.
The company is continually running promotions for its products.
U.S. examples of these include
the “Improve Your Castle” contest
promoted by King’s Choice, Saputo’s
brand of imported Danish and Dutch
specialty cheeses. One grand prize
winner received a $3,000 gift card
to The Home Depot in the home
improvement-themed contest.
Late last summer, home chefs were
invited to submit their favorite grilled
cheese recipes made using Great
Midwest cheeses for their chance to
win one of eight prizes including a
weekend trip to the “Great Midwest”
city of their choice including airfare,
hotel accommodations and spending
money.
At the end of 2013, three consumer promotions were announced
in tandem with the ball drop in Times
Square, New York, on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s Hip to Dip” was the title of Saputo’s fondue promotion for its Joan
of Arc brand of French Brie. Saputo’s
promotion for the King’s Choice brand
was dubbed “Entertainment Fit for
a King,” and the Lorraine brand of
sandwich cheeses gave consumers
dollar-off coupons, available via in-
For more information please visit www.devilletechnologies.com
store displays and online. The promotions also were featured on the brands’
websites and Facebook pages.
The company also has introduced
new products this past year.
Last summer, Saputo announced
new flavors and varieties in its Frigo
Cheese Heads line of snacking cheeses. The company introduced five adultappealing flavors of Frigo Cheese
Heads snacking cheeses, including:
Chipotle Cheddar, Colby Jack, Garlic &
Herb White Cheddar, Pepper Jack and
Sharp Cheddar. The cheeses are sold
in 10-packs of individually-wrapped
0.83-ounce sticks. In addition, Frigo
Cheese Heads now comes in a cheese
and beef stick combo.
Meanwhile, Stella Cheese has begun marketing Blue and Gorgonzola
cheese crumble cups.
Saputo earned the ingredients/
flavorings/seasonings/additives innovation award for its Treasure Cave
Crumbled Blue Cheese flavors in the
International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) second annual Innovations Awards. Saputo was recognized
for its use of the newest menu trends
with four new bold flavors of crumbled
Blue cheese: Buffalo Wing, Southeast
Smoked, Chipotle Pepper and Southwest Chipotle & Black Bean.
Saputo late last year introduced a
variety of new French specialty cheeses
under the Joan of Arc brand in newly
redesigned packaging. The Joan of Arc
brand, which was celebrating its 95th
anniversary, is the oldest trademarked
French Brie in the United States. Five
new Joan of Arc products offer consumers a variety of double and triple creme
Bries, including two flavor-infused
double creme Bries. Saputo says the
new products complement an already
broad line, which includes plain and
flavored Chevres, Roquefort and others. Saputo received a 2014 American
Package Design Award from Graphic
Design USA magazine for the redesign
of its Joan of Arc brand.
Saputo’s Tulare, Calif., plant received a 2013 IDFA Plant Safety Award
in the “Zero Lost Workdays” category.
The company’s Monroe, Wis., plant
also received an IDFA Plant Safety
Award.
In the 2013 Los Angeles International Dairy Competition, held in
conjunction with the Los Angeles
County Fair, Saputo received six gold
medals for its cottage cheese and a
gold medal for its kefir cheese. It
also received three gold medals in
the Grade A Latin American/Hispanic
Style Sour Cream (Creama) class,
two gold medals in the Grade A Light
Sour Cream/Sour Half and Half class,
a gold medal in the Grade A Nonfat
Sour Cream class, a gold medal in the
Grade A Sour Cream class and a gold
medal in the Other Sour Cream class.
At the 2013 California State Fair,
Saputo won best in the Cottage Cheese
Category (Cow) division.
At the Wisconsin State Fair, the
company won first and second in the
Colby, Monterey Jack class.
In the American Cheese Society’s
annual competition, the company tied
for second in the Monterey Jack with
Flavor Added — All Milks class and
received third place in the Colby —
Made From Cow’s Milk class.
In the 2013 World Dairy Expo competition, Saputo received a number of
awards including first and second in
the Blue-Veined Cheese class, second
in the Swiss Styles class and second
in the Whey Protein Concentrate-34
percent class.
In the World Championship Cheese
Contest this spring, Saputo placed
third in the Smoked Provolone class.
Mango Fire Cheddar made for Saputo
placed third in the Pepper Flavored
“American” Style Cheeses (Cheddar
& Colby) class.
Sargento Foods Inc.
Plymouth, Wis.
Key executives: Louie Gentine, CEO;
George Hoff, exec. VP & CFO; Mike
McEvoy, exec. VP, operations; Michael
Pellegrino, chief customer officer &
pres., consumer products division; Kristi
Jankowski, sr. VP, innovation; Karri
Neils, sr. VP, human resources
Cheese plants: Plymouth, Wis.
(shredded, sliced & snack natural
cheeses); Kiel, Wis. (shredded, sliced
& snack natural cheeses; battered
& breaded cheese appetizers; nonrefrigerated cheese & cracker snacks);
Hilbert, Wis. (natural cheese chunks &
cheese sauces)
Website: www.sargento.com
A look inside: Sargento Foods, which
marked its 60th anniversary in October
2013, entered into its third generation
of leadership this year as Louie Gentine
assumed the role of CEO from father
Lou Gentine.
Under the leadership of Lou Gentine,
who had served as CEO since 1981 and
chairman since 1996, the company’s
sales increased from $80 million to $1.2
billion, employment increased from
300 to more than 1,600, and Sargento
became an established leader in the retail, foodservice and ingredient cheese
industries. He will retain his position as
chairman of the board.
In recognition of the elder Gentine’s
contributions and career, he received
the Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year from the Plymouth, Wis.,
Chamber of Commerce. Sargento also
received the Deloitte Wisconsin 75
Generations Award last fall to honor
its successful transition between generations.
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2014 KEY PLAYERS
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“When companies think it through
and have a plan, and can make a good
transition without any missteps on
products or service, it’s considered
very, very positive,” says Barbara
Gannon, vice president, corporate
communications and government relations, Sargento Foods. “Because we are
family-owned, and intend to remain
family-owned, it is very important
that we had success with Lou as CEO,
and now Louie as CEO. A lot of the
principles we have are still at work,
like how we treat our employees and
focus on innovations.”
Sargento also was named among
the Top Workplaces in Southeastern
Wisconsin by the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Large Business of the Year by
the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce,
Manufacturer of the Year from the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce,
and received the National Workplace
Success Award from ACT.
Sargento recently received a Breakthrough Innovation award from Nielsen
for its Ultra Thin sliced cheese line,
which launched in 2012 and has had
much success in its first two years on
the market. The line also received a
Best New Product Award in the cheese
category from Better Homes and Gardens in 2013. This past year, Sargento
introduced new varieties to its Ultra
Thin line, including Pepper Jack, Sharp
Cheddar, Baby Swiss, Cheddar-Jack
and Longhorn Colby.
“People really like the portion
control option that Ultra Thin gives
them,” Gannon says. “The fact that it
also controls calories is attractive to
people. There are 40-45 calories per
slice, and they’re getting real, natural
cheese. It’s the entire trend of eating
fresher, more natural, and the idea
that you can control calories without
necessarily having to buy reduced-fat
and reduced-calorie foods.”
Also this past year, Sargento introduced new Sharp Cheddar Jack Snack
Sticks and Sliced Cheese varieties to
its Natural Blends line, and launched
Natural Extra Sharp Cheddar Snack
Sticks and Reduced Fat Natural Mild
Cheddar Snack Sticks.
“The Natural Blends line continues
to do well because consumers are looking for new flavor varieties, and the
fact that we can combine two different
cheeses in one slice or snack stick is
attractive to people,” Gannon says.
A new Tastings line from Sargento
hit dairy cases in March and April
this year. The line includes 3.25- to
3.95-ounce chunks of specialty cheeses
in eight varieties, including Aged Wisconsin Cheddar, Aged Vermont White
Cheddar, Bruschetta Jack, Fiesta Pepper Jack, Medium Asiago, Creamy Havarti, Parmentino and New Zealander.
Parmentino, which combines flavors
of Cheddar and Parmesan, and New
Zealander, which combines the creamy
flavor of Gouda with Sharp Cheddar,
are brand new trademark cheeses for
Sargento.
“Our entire premise here is that
these are eight exceptional cheeses
perfectly paired with every day, not
just for special occasions. You can come
home from work and have one with a
glass of wine, or share them with family
and friends,” Gannon says, adding that
they are very affordable — with retail
prices under $3.
To help improve customer support
in its foodservice business, Sargento
this past year added a new recipe
development lab in its Elkhart Lake
Technical Center, which allows its
culinary team to replicate recipes on
the same type of equipment that the
company’s foodservice customers use
in restaurants.
“It’s really useful to the customer,”
Gannon says. “Not only are they coming up with great ideas, but they’re
testing them so they know they work
on specific equipment.”
Sargento also is expanding its distribution center in Plymouth, Wis., which
now has an automated case packing
system and automated retrieval and
storage system. As the company continues to grow and increase its volume,
it will be able to service more pounds
of product and more customers out of
the Plymouth distribution center.
Gannon says continued growth,
both top line and bottom line, is Sargento’s goal for the coming year.
“We are continuing to grow, and
that’s good for all of the Sargento
family of employees as well as the
community,” she says.
The projects will enable the fourthgeneration family-owned company to
update its Wisconsin facilities. Sartori
Co. plans to update equipment, improve team member ergonomics and
enhance safety and sustainability initiatives while expanding capacity and
capabilities to enable ongoing growth.
Sartori Co. is breaking ground
on the expansion this year, which
coincides with the company’s 75th
anniversary. The company held an official groundbreaking ceremony May
7 in Antigo.
Jeff Schwager, president, Sartori
Co., notes the expansion will have an
economic benefit well beyond Sartori
as it will mean more business for local
farm families, milk haulers, construction and engineering firms, as well as
dozens of suppliers.
“We are in a fortunate position,”
Schwager says. “We have highly-skilled
team members and award-winning
cheese that have led to growth over
the past few years, and we’re looking
forward to continuing our growth for
years to come.”
Sartori Co. continued its tradition
of special limited edition cheese releases over the past year. As part of the
company’s 75th anniversary, it released
a special Family Heirloom 36-month
aged Parmesan. The cheese debuted
at January’s Winter Fancy Food Show
in San Francisco and was available on
a limited basis only.
“Our Family Heirloom 36-month
aged Parmesan cheese is a treat we’ve
been able to pass down through the
generations, and now we’re happy to
be able to share it with others,” says
Jim Sartori, owner and CEO, Sartori Co.
Sartori in July plans to release a
Family Heirloom 18-month aged BellaVitano cheese as well.
Sartori also released a limited
quantity of Cannella BellaVitano
and Cognac BellaVitano for the 2013
holiday season. Each cheese wheel
was hand signed and numbered by
a Sartori Master Cheesemaker. The
company also offered a small release
of its Limited Edition Extra-Aged Goat
cheese over the holidays.
In addition, Sartori Co. again in
October released its Limited Edition
Peppermint BellaVitano cheese in support of breast cancer awareness month.
Sartori donated a portion of proceeds
from the cheese to the National Breast
Cancer Foundation.
“We felt our pink hued cheese was
a great tribute to that cause,” says
Chad Vincent, chief marketing officer,
Sartori Co. “It’s the second year Sartori
has joined with the National Breast
Cancer Foundation, and they have been
wonderful partners. It’s so rewarding
to see our retailers and consumers
support the initiative.”
As part of celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Sartori Co. will
support and volunteer throughout the
communities in Plymouth and Antigo,
and across the country, Vincent notes.
Multiple contributions and volunteering at local food shelters throughout
Wisconsin will be supported by Sartori and its team members, as well
as continued partnerships with the
Wisconsin Make-A-Wish Foundation
and MACC Fund.
Vincent notes that engaging with
and educating consumers on the
cheese category was a key focus for
Sartori Co. in 2013.
Over the past year the company
released a series of new brand videos, including a Master Cheesemaker
video, which offered a look into the
Third Generation Wisconsin
Licensed Cheese Maker
and Wisconsin
Licensed Cheese
Grader
Sartori Co.
Plymouth, Wis.
Key executives: Jim Sartori, owner &
CEO; Jeff Schwager, pres.; Chad Vincent,
chief marketing officer
Cheese plants: Lafayette, Colo. (dips,
spreads, hummus, pesto, salsa); Antigo,
Wis. (specialty & artisan style); Plymouth, Wis. (3) (hard Italian style, Signature Blends, converting & distribution)
more than 95%
Website: www.sartoricheese.com
A look inside: Sartori Co. wrapped up
2013 with an announcement that the
company will embark on $14 million in
expansion and renovation projects at
its plants in Antigo and Plymouth, Wis.
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64
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
rigorous program requiring 13 years
before becoming a Wisconsin Master
Cheesemaker. The company currently
has four Master Cheesemakers on staff.
Sartori’s 2013 U.S. Championship
Cheese Contest video offered an inside look at the national competition
of cheese that took place last year in
Green Bay, Wis., and the company’s
Extra-Aged Goat Cheese video shared
the people and story behind this limited
edition cheese.
The company also was featured in
Men’s Health Magazine’s “125 Best
Foods” for 2013, Vincent notes. Its
SarVecchio Parmesan received “Best
All-Purpose Cheese” while its Espresso
BellaVitano received “Best Snacking
Cheese.”
Sartori Co. continued to garner
broad industry recognition over the
past year.
Cheese Contest, Sartori Co. earned
best of class in the Asiago class for its
Sartori Reserve Extra-Aged Asiago. The
company also earned a best of class
and second place in the Open Class
Shredded Cheese, Flavored or Unflavored for its Sartori Reserve SarVecchio
Parmesan and Sartori Reserve Merlot
BellaVitano, respectively.
Sartori won a gold medal for its Sartori Reserve SarVecchio in the “Cheese
with Health Benefit” class at the 2013
Global Cheese Awards held last September in Frome, England.
At the 2013 World Cheese Awards
held in December in Birmingham,
England, Sartori’s Pastorale Blend
and Cinnamon BellaVitano each won
Super Gold medals and finished in
the top 15 cheeses in the world. The
company also won a gold medal for its
BellaVitano Gold.
At the 2013 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest last fall,
Sartori’s Reserve BellaVitano Gold was
named Grand Champion cheese. The
company also won first place in the
Open Class Cheese at the contest for
its Limited Edition Pastorale Blend and
third in the Open Class Hard Cheese for
its Reserve Chai BellaVitano.
This past summer, Sartori received
awards at the American Cheese Society
competition with a second place finish
in the Goat’s Milk Cheese Aged Over
60 Days class for its Limited Edition
Extra-Aged Goat cheese, and third
place finishes in the Open Category —
Cheeses with Flavor Added — All Milks
class and the Open Category Marinated
in Liquids and Ingredients — Made
From Cow’s Milk class for its Reserve
Espresso BellaVitano and Limited Edition Canella BellaVitano, respectively.
At the 2013 Wisconsin State Fair
Cheese & Butter Contest, Sartori cheesemaker Joel Pagel was named Grand
Master Cheesemaker for his Classic
Asiago. Sartori Master Cheesemaker
Mike Matucheski also placed first in
the Flavored Hard Cheese class at the
contest with his Espresso BellaVitano.
In the year ahead, Sartori Co. will
continue to educate consumers on
artisan cheese as well as grow brand
awareness for not only its own brands but
the entire artisan cheese category. The
company will provide recipes, pairings
ideas, tips, industry news and samplings
with in-store sampling and promotions
on its website and Facebook page.
“Our mission at Sartori is to make the
best cheese in the world,” Vincent says.
Schreiber Foods Inc.
Green Bay, Wis.
Key executives: Mike Haddad, pres.
& CEO; Larry Ferguson, chairman of
the board; Rob Byrne, dir., industry &
regulatory affairs
Dairy plants: Tempe, Ariz.; Fullerton,
Calif.; Gainesville, Ga.; Carthage, Mo. (2);
Clinton, Mo. (2); Monett, Mo.; Mt. Vernon,
Mo.; Shippensburg, Pa.; Stephenville,
Texas; Logan, Utah; Smithfield, Utah;
Green Bay, Wis.; Richland Center, Wis.
(2); West Bend, Wis.; Austria; Brazil;
Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Germany (2);
India; Mexico; Portugal; Uruguay
Estimated annual sales: $4.5 billion
Website: www.schreiberfoods.com
A look inside: Schreiber Foods Inc.,
the world’s largest employee-owned
dairy company and a leading supplier
of natural and process cheeses to the
grocery and foodservice industries, made
a number of acquisitions and improvements this past year.
In early February, Schreiber Foods
officially took full ownership of three
yogurt plants in Bulgaria, the Czech
Republic and Portugal from a major
international dairy company. The plant
in Portugal produces drinkable yogurt,
the plant in Bulgaria manufactures a
unique tart yogurt and the Czech Republic plant makes bottles and cups of
yogurt. The three plants employ a total
of about 350 people.
Stateside, Schreiber Foods’ new
Global Technology Center and Home
Office in downtown Green Bay, Wis.,
near completion with occupancy slated
for fall 2014.
“Our Global Technology Center will
play an integral role in Schreiber’s mission to be the world’s leading customerbrand dairy company,” says Mike Haddad,
president and CEO, Schreiber Foods. “It
will be a state-of-the-art facility that will
enhance our ability to deliver value for
our customers by creating innovative
new products and winning business
solutions.”
The project will consolidate several
of Schreiber’s offices in the area.
“It will provide us with the efficiencies of all our home offices being under
one roof,” says Rob Byrne, director of
industry and regulatory affairs, Schreiber Foods.
The new building is being constructed
with sustainability in mind, using foundation footings already in place, LEED
certification and the addition of green
space to further show Schreiber’s commitment to corporate responsibility.
Schreiber Foods this spring confirmed it is expanding the processing
capacity at one of its dairy plants in
Carthage, Mo., with completion expected
in late spring to early summer 2015. The
company says it will install multiple lines
to enable it to leverage technology and
be more competitive in the marketplace.
Also this spring, Montreal-based
printer Transcontinental Inc. agreed
to acquire Schreiber’s Capri Packaging
division. As part of the agreement, Schreiber Foods signed a 10-year agreement
to secure Capri Packaging as a strategic
supplier of printed flexible packaging.
Bob Bush, chairman emeritus of
Schreiber Foods, this year was named
the recipient of the 2014 National Cheese
Institute’s Laureate Award. This award
recognizes individuals who have made
significant contributions to the development and growth of the cheese industry.
Bush was recognized in January at the
International Dairy Foods Association
Dairy Forum in Palm Desert, Calif.
Schreiber Pineapple Greek Yogurt
produced at the Richland Center West
plant in Wisconsin was named the best
Greek yogurt in the 2013 World Dairy
Contest. Swiss cheese produced at
Schreiber’s Smithfield, Utah, plant also
was named best Swiss cheese at the
2013 Idaho Milk Processors Association
contest.
Scott’s of Wisconsin
Sun Prairie, Wis.
For more information please visit www.foodtools.com
Key executives: Steve Knaus, owner;
Tammy Knaus, owner
Cheese plant: Sun Prairie, Wis. (cold
pack cheese food, pasteurized process
cheese spread, cheese dips, cheese
65
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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snack cups, fudge cheese, cheese balls,
cheese logs)
Website: www.scottsofwisconsin.com
A look inside: Scott’s of Wisconsin,
maker of cold pack cheese food, pasteurized process cheese and cheese
spreads, this year is introducing new
cheese balls and logs.
The introduction is the company’s
latest offering to meet the needs of
retail and foodservice customers who
are seeking fun, flavorful cheese options either under the Scott’s brand
or private label.
It won’t be the first time the
business offers balls and logs, but it
will be the first time under current
ownership. The company, which was
previously known as the Wisconsin
Cheeseman, was purchased in 2011
by the Knaus family, who also owns
Weyauwega Cheese.
“Our initial focus was to get the cups
out the door and get customers back,”
says Nichole (Knaus) Jesberger, who
handles marketing for the company.
“Balls and logs were a big part during
the Cheeseman years and they can
be again.”
The balls and logs are available in
Port Wine, Sharp Cheddar and Swiss
Almond flavors. Initially the company
is offering 6-, 8- and 10-ounce logs and
10-ounce balls, but it can be flexible
to meet the needs of customers. As a
mid-size company, Scott’s of Wisconsin
executives say the company is just the
right size to meet the needs of a wide
range of customers.
The balls and logs will be showcased at the International-Dairy-Deli
Bakery Show in June along with the
company’s expanded line of cheese
dips. The line includes Sharp Cheddar,
Bacon, Jalapeno, Habanero, Chipotle
and Nacho flavors.
This past year, Scott’s won first
in its class with its Sharp Cheddar
Pasteurized Processed Cheese Dip at
the World Dairy Expo Championship
Dairy Product Contest. Not only was it
the first time Scott’s had entered the
World Dairy Expo contest, it was the
first time it had entered a processed
cheese product in a competition. Previously, contest entries had focused
on cold pack products. This past year,
awards in that area included a first
place award at the Wisconsin State
Fair for its Creamy Sharp Cheddar
Cold Pack.
Scott’s of Wisconsin continues to
develop its cheese spread line for
every occasion and palate. Sizes available range from a 2-ounce snack size
and up, with flavors including Onion
Chive, Spanish Olive, Sharp Cheddar,
Zinfandel Havarti and Brie.
Possibly one of the most stand-out
products, flavor-wise, is the company’s
Limburger Cheese Spread made with
Limburger from Chalet Cheese Cooperative. The shelf-stable processed
item, available at Woodman’s and
other retailers, has had a lot of positive
feedback, the company says, despite
Limburger’s reputation as being a
strong-tasting, strong-smelling cheese.
The company also has launched
cheese snack containers designed to
respond to consumer needs for small,
convenient 2-ounce and 3-ounce sizes
that can be used in lunch boxes, picnics and desk drawers. The company’s
“Cheese N Go!” includes 8 mini cups
of cheese spread that can be grabbed
for a snack on the go or packed in
lunches.
Scott’s of Wisconsin’s Fudge Cheese
also is doing well. The company is in
the process of introducing a new Fudge
Cheese Spread.
Moving forward, Scott’s of Wisconsin will continue to develop new flavors
and products for customers, including
an all-natural cheese spread line. The
product is being positioned to give
consumers healthier options.
As the company moves into new
markets, it also is turning its focus
toward showcasing food safety. Food
safety always has been important,
including certifications with the state
of Wisconsin and the U.S. Army (a
requirement for gift packages). The
company’s next goal is to become Safe
Quality Foods-certified.
Swiss Valley Farms
Cooperative
Davenport, Iowa
Key executives: Donald Boelens,
CEO; Brad Junker, CFO; Thomas
Stontz,VP,administration; Jeff Jirik,
VP & general mgr., natural cheese;
We craft cheese and
dairy products with that
“more to love” quality
built into every bite.
• Farm-to-Fridge Ideology is Who We Are
• Amazing Wisconsin Cheeses From
Our Family to Yours
• Specializing in Cheese Spreads, Dips & Snacks
• Serving Retail, Distributors, Food Service
& Fundraising Efforts
• Over 100 Years of Cheese Making Experience
• “Quality at a Premium” with Dedicated QA/QC
Technicians & Product Development Programs
NO BUSINESS IS TOO BIG OR TOO
SMALL … let us work with you to get exactly
the right products you need for your company
or organization.
Quality is infused into every product offering
a variety of flavors and sizes:
• Cheese Spreads
• Cold Pack Cheese Food
• Pasteurized Process Cheese
• Cheese Dip Snack Cup
• Beer Cheese
• Fudge Cheese
NEW! • Cheese Balls & Logs
Award Winning Cheese
1st Place
2013 World Dairy Expo
Cheese Competition
(Sharp Cheddar Cheese Dip)
1st Place
2013 Wisconsin State Fair
Blue Ribbon Cheese Contest
(Creamy Sharp Cheddar Cold Pack)
3rd Place
2013 Wisconsin State Fair
Blue ribbon Cheese Contest
(Creamy Bacon Cheddar Cold Pack)
Scott’s of Wisconsin
1500 Clarmar Drive • Sun Prairie, WI 53590
608.837.8020 • [email protected]
www.scottsofwisconsin.com
For more information please visit www.scottsofwisconsin.com
66
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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A look inside: Swiss Valley Farms
Cooperative is in the midst of an expansion project at its cheese plant in
Rochester, Minn. The Rochester site,
which previously served as a warehouse and distribution center, is being
expanded to include production lines
for the company’s club and pasteurized
process cheeses.
Production of the club and pasteurized process cheeses had previously
been handled by Rochester Cheese’s
Spring Valley, Minn., location. When
the production transition is complete,
the Spring Valley plant will remain active as a warehousing and contingency
production site.
The Swiss Valley Farms location in
Luana, Iowa, also is expanding with a
new research and development center.
Last May Swiss Valley Farms introduced Grass-Fed Baby Swiss — a new
variety of Baby Swiss made exclusively
with milk from grass-fed cows. It features a flavor profile, that while mild,
is creamy and buttery, and slightly
richer than traditional Baby Swiss.
Grass-Fed Baby Swiss is available in
5-pound random-weight wheels.
The company’s cheeses made
strong showings at many competitions
Jeff Saforek, VP & general mgr., dairy
ingredients & export; Chris Hoeger,
VP & general mgr., milk procurement
& member relations
Cheese plants: Luana, Iowa (Swiss,
Gouda, cream cheese, Neufchatel,
whey powder); Mindoro, Wis. (Blue,
Gorgonzola); Rochester Cheese, a
wholly-owned subsidiary, Spring Valley, Minn. (cold ground blend cheese,
pasteurized process cheese); Caves of
Faribault, a wholly-owned subsidiary,
Faribault, Minn. (Blue, Gorgonzola,
aging of Cheddar & Gouda); White Hill
Cheese Co. LLC, JV with Emmi Roth
USA, Shullsburg, Wis. (no-salt Swiss,
Baby Swiss, other varieties)
Estimated annual cheese produced: 75.5 million lbs.
Websites: www.swissvalley.com, www.
cavesoffaribault.com, www.cheesecave.
net, www.rochestercheese.com.
WHAT’S IT LIKE
TO BAKE WITH?
A PIECE OF CAKE.
in the last year.
Swiss Valley Farm’s Swiss achieved
a blue ribbon at the Illinois State Fair
and a first place at the 2013 National
Milk Producers Federation (NMPF)
Championship Cheese Contest.
The company’s Blue cheese earned
a third place at the American Cheese
Society’s competition and first place
ribbons at the Illinois and Minnesota
State Fairs.
A blue ribbon at the Illinois State
Fair and a first place finish at the
World Dairy Expo were awarded to
Swiss Valley Farms’ cream cheese. Its
Neufchatel also received a blue ribbon
at the Illinois State Fair.
Swiss Valley Farms was awarded
the Chairman’s Plaque for Jeff’s Select
Gouda at the NMPF cheese contest.
Jeff’s Select Gouda also was grand
champion at the 2014 North Central
Cheese Industry Association’s contest.
In addition, its Jeff’s Select Gouda
received first place at the Upper Midwest Dairy Industry Association fall
contest and also won a blue ribbon
at the Illinois State Fair. Jeff’s Select
Gouda cheese was the recipient of a
2013 sofi Gold award for an outstanding
cheese or dairy product.
Tillamook County
Creamery Association
Tillamook, Ore.
Key executives: Patrick Criteser,
pres. & CEO; Jay Allison, VP, sales &
marketing; Mark Wustenberg, VP, quality & operations; Linda Pearce, CFO;
Tara Parry, VP, human resources; Joe
Rocha, chairman of the board
Cheese plant: Tillamook County
Creamery Association, Tillamook, Ore.
(Cheddar varieties including medium,
sharp, Special Reserve Extra Sharp,
Vintage White Medium, Vintage White
Extra Sharp, smoked, reduced-fat,
kosher; ice cream; whey); Columbia
River Processing Inc., Boardman, Ore.
(medium Cheddar, sharp Cheddar,
Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, concentrated whey, WPC-34,
WPC-80, lactose powder, whey cream)
194.1 million lbs.
190.83 million lbs.
YOUR TASTE BUDS TOOK A VOTE,
AND THE EYES HAVE IT.
CREAM CHEESE
SWISS
FROM SWISS VALLEY FARMS
FROM SWISS VALLEY FARMS
AVAILABLE IN
30LB. & 50LB. BOXES
& 3LB. LOAVES
247 Research Parkway
P.O. Box 4493
Davenport, IA 52808
www.swissvalley.com
For more information please visit www.swissvalley.com
AVAILABLE IN 100LB. BLOCKS
& 7LB. SANDWICH CUTS
247 Research Parkway
P.O. Box 4493
Davenport, IA 52808
www.swissvalley.com
For more information please visit www.swissvalley.com
67
2014 KEY PLAYERS
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Projected 2014 sales: $677.6 million
less than 2%
Website: www.tillamook.com
A look inside: Tillamook County Creamery Association recently
completed construction on a new
65,000-square-foot whey and lactose
processing facility at its cheesemaking plant in Boardman, Ore. The cooperative was successfully processing
WPC-80 through the new addition by
the end of 2013 and lactose powder
by April. Both products will be dried
and sold in domestic and export foodingredient markets.
“While our primary business remains our branded Tillamook Cheese
and other Tillamook dairy products,
this new facility helps us maximize the
value we derive from every pound of
milk we purchase,” says Tori Harms,
Tillamook corporate communication
manager.
Also, while still in early stages, the
cooperative also is looking forward to
some upgrades at its Tillamook, Ore.,
site, which is a major attraction for
tourists in Oregon.
“We are currently in the preliminary design phase for an exciting remodel of the Tillamook Cheese Factory
and tour experience, with potential
to be unveiled for the 2015 summer
season,” says Susan Palmer, Tillamook
director of retail.
In February, to commemorate and
celebrate its 105th anniversary as a
farmer-owned cooperative, Tillamook
launched a redesigned website to reflect its continued growth as a dairy
brand, innovation in new product
development, packaging redesign and
commitment to the greater “Tillamook
family” by providing the best possible
experience for consumers.
The site features customized
content relevant to the user based
on their geographic location, time of
day, day of week and other factors,
creating a unique experience for each
visitor. It also includes Tillamook’s
first ever foodservice section, which
allows restaurant partners to easily
connect with their local distributor to
quickly access Tillamook products. To
celebrate blogger and chef partners
as well as consumers, families and
fans, the site includes a new community section featuring recipes and
highlighting consumer comments. It
also is built to automatically adjust to
any mobile devices, tablets or desktop
experiences.
This past year, Tillamook launched
a packaging design overhaul for
its entire dairy products line. The
redesign streamlines the brand’s
messaging with more product information, company insight and new color
scheme. Additional features include
detailed flavor descriptions, more
farmer-owned identification, recipe
suggestions, fun messaging, call-outs
to visit Tillamook online and a larger
company logo. The rollout started last
fall with Tillamook’s 12-ounce stacked
sliced cheeses, 8-ounce shingle sliced
cheeses and a variety of sizes of
stand-up shreds, with the remaining
products sporting new packaging by
early 2014.
“It is important for us to stay fresh
and exciting for our consumers and
customers as we continue to grow,”
says John Russell, Tillamook senior
director of marketing. “We feel that
this new design works harder in presenting a premium image of our high
quality products while remaining
relatable to all of our fans.”
In addition to the new packaging,
the cooperative introduced new yogurt
and ice cream products this past year.
A new Tillamook Dessert Yogurt line
was released in August 2013, featuring fruits and honey sourced from the
Pacific Northwest. Flavors include
Honey Cinnamon Crème Brûlée, Marionberry Cobbler and Peach Raspberry
á la Mode.
In December, Tillamook announced a new strained Farmstyle
Greek Yogurt in seven flavors in
5.3-ounce cups and two varieties in
32-ounce containers. And in January,
it launched Tillamook Tillabars in
the super premium ice cream novelty
category in four flavors.
Tillamook cheeses and other dairy
products won a number of awards
this past year. At the 2013 American
Cheese Society contest, Tillamook’s
3-year-old Vintage White extra sharp
Cheddar and light fat-free yogurt
receive first-place awards; its Colby,
natural sour cream and salted sweet
cream butter received second-place
awards; and its medium Cheddar
earned a third-place award.
Tillamook also won first-place
honors at the National Milk Producers Federation Championship
Cheese Contest last fall for its young
medium Cheddar (which also was
named “Best Cheddar”), its Garlic
Dill flavored Cheddar cheese curds,
its extra sharp Cheddar and its sharp
Cheddar.
Cheese Contest this spring, Tillamook
won best of class and third place
awards for its marbled curd Colby
Monterey Jack and second place for its
stirred curd Red and Green Jalapeno
Pepper Jack.
“We are very proud of these recent
awards, as it is a reflection that our
brand consistently makes great-tasting, award-winning dairy products,”
says Jay Allison, Tillamook vice president of sales and marketing.
Winona Foods Inc.
Green Bay, Wis.
Key executives: Terry Steinmann,
pres.; David Meyer, VP; Carl Buchinger, CFO
Cheese plant: Green Bay, Wis.
(shelf-stable process cheese, aerosol cheese, process cheese sauces,
process cheese dips, process cheese
spreads, portion control to bulk,
natural cheese bulk, slices, shreds,
cuts, cubes, cold pack, aerosol icing,
energy beverages)
200 million lbs.
Website: www.winonafoods.com
A look inside: Winona Foods Inc.
has focused this past year on providing new products in useful formats for
its customers. The company, which
focuses on cheese but also offers
salsas, dips and other products, has
introduced more flavored cheese
varieties and portion-controlled
options.
“Our focus has been to bring out
those items that are more flavorful.
What the demand is for the consumer
palate is changing, so we’ve got to
move with that,” says Terry Steinmann, president, Winona Foods Inc.
Winona Foods recently launched
new specialty cheese programs that
include products such as Chevres,
Bries, Goudas, Fontinas and Mexicanand Hispanic-style cheeses. Winona
Foods’ roped and waxed aged Provolone, one of the specialty products it
launched this year, took third in its
category at the World Championship
Cheese Contest this spring.
Additionally, the company has
launched several new flavored
varieties of pressed curd cheeses,
from Ranch and Chipotle to more
For more information please visit www.winonafoods.com
68
2014 KEY PLAYERS
KEY PLAYERS
aged varieties. In total, the company
has launched about 45 new items this
past year and is constantly innovating
to provide new products based on its
customers’ demands and the latest
trends in foodservice and retail.
“In our business, some of the restaurant end users and chefs are demanding more flavorful, high-quality
items,” Steinmann says.
In addition to the demand for
more flavorful and specialty cheeses,
demand for portion-control packaging
continues as food kits that contain
sauces, dips and other cheese ingredients remain popular in the industry.
Therefore, Winona Foods also has
been focusing more on portioncontrolled cups and pouches.
As its sales in this area continue
their strength, Winona Foods recently
has added capacity at its Green Bay,
Wis., plant for portion-control items,
adding efficiencies to its lines as well
as improved packaging capabilities.
To further support the growth of its
portion business, the company is
looking at expanding its Green Bay
warehousing capacity over the next
year or two as well.
“We will continue to expand our distribution and continue to increase our
depth of sales and support services for
our customers,” says David Meyer, vice
president, Winona Foods Inc. “The
industry across the board continues
to look to us to provide creativity and
innovation in the products we bring
forward to the trade segment — chefs,
entree producers and others — so
they can bring it forward to their
consumers.”
Yancey’s Fancy Inc.
Corfu, N.Y.
Key executives: Wayne Henry, pres.
& CEO; Mike Wimble, VP, sales & marketing; Brian Bailey, VP, operations
Cheese plant: Corfu, N.Y. (Cheddar,
Chastinet, Gouda, process Cheddars,
Cheddar shreds, Cheddar curds)
Estimated annual cheese produced: 10.9 million lbs.
Estimated annual cheese marketed: 9.3 million lbs.
Estimated 2013 sales: 36.2 million
Projected 2014 sales: 38.5 million
Website: www.yanceysfancy.com
A look inside:: Yancey’s Fancy Inc.
has doubled in size since CEO Wayne
Henry took over in 2007, and it continues to grow with new products, plant
expansion plans and new marketing
initiatives.
Yancey’s Fancy will expand its
cheese plant from 30,000 square feet
to about 142,000 square feet by the
end of 2014. The project is expected
to cost between $8-$10 million. It will
increase the company’s workforce from
110 employees to about 170. The expansion will allow for increased production
and relocation of an off-site distribution
center to the Corfu facility.
“They are working on the foundation currently,” says Jodi Stahl, marketing director, Yancey’s Fancy. “Our
target for entry into the new facility is
the end of August or early September.”
The company also will be putting a
3,500-square-foot addition on the original main location to house a reverse
osmosis machine. It should be ready
in a month, two months maximum,
Stahl says.
“Finishing the facility by the target
date is our major goal and then to have
peak production within a month or two
from then,” Stahl says. “The larger facility will ensure our ability to increase
production and to give customers what
they need and expect. It will occur
during the major food holidays.”
Yancey’s Fancy has expanded its
product line to include a naturally
wood-smoked Cheddar and a Bacon
Cheddar. Both are available in wedges.
“We’re looking at doing a Bacon
Cheeseburger Cheddar and Aalsbruk
Swiss this year,” Stahl says. “We don’t
have a definite time line yet.”
Nearly 85 percent of Yancey’s
Fancy’s sales are branded and 15
percent are private label, and Stahl
says the company wants to increase
its branded presence.
Yancey’s Fancy offers a formidable
sampling program and participates in
marketing events across the nation. It
sponsors the Mazda Raceway at Laguna
Seca, Salinas, Calif. It also has sponsorship deals with Watkins Glen Raceway
in New York, Phoenix International
Raceway in Arizona and the American
Le Mans Series. The company also announced a partnership with the NHL’s
Phoenix Coyotes in 2013.
“We feel doing these events are the
best for sampling,” Stahl says. “The
easiest way to sell our products is by
taste because they sell themselves.”
Yancey’s Fancy also is the presenting sponsor of the Finger Lakes (New
York) Wine Festival in which more
than 90 wineries and 100 non-wine
vendors participate. The company
also participates in cheese and wine
festivals from coast to coast, including
the Boston Wine Expo, San Diego Bay
Wine & Food Festival and the Seattle
Cheese Festival.
“We’ve grown larger this past year
and have sponsorship deals with the
Richmond International Raceway and
the Auto Club Speedway out of Ontario,
Calif.,” Stahl says. “We’re still sponsored with the Buffalo Sabres hockey
team and are looking at being involved
with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.”
Stahl says Yancey’s Fancy will
continue to innovate when it comes
to its marketing by being a larger participant in television, social media and
its website. It currently utilizes online
platforms like Pinterest, Facebook
and Twitter to engage its consumers
and promote its products with recipe
ideas and competitions.
“We have a great team of employees and want to continue working
more with our customers, promoting
new items, providing point-of-sales,
samples, demos and recipe ideas,”
Stahl says. “We want to continue to
offer many innovative flavors.” CMN
Sources for plant and sales information: company reports, prior media coverage, press releases, other publicly-available information and interviews. NOTE:
For the sake of clarity and consistency, Cheese Market News has elected not to put
registered or trademark symbols after any of the product names referred to in these
profiles and assumes no liability connected to this decision. Cheese Market News
provides “Key Players” as a service to its readers. The publisher and editors do not
assume liability for errors or omissions. Cheese Market News does not endorse the
products of any advertiser.
For more information please visit www.yanceysfancy.com
2014 Key Players is an exclusive editorial reprint of Cheese Market News, a
weekly newspaper published by Quarne Publishing LLC. All rights reserved; no
part of Key Players may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, electronic recording or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of Quarne Publishing LLC. Cheese
Market News does not endorse the products of any advertiser or assume liability
for errors or omissions. © Copyright 2014 by Quarne Publishing LLC, P.O. Box
628254, Middleton, WI 53562; Phone: (608) 831-6002; Fax: (608) 831-1004; email:
[email protected]; website: www.cheesemarketnews.com

key players - Cheese Market News

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