text:
Winners named in 2016 WDE
Championship Dairy contest
August 26, 2016
Saxon Cheese, Schreiber, Double Rainbow Ice Cream are grand champions
MADISON, Wis. — Aged Butterkase made by Saxon Cheese LLC, Cleveland, Wisconsin, was selected as the Cheese and Butter Grand Champion this week at the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA).
Lemon Aussie yogurt made by Schreiber Foods, Green Bay, Wisconsin, was selected as the Grade A Grand Champion, and Vanilla Custard & Strawberry Lemon Fruit made by Double Rainbow Ice Cream, San Francisco, was the Ice Cream Grand Champion at this year’s contest, held Aug. 23-24 at the Alliance Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and Aug. 25 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Babcock Hall.
This year’s contest received a record number 1,130 entries for cheese, butter, fluid milk, cottage cheese, ice cream, cultured dairy products, dairy powders and creative/innovative products from North American processors.
“It’s extremely gratifying how quickly and expansively this contest has grown in its first 14 years,” says Brad Legreid, executive director, WDPA. “Since its inception in 2003, the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest has been fully embraced by the dairy industry since processors have quickly recognized the myriad benefits from participating in this contest.”
All category first-place winners will be auctioned off Oct. 4 at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. A portion of the proceeds from the contest auction will be used to fund various scholarships that are awarded annually to deserving students pursuing careers in the dairy industry.
The top three winners in each category are as follows:
First: Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), Sanborn, Iowa, Aged Cheddar, 98.85.
Second: AMPI, Blair, Wisconsin, White Cheddar cut from 640-lb., 98.70.
Third: Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth, Wisconsin, Cheddar, 98.45.
• Sharp Cheddar
First: Land O’Lakes, Kiel, Wisconsin, 99.55.
Second: Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth, Wisconsin, 99.30.
Third: Land O’Lakes, Kiel, Wisconsin, 99.25.
• Aged Cheddar
First: Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth, Wisconsin, 99.50.
Second: Land O’Lakes, Kiel, Wisconsin, 99.00.
Third: Wisconsin Aging & Grading Cheese, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, 98.90.
• Colby, Monterey Jack
First: AMPI-Jim Falls, Middlebury, Indiana, Colby Jack-cut from 640, 99.55.
Second: Southwest Cheese LLC, Clovis, New Mexico, Colby, 99.45.
Third: Guggisberg Deutsch Kase Haus, Middlebury, Indiana, Traditional Colby Longhorn, 99.40.
• Swiss Styles
First: Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Wisconsin, Baby Swiss Wheel, 99.15.
Second: Edelweiss Creamery LLC, Monticello, Wisconsin, Grass Based Emmental, 99.05.
Third: Swiss Valley Farms, Monona, Iowa, Swiss Block, 99.00.
• Brick, Muenster
First: Fair Oaks Farms, Fair Oaks, Indiana, Muenster, 99.70.
Second: Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, Madison, Wisconsin, Brick, 99.50.
Third: Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, Wisconsin, Brick, 99.30.
First: Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), Turlock, California, Mozzarella-2, 99.70.
Second: Sorrento Lactalis, Nampa, Idaho, WMLM Mozzarella, 99.45.
Third: DFA, Turlock, California, Mozzarella-3, 99.30.
• Fresh Mozzarella
First: Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, Wisconsin, Fresh Mozzarella, 99.85.
Second: Sorrento Lactalis, Nampa, Idaho, Fresh Mozzarella-Bocconcini, 99.80.
Third: Sorrento Lactalis, Marinated Fresh Mozzarella-cherry size, 99.55.
• String Cheese
First: Baker Cheese Factory Inc., St. Cloud, Wisconsin, Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella String Cheese, 99.50.
Second: Baker Cheese Factory Inc., St. Cloud, Wisconsin, Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella String Cheese, 99.45.
Third: Baker Cheese Factory Inc., St. Cloud, Wisconsin, Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella String Cheese, 99.40.
First: DFA, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, Provolone, 98.10.
Second: Foremost Farms USA, Chilton, Wisconsin, Smoked Provolone, 98.00.
Third: Lake Norden Cheese Co., Lake Norden, South Dakota, Provolone-2, 97.25,
• Blue Veined Cheeses
First: Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Point Reyes, California, Point Reyes Original Blue, 99.55.
Second: Arthur Schuman Inc., Fairfield, New Jersey, Montforte Gorgonzola Cheese Wheel, 99.35.
Third: Caves of Faribault, Faribault, Minnesota, St. Pete’s Select Cave Aged Blue Cheese, 99.30.
• Smoked Flavored Natural Cheeses
First: Saxon Cheese LLC, Cleveland, Wisconsin, Smoked Gouda, 99.45.
Second: Fair Oaks Farms, Fair Oaks, Indiana, Smoked Gouda, 98.80.
Third: Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Wisconsin, Double Smoked Cheddar-Team Black Creek, 98.75.
• Pepper Flavored Natural Cheeses
First: Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, Wisconsin, Pepper Muenster, 99.40.
Second: Southwest Cheese LLC, Clovis, New Mexico, Habanero Jack, 99.25.
Third: Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, Wisconsin, Pepper Brick, 98.70.
• Flavored Natural Cheeses
First: Emmi Roth USA, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, Roth Three Cheese Chile Pepper Gouda, 99.30.
Second: Formaggio Italian Cheese, Hurleyville, New York, Betta Brie 8-ounce wheel of Brie with 8-ounce of Cranberry and Almond Topping, 99.15.
Third: Emmi Roth USA, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, Roth Sriracha Gouda, 98.20.
• Cold Pack Cheese, Cheese Food, Cheese Spread
First: Pine River Pre-Pack Inc., Newton, Wisconsin, Swiss & Almond Cold Pack Cheese Food, 99.75.
Second: Pine River Pre-Pack Inc., Newton, Wisconsin, Chunky Bleu Flavor Cold Pack Cheese Food, 99.70.
Third: Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Wisconsin, Sharp Cheddar-Team Pine River, 99.50.
• Reduced Fat
First: Foremost Farms, Clayton, Wisconsin, Reduced Fat Provolone-1, 99.45.
Second: Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, Wisconsin, Reduced Fat Brick, 99.10.
Third: Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, Wisconsin, Reduced Fat Muenster, 99.05.
• Open Class Soft Cheese
First: Arthur Schuman Inc., Fairfield, New Jersey, Cello Thick and Smooth Mascarpone, 99.30.
Second: Lactalis USA, Belmont, Wisconsin, Feta, 99.15.
Third: Formaggio Italian Cheese, Hurleyville, New York, Marinated Fresh Mozzarella with Grilled Vegetables Ciliegine Balls, 99.10.
• Open Class Semi-Soft Cheese
First: Saxon Cheese LLC, Cleveland, Wisconsin, Feta Cheese Loaves-2(Brine G), 99.15.
Second: Burnett Dairy Cooperative, Grantsburg, Wisconsin, Alpha’s Morning Sun with Mango and Habanero, 98.80.
Third: Nasonville Dairy Inc., Marshfield, Wisconsin, Aged Butterkase, 98.60.
• Open Class Hard Cheeses
First: Sartori Co., Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sartori Reserve Chipotle BellaVitano, 99.90.
Second: Emmi Roth USA, Grand Cru Surchoix, 99.85.
Third: Sartori Co., Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sartori Classic Asiago, 99.80.
• Unflavored Pasteurized Process Cheese
First: AMPI, Portage, Wisconsin, Pasteurized Process American Cheese Slices, 99.55.
Second: AMPI, Portage, Wisconsin, Pasteurized Process American Swiss Cheese Slices, 99.50.
Third: AMPI, Portage, Wisconsin, Pasteurized Process American Easy Melt Loaf, 99.10.
• Flavored Pasteurized Process Cheese
First: AMPI, Portage, Wisconsin, Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack and American with Red Bell & Jalapeno, 98.50.
Second: Bongards Premium Cheese, Bongards, Minnesota, Processed American with Jalapeno Peppers Deli Loaf, 98.35.
Third: Lactalis USA Inc., Merrill, Wisconsin, Président Wee Brie Spreadable Cheese, 97.90.
• Latin American Cheese
First: Marquez Brothers International Inc., Hanford, California, Queso Oaxaca, 99.60.
Second: Nasonville Dairy Inc., Marshfield, Wisconsin, Queso Blanco, 99.50.
Third: Wisconsin Cheese Group, Monroe, Wisconsin, Fresco, 99.45.
• Goat Milk Cheese
First: Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Wisconsin, Blueberry Vanilla Chevrai-Team Woolwich, 99.35.
Second: Sartori Co., Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sartori Limited Edition Extra-Aged Goat, 99.30.
Third: Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Wisconsin, Bruschetta Chevrai-Team Woolwich, 99.25.
• Plain Cream Cheese
First: Southeastern Grocers, Jacksonville, Florida, Strawberry Cream Cheese, 99.45.
Second: Swiss Valley Farms, Monona, Iowa, Neufchatel, 99.40.
Third: Organic Valley, La Farge, Wisconsin, Organic Cream Cheese, 99.35.
• Flavored Cream Cheese
First: Lactalis USA Inc., Merrill, Wisconsin, Rondelé Sea Salt & Cracked pepper Gourmet Spreadable Cheese, 99.70.
Second: Lactalis USA Inc., Merrill, Wisconsin, Président Pub Cheese Cheddar & Horseradish Spreadable Cheese, 99.60.
Third: Lactalis USA Inc., Merrill, Wisconsin, Rondelé Garden Vegetable Gourmet Spreadable Cheese, 99.55.
• Open Class Cheese
First: Lactalis USA, Belmont, Wisconsin, Triple Cream, 99.80.
Second: Sartori Co., Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sartori Limited Edition Pastorale Blend, 99.65.
Third: Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Wisconsin, Cheddar Parmesan-Team Black Creek, 99.60.
• Salted Butter
First: California Dairies Inc., Visalia, California, 80 percent Salted Butter, 99.70.
Second: Foremost Farms USA, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, Salted Butter-1st Shift, 99.50.
Third: Michigan Milk Producers Association, Constantine, Michigan, Salted Butter-Roger, 99.13.
• Unsalted Butter
First: West Point Dairy Products, Greenwood, Wisconsin, Unsalted Butter, 99.80.
Second: California Dairies Inc., Visalia, California, 80 percent Unsalted Butter, 99.65.
Third: Michigan Milk Producers Association, Constantine, Michigan, Unsalted Butter-Roger, 99.55.
• Flavored Butter
First: California Dairies Inc., Visalia, California, Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil, 99.40.
Second: Keller Creamery-DFA Winnsboro, Winnsboro, Texas, Salted Whipped Butter, 99.35.
Third: Haverton Hill Creamery, Petaluma, California, Sheep Butter, 99.25.
• White Milk
First: Country Delite Farms, Nashville, Tennessee, 2 percent White Milk, 100.00.
Second: Muller Pinehurst/Prairie Farms Dairy, Rockford, Illinois, White Milk 2 percent, 99.88.
Third: Hiland Dairy Foods, Norman, Oklahoma, 2 percent Milk, 99.85.
• Whole Chocolate Milk
First: Lamers Dairy, Appleton, Wisconsin, 100.00.
Second: Prairie Farms Dairy, Dubuque, Iowa, 99.95.
Third: Hiland Dairy, Little Rock, Arkansas, 99.90.
• Lowfat Chocolate Milk-1 percent
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Dubuque, Iowa, Lowfat Chocolate Milk (1 percent), 100.00.
Second: Kwik Trip Inc., La Crosse, Wisconsin, 1 percent Lowfat Chocolate Milk, 99.85.
Third: Sassy Cow Creamery, Columbus, Wisconsin, 1 percent Chocolate Milk, 99.80.
• Lowfat Chocolate Milk-2 percent
First: Hiland Dairy, Kansas City, Missouri, 2 percent Chocolate, 99.95.
Second: Top O’ The Morn Farms Inc., Tulare, California, Lowfat Chocolate Milk (2 percent), 99.89.
Third: Winder Farms, West Valley City, Utah, Lowfat Chocolate Milk, 99.75.
• Fat Free Chocolate Milk
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Dubuque, Iowa, Fat Free Chocolate Milk, 100.00.
Second: Hiland Dairy, Little Rock, Arkansas, Fat Free Chocolate Milk, 99.90.
Third: Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Omaha, Nebraska, Chocolate Fat Free, 99.80.
• Cultured Milk
First: Country Delite Farms, Nashville, Tennessee, Buttermilk, 99.60.
Second: Muller Pinehurst/Prairie Farms Dairy, Rockford, Illinois, Cultured Milk, 99.55.
Third: Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., Buffalo, New York, Buttermilk, 99.45.
• UHT Milk & Aseptic Milk
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Granite City, Illinois, Premium UHT Chocolate, 99.88.
Second: Aurora Organic Dairy, Boulder, Colorado, Whole Milk, 99.85.
Third: Prairie Farms Dairy, Granite City, Illinois, UHT 40 percent Whipping Cream, 99.75.
• Open Class Pasteurized Milk
First: Turner Dairy Farms Inc., Pittsburgh, Whole Milk, 99.90.
Second: Sassy Cow Creamery, Columbus, Wisconsin, Whole Organic Milk, 99.85.
Third: Prairie Farms Dairy, Olney, Illinois, Open Class H Milk, 99.78.
• Open Class Flavored Milk
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Anderson, Indiana, Salted Caramel Pint, 100.00.
Second: Prairie Farms Dairy, Anderson, Indiana, Chocolate Malt Pint, 99.93.
Third: Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Omaha, Nebraska, Strawberry 2 percent, 99.90.
• Half and Half
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Dubuque, Iowa, 99.80.
Second: Oberweis Dairy, North Aurora, Illinois, 99.75.
Third: Hiland Dairy, Kansas City, Missouri, 99.73.
• Whipping Cream
First: Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Omaha, Nebraska, Whipping Cream, 99.95.
Second: Muller Pinehurst/Prairie Farms Dairy, Rockford, Illinois, Whip Cream, 99.875.
Third: Kemps, Cedarburg, Wisconsin, Kemps 36 percent Whipping Cream, 99.825.
• Heavy Whipping Cream
First: Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Omaha, Nebraska, Heavy Whipping Cream, 99.95.
Second: Stewarts, Saratoga Springs, New York, Heavy Whipping Cream, 99.925.
Third: Dean Foods Meadow Gold, Las Vegas, Dean Foods 36 percent Heavy Whipping Cream, 99.91.
• Plain Greek Yogurt
First: Westby Cooperative Creamery, Westby, Wisconsin, Plain Greek Yogurt, 99.65.
Second: Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Wisconsin, Odyssey Greek Yogurt, 99.40.
Third: Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Waitsfield, Vermont, Plain Greek Yogurt, 99.35.
• Flavored Greek Yogurt
First: Commonwealth Dairy LLC, Brattleboro, Vermont, 2 percent Blended Coconut Yogurt with Pineapple, 100.00.
Second: Schreiber Foods, Richland Center, Wisconsin, Greek Blueberry Yogurt, 99.625.
Third: Commonwealth Dairy LLC, Brattleboro, Vermont, 2 percent Blended Greek Yogurt-Mint Chocolate Chip, 99.55.
• Strawberry Yogurt
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Quincy, Illinois, Strawberry Yogurt, 99.70.
Second: Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., Buffalo, New York, Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt, 99.525.
Third: Southeastern Grocers, Jacksonville, Florida, Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt, 99.50.
• Blueberry Yogurt
First: Belfonte Ice Cream & Dairy Foods, Kansas City, Missouri, Low Fat Blueberry Yogurt, 98.80.
Second: Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., Buffalo, New York, Lowfat Blueberry-W, 98.50.
Third: Hiland Dairy Foods, Wichita, Kansas, Blueberry Milk, 98.0.
• Open Flavor Yogurt
First: Schreiber Foods, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Lemon Aussie, 99.95.
Second: Schreiber Foods Inc., Richland Center, Wisconsin, Middle Eastern Style Yogurt Spread-Kefir, 99.55.
Third: Commonwealth Dairy LLC, Brattleboro, Vermont, 2 percent Blended Chocolate Greek Yogurt with Black Cherry, 99.50.
• Open Flavor Drinkable Yogurt
First: RFG Dairy LLC, Bedford Park, Illinois, Guanabana Yogurt Smoothies (1.5 percent fat), 99.80.
Second: Marquez Brothers International Inc., Hanford, California, Drinkable Yogurt-Mango Cereal Smoothie, 99.75.
Third: Hato Potrero Farm Inc., Clewiston, Florida, 2 percent Mango Yogurt, 99.725.
• Regular Cottage Cheese
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Carbondale, Illinois, Regular Cottage Cheese 4 percent, 99.50.
Second: Belfonte Ice Cream & Dairy Foods, Kansas City, Missouri, Regular Cottage Cheese, 99.35.
Third: Dean Foods Co., Rockford, Illinois, Dean’s Country Fresh 4 percent Small Curd Cottage Cheese, 99.30.
• Lowfat and No Fat Cottage Cheese
First: Prairie Farms Dairy, Carbondale, Illinois, No Fat Cottage Cheese 0 percent, 99.80.
Second: Prairie Farms Dairy, Carbondale, Illinois, Lowfat Cottage Cheese 1 percent, 99.65.
Third: Dean Foods Co., Rockford, Illinois, Morning Glory 2 percent Small Curd Cottage Cheese, 99.55.
• Open Flavor Cottage Cheese
First: Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., Buffalo, New York, 4 percent Pineapple Cottage Cheese, 99.775.
Second: Hiland Dairy Foods, Wichita, Kansas, Open Class Cottage Cheese, 99.70.
Third: Dean Foods Co., Rockford, Illinois, Dean’s Country Fresh 4 percent Small Curd Cottage Cheese with Pineapple, 99.55.
• Sour Cream
First: Umpqua Dairy Products, Roseburg, Oregon, Regular Sour Cream, 99.80.
Second: Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., Buffalo, New York, Sour Cream, 99.70.
Third: Prairie Farms Dairy, Carbondale, Illinois, Sour Cream 18 percent, 99.65.
• Lowfat Sour Cream
First: Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Waitsfield, Vermont, Lowfat Sour Cream, 99.85.
Second: Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Omaha, Nebraska, Light Sour Cream, 99.60.
Third: Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., Buffalo, New York, Lite Sour Cream, 99.40.
• Sour Cream Based Dips-Onion
First: Dean Foods Co., Rockford, Illinois, Land O’Lakes French Onion Dip, 99.70.
Second: Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., Buffalo, New York, French Onion Dip, 99.40.
Third: Prairie Farms Dairy, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sour Cream Dip-Onion, 99.00.
• Sour Cream Based Dips-Southwest
First: Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Omaha, Nebraska, Sassy Salsa, 99.85.
Second: Dean Foods Meadow Gold, Las Vegas, Meadow Gold Fiesta Dip, 99.80.
Third: Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Omaha, Nebraska, Jalapeno Dip, 99.75.
• Open Sour Cream Based Dips
First: Hiland Dairy Foods, Norman, Oklahoma, Southwest Ranch Dip, 99.50.
Second: Dean Foods Co., Rockford, Illinois, Land O’Lakes Sour Cream with Chives & Onions, 99.20.
Third: Hiland Dairy Foods, Norman, Oklahoma, Veggie Dip, 99.10.
• Regular Vanilla Ice Cream
First: Lochmead Dairy, Junction City, Oregon, Vanilla Ice Cream, 99.50.
Second: Kwik Trip Inc., La Crosse, Wisconsin, Regular Vanilla Ice Cream, 99.20.
Third: Southeastern Grocers, Jacksonville, Florida, Prestige Homestyle Vanilla Ice Cream, 99.00.
• French Vanilla Ice Cream
First: Southeastern Grocers, Jacksonville, Florida, Prestige French Vanilla Ice Cream, 99.50.
Second: Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream, Skowhegan, Maine, French Vanilla Ice Cream, 99.45.
Third: Belfonte Ice Cream & Dairy Foods, French Vanilla Ice Cream, 98.65.
• Philly Vanilla Ice Cream
First: Umpqua Dairy Products, Roseburg, Oregon, Vanilla Bean, 98.55.
Second: Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream, Skowhegan, Maine, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, 98.35.
Third: Muller Pinehurst/Prairie Farms Dairy, Rockford, Illinois, Philly Vanilla Ice Cream, 97.875.
• Regular Chocolate Ice Cream
First: Hiland Dairy, Springfield, Missouri, 99.50.
Second: Belfonte Ice Cream & Dairy Foods, Kansas City, Missouri, 99.40.
Third: Lochmead Dairy, Junction City, Oregon, 98.90.
• Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
First: Stewarts, Saratoga Springs, New York, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, 99.70.
Second: Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, Wisconsin, Zanzibar Chocolate, 99.40.
Third: King Cone, Plover, Wisconsin, Zanzee Chocolate Bar, 98.90.
• Open Class Flavored Fruit and/or Nut Ice Cream
First: Yuenglings Ice Cream, Orwigsburd, Pennsylvania, Cherry Vanilla Chunk Ice Cream, 99.80.
Second: Oberweis Dairy, North Aurora, Illinois, Black Raspberry Chunk, 99.40.
Third: Vande Walles Candies Inc., Appleton, Wisconsin, Strawberry Ice Cream, 99.30.
• Open Class Ice Cream
First: Double Rainbow Ice Cream, San Francisco, Vanilla Custard & Strawberry Lemon Fruit, 99.85.
Second: Oberweis Dairy, North Aurora, Illinois, Espresso Caramel Chip, 99.875.
Third: Whitey’s Ice Cream, Moline, Illinois, Salted Peanut Butter Pie, 99.85.
• Open Class Sherbet
First: Cedar Crest Specialties, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Sunset Rainbow Sherbet, 99.20.
Second: Cedar Crest Specialties, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Raspberry Sherbet, 98.80.
Third: Muller Pinehurst/Prairie Farms Dairy, Rockford, Illinois, Rainbow Sherbet, 98.70.
• Frozen Yogurt
First: Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream, Skowhegan, Maine, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt, 99.70.
Second: Kwik Trip Inc., La Crosse, Wisconsin, Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt, 98.875.
Third: Belfonte Ice Cream & Dairy Foods, Kansas City, Missouri, Frozen Yogurt, 98.30.
First: Stewarts, Saratoga Springs, New York, Milk Chocolate Gelato, 99.70.
Second: Stewarts, Saratoga Springs, New York, Salty Caramel Gelato, 99.45.
Third: Kwik Trip Inc., La Crosse, Wisconsin, Café Espresso Chip Gelato, 98.40.
First: Foremost Farms, Plover, Wisconsin, Nutritek 500 Demineralized Whey, 99.925.
Second: Foremost Farms, Plover, Wisconsin, Nutritek 250 Demineralized Whey, 99.875.
Third: AMPI, Jim Falls, Wisconsin, Dried Sweet Whey, 99.80.
• Whey Permeate
First: Saputo Cheese USA Inc., Lincolnshire, Illinois, Deproteinized Whey Powder-Tulare, California, 99.90.
Second: Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Waitsfield, Vermont, Agri-Mark DPI-Dairy Protein Solids, 99.70.
Third: Sorrento Lactalis, Nampa, Idaho, Whey Permeate Powder, 99.25.
• Whey Protein Concentrate-34 percent
First: AMPI, Paynesville, Minnesota, Whey Protein Concentrate 34 percent, 99.80.
Second: Saputo Cheese USA Inc., Lincolnshire, Illinois, Whey Protein Concentrate 34 percent-colored cheese-Waupun, Wisconsin-1, 99.775.
Third: Saputo Cheese USA Inc., Lincolnshire, Illinois, Whey Protein Concentrate 34 percent-white cheese-Waupun, Wisconsin-2, 99.75.
• Whey Protein Concentrate-80 percent
First: Saputo Cheese USA Inc., Lincolnshire, Illinois, Whey Protein Concentrate 80 percent-regular with sunflower lecithin-Australia, 99.90.
Second: AMPI, Paynesville, Minnesota, Whey Protein Concentrate 80 percent, 99.80.
Third: Sorrento Lactalis, Nampa, Idaho, Whey Protein Concentrate 80 percent, 99.75.
• Whey Protein Isolates
First: Leprino Foods, Denver, Instantized WPI Powder, 99.90.
Second: Gallo Global Nutrition, Atwater, California, Whey Protein Isolate-Instantized, 99.65.
Third: Gallo Global Nutrition, Atwater, California, Whey Protein Isolate, 99.50.
• Whey Based Sports/Energy Drinks
First: DFA, Portales, New Mexico, MPC Milk Protein Concentrate-6, 99.95.
Second: DFA, Portales, New Mexico, MPC Milk Protein Concentrate-4, 99.85.
Third: DFA, Portales, New Mexico, MPC Milk Protein Concentrate-2, 99.80.
• Nonfat Dried Milk
First: DFA, Fallon, Nevada, Skim Milk Powder-Standardized, 99.95.
Second: DFA, Fallon, Nevada, NFDM, 99.90.
Third: DFA, Portales, New Mexico, Nonfat Dried Milk-6, 99.875.
• Open Class for Creative & Innovative Products
First: CTL Foods Inc., Colfax, Wisconsin, Soda Fountain Malted Milk Powder, 97.85.
Second: Organic Valley, La Farge, Wisconsin, Organic Chocolate Balance (milk protein shake), 97.75.
Third: Kwik Trip Inc., La Crosse, Wisconsin, French Vanilla Cappuccino, 97.50.
USDA to purchase cheese
to aid dairy market stability
August 26, 2016
WASHINGTON — USDA this week announced plans to purchase approximately 11 million pounds of cheese from private inventories to assist food banks and pantries across the nation, while reducing the nation’s cheese surplus.
The purchase, valued at $20 million, will be provided to families in need across the country through USDA nutrition assistance programs, while assisting the stalled market place for dairy producers whose revenues have dropped 35 percent over the past two years, USDA says.
“We understand that the nation’s dairy producers are experiencing challenges due to market conditions and that food banks continue to see strong demand for assistance,” says U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This commodity purchase is part of a robust, comprehensive safety net that will help reduce a cheese surplus that is at a 30-year high while at the same time moving a high-protein food to the tables of those most in need.”
Vilsack adds that USDA will continue to look for ways within its authority to tackle food insecurity and provide for added stability in the marketplace.
USDA received requests from Congress, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and National Farmers Union (NFU) to make an immediate dairy purchase to help both economically-strapped farmers and those without ready access to nutritious dairy products. (See “Stakeholders seek more producer support; NMPF urges USDA to buy cheese for donation” in the Aug. 12, 2016, issue of Cheese Market News.)
Although USDA’s anticipated purchase of $20 million worth of cheese falls short of NMPF’s request to purchase $100 million to $150 million of cheese, the organization says it appreciates the agency’s prompt action.
“This cheese purchase will provide some assistance to America’s dairy farmers through increased demand for milk, while also serving the needs of Americans who patronize food banks and other charitable organizations that will distribute the cheese purchased by USDA,” says Jim Mulhern, president and CEO, NMPF. “We will continue to assess the economic situation facing dairy farmers and suggest ways to help farmers ensure this lengthy period of low prices.”
AFBF President Zippy Duvall says USDA’s action will help alleviate the tough realities of the market and keep family farmers in business at a time when too many are leaving.
“More than 1,200 family dairy farms went out of business in 2015,” Duvall says. “We greatly appreciate USDA’s taking this action to help our beleaguered dairy producers.”
NFU, however, says the stopgap aid is not enough for strapped U.S. dairy farmers.
“NFU appreciates USDA’s continued commitment to dairy producers, especially within a very tight budget. The current environment, however, has left dairy farmers struggling with severe economic strain, and it requires a more robust response,” says Roger Johnson, president, NFU.
According to Johnson, current projections indicate that farm revenue from milk sales this year will drop to $31.5 billion — a $20 billion plunge from 2014 revenue highs.
“Even with modest price rebounds, dairy producers are draining capital reserves, or worse, going out of business,” he says. “Market challenges, including a glut of domestic and international milk, will require time to shrink inventories due to a tepid global demand. In the meantime, producers need meaningful assistance.
“NFU hopes USDA will continue to assist dairy producers as funding allows. We also recognize that USDA alone cannot solve the current problem. Congress must quickly provide the department with much needed resources so that they may better assist our nation’s producers,” he adds. “NFU looks forward to working with both Congress and the USDA to assist producers who are on the brink of making career ending decisions about the future of their operations.”
Meanwhile, USDA this week also announced it will extend the deadline for dairy producers to enroll in the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) to Dec. 16, 2016, from the previous deadline of Sept. 30.
Earlier this month, USDA announced approximately $11.2 million in financial assistance to U.S. dairy producers enrolled in MPP-Dairy, the largest payment since the program began in 2014. (See “USDA announces $11.2 million in assistance for milk producers enrolled in MPP-Dairy” in the Aug. 5, 2016, issue of Cheese Market News.)
NMPF says it also appreciates the MPP enrollment extension.
“Giving farmers until Dec. 16 to adjust their coverage levels for calendar year 2017 will help increase the opportunity for dairy farmers to utilize this crucial risk management tool,” Mulhern says. “We will continue to work with USDA and Congress to find ways to further improve the Margin Protection Program for dairy farmers.”
Vilsack notes that while USDA projects dairy prices to increase throughout the rest of the year, many factors including low world market prices, increased milk supplies and inventories, and slower demand have contributed to the sluggish marketplace for dairy producers.
USDA will continue to monitor market conditions in the coming months and evaluate additional actions, if necessary, later this fall, he adds.
July milk production in major states
up 1.4 percent
August 26, 2016
WASHINGTON — Milk production in the 23 major milk-producing states during July totaled 16.83 billion pounds, up 1.4 percent from July 2015, according to preliminary data released this week by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). (All figures are rounded. Please see CMN’s Milk Production chart on page 11.)
June revised production in the 23 major states, at 16.66 billion pounds, was up 1.6 percent from June 2015. The June revision represents an increase of 9 million pounds or 0.1 percent from last month’s preliminary estimate.
Production per cow in the 23 major states averaged 1,946 pounds in July, 24 pounds above July 2015. This is the highest production per cow for the month of July since the 23-state series began in 2003, NASS says.
The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major states was 8.65 million head, 19,000 head more than July 2015, and 2,000 head more than June 2016.
For the entire United States, July 2016 milk production is estimated at 17.92 billion pounds, up 1.4 percent from July 2015.
Production per cow in the United States averaged 1,920 pounds in July, up 23 pounds from a year earlier. There were an estimated 9.33 million cows on U.S. farms in July, up 18,000 head from July 2015 and up 2,000 head from June 2016.
California led the nation’s milk production with 3.38 billion pounds in July, down 0.8 percent from its production in July 2015. Production per cow in California averaged 1,910 pounds in July, down 5 pounds from July 2015. California was home to 1.77 million cows in July, down 10,000 head from a year earlier and down 1,000 head from June 2016.
Wisconsin followed with 2.56 billion pounds of milk produced, up 2.1 percent from its production a year earlier. Production per cow in Wisconsin averaged 2,005 pounds in July, up 45 pounds from July 2015. The state was home to 1.28 million cows in July, down 2,000 head from a year earlier but unchanged from June 2016.
U.S. cheese stocks continue at record levels
August 26, 2016
WASHINGTON — Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses in the United States July 31, 2016, amounted to 1.28 billion pounds,up 2 percent from the previous month’s 1.25 billion pounds and up 10 percent from the 1.16 billion pounds in cold storage at the end of July 2015, according to data released this week by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Total natural cheese stocks were a record high for the month of July, according to NASS.
Natural American cheese stocks totaled 770.0 million pounds July 31, 2016, up 2 percent from June 30, 2016’s 757.0 million pounds and up 10 percent from July 31, 2015’s 698.0 million pounds.
Swiss cheese in cold storage totaled 25.7 million pounds July 31, 2016, up 5 percent from the 24.5 million pounds in cold storage at the end of June 2016 and up 19 percent from the 21.6 million pounds in cold storage at the end of July 2015.
NASS reports other natural cheese in cold storage totaled 480.7 million pounds at the end of July 2016, up 3 percent from the 468.9 million pounds in cold storage June 30, 2016, and up 9 percent from the 442.2 million pounds in cold storage July 31, 2015.
Butter stocks as of July 31, 2016, totaled 333.1 million pounds, NASS also reports, a 2-percent increase from the 328.1 million pounds in cold storage June 30, 2016, and up 31 percent from the 254.3 million pounds in cold storage July 31, 2015.
Grillies caters to American market
Halloumi cheese recipe, usage ideas developed to meet the needs of U.S. retailers and consumers
By Kate Sander
NEW YORK — As Americans’ love affair with cheese — particularly specialty cheeses — continues to grow, companies continually must innovate to meet demand and give consumers something new and exciting.
Sometimes that innovation means a new cheese or a new twist on an old cheese. Sometimes it means new packaging. And sometimes it means creatively telling a story in a different way.
For Grillies Cheese, it’s a bit of all of the above.
The best way to describe Grillies would be an Americanized version of Halloumi, a Mediterranean cheese. Manufactured on the island of Cyprus, Grillies is an all-natural semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese that retains its shape when cooked, making it perfect for the grill, oven or fryer. Grillies was just introduced to the U.S. market earlier this year, with critically-acclaimed debuts at the National Restaurant Association and the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association’s shows this spring.
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Cheese-centric travel popular
among foodies, professionals
August 19, 2016
By Rena Archwamety
MADISON, Wis. — As visitors each year travel to see the grand chateaus of France, taste wines in California’s Napa Valley or spend a day on a picturesque farm in Wisconsin, many are adding another must-do to their itineraries — cheese.
“The fastest-growing segment in tourism is food tourism,” says Anna Juhl, who four years ago founded New York-based Cheese Journeys (http://www.cheesejourneys.com), which offers educative travel experiences in the United States and abroad that attract both cheese enthusiasts and cheese professionals.
Juhl, who previously owned a specialty cheese and food shop, says she models her trips after wine tours as well as the educational experiences she and her family typically enjoy on vacation.
During Cheese Journeys’ two Fromages de France tours next month, Juhl will lead participants through the eastern borders of France near Germany, Switzerland and Italy, exploring Alpine-style cheeses and regional wines throughout the 12-day tour. They will stay in a 1,000-year-old Chateau, watch Trappist monks make Abbey de Tamie cheese at their monastery, shop local food markets and learn cooking tips from a French chef.
Stateside in March, Cheese Journeys is offering a 10-day Cheeses of Oregon tour that will take participants along the coast to visit cheesemakers, coffee shops, wineries and breweries, ending at Rogue Creamery’s 13th Annual Cheese Festival.
Cheese Journeys also hosts shorter excursions, such as a weekend getaway exploring cheese in Chester County, Pennsylvania, planned for September 2017.
“There are always so many places to go,” Juhl says.
• Meeting the source
Jeanne Carpenter, founder of Wisconsin Cheese Originals (http://www.wisconsincheeseoriginals.com), leads cheese tours mainly in Wisconsin, but also to various locations abroad every other year.
Carpenter says she always tries to visit at least one farm on every tour so that people can make the connection between well-treated cows, goats and sheep and the cheese made from their milk.
“Lots of folks have never seen a cow or sheep up close on a farm. It can be really life-changing for the average consumer buying cheese to see where that milk is coming from,” she says. “Any time you can get people back to the farm and connected to the animals is a good thing.”
Carpenter says one of her more popular past tours was a two-day trip to southwestern Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, where the highlight was spending almost an entire day at Hidden Springs Creamery in Westby, Wisconsin, walking through the sheep pastures and visiting with owner and cheesemaker Brenda Jensen.
She adds that cheesemakers are very busy, so she tries not to ask any one cheese company to host a big group more than once or twice a year. However, the payoff for letting people in can be a great benefit for the cheesemaker as well as the tour.
“Any time you let a consumer into your plant or factory and have them watch you making cheese or talking to you, you absolutely have a customer for life,” Carpenter says, adding that the people who go on these tours tend to be those who want to share their experiences and influence others.
“They tend to be ‘super foodies’ — people that read labels, ask cheesemongers questions, know a little about cheese already and want to learn more,” Carpenter says. “They want to go on a tour so they can come back and buy the cheese, host a dinner party and tell their friends they were on that farm and met the cheesemaker.”
In addition to visiting local cheesemakers, Juhl enlists the help of experts in cheese and other specialties during her Cheese Journeys tours to provide extra insight. Among these educators are cheese and wine expert and author Max McCalman, as well as other accomplished food writers and photographers, cheesemongers and chefs from around the world. When traveling with a chef or a cheese or wine educator, a lot of the education takes place in less formal settings with tastings or cooking classes around the evening table.
“It’s fun to mix it up with different writers or educators along the way, adding value,” Juhl says. “To take a class with Max is great, but they get to spend a week with him, shopping for cheese with him in their back pocket.”
• Growing demand
When she started Cheese Journeys, Juhl planned to build two different tour styles — one more intense tour for cheese professionals, and one more leisurely tour for food enthusiasts. However, as she worked to design high-quality tours with educational components, she found that these attracted both groups. Her tour groups now include a mix of cheese enthusiasts, cheese producers and cheese retailers.
“It’s been interesting how many cheesemakers enjoy going on trips. For many cheesemakers in the U.S. who want to hone their skills, they can go, take a notebook, bring back what they learn and enhance their business,” Juhl says.
“We also have had some cheesemakers well-established in their business. They want to travel with their spouse and have been on distributor-type trips, where they race through production tours. That’s not what the spouse wants to do — they want a holiday-type experience. We build in flex time so they can do a cooking or other class if they don’t want to visit another cheesemaker.”
Instead of traditional advertising channels, Juhl prefers to work within the cheese industry to market her tours. She promoted Cheese Journeys at the American Cheese Society conference last month, and she provides marketing materials to display on cheese shop counters. She offers a “5 for 1” program for cheese shops, where if five other customers or employees sign up for a Cheese Journeys trip, that business will receive one trip for free.
“I was a store owner for many years, and it can be a challenge figuring out how to engage customers ... how to get customers to appreciate the value of that cheese,” she says. “They have to get educated. If they fall in love with the makers of the cheese, that’s a win-win. They’ll be lifelong customers in those shops.”
Now that word has spread about her tours, Juhl is seeing many tours sell out. This year’s France trip sold out so quickly that she added a second one to the calendar.
Carpenter says demand for cheese tours is far exceeding supply at the moment. She hosts one or two a year due to the time and expense that goes into them, but based on demand, she says she easily could do three or four. Her tours almost always sell out.
“There are more people out there that want to do tours than there are tours available. People want to see cheese,” she says.
Today Carpenter is teaming up with Wisconsin Foodie, a program that airs weekly on Wisconsin Public Television, to lead a daylong tour around southeast Wisconsin that includes Clock Shadow Creamery, Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese, LaClare Farms and Kelley Country Creamery. Carpenter was approached by Wisconsin Foodie after another one of her tours was featured on the program, which prompted lots of viewer feedback asking if Wisconsin Foodie would offer cheese tours. She is planning a second tour with Wisconsin Foodie for October that will explore cheesemakers in southwest Wisconsin.
One key challenge of tours is pricing them so you don’t lose money, yet people still can afford to go, Carpenter says. There are a lot of expenses, between transportation costs, meals, food and lodging for multi-day tours. Her daylong tour with Wisconsin Foodie was priced at $125 per person, which included parking, admissions, cheese tastings, lunch and a wagon ride.
Cheese Journeys, which offers a boutique-style travel experience with small groups of no more than 10 or 15, tends to attract a more established, middle-aged clientele due to its higher price point, Juhl says, though some travelers have been younger. The 12-day Fromages de France tour is priced at $5,750 per person for double occupancy or $6,750 for single occupancy, not including airfare.
• DIY cheese tours
For those who want to include cheese on their travels but stay within a budget or have more flexibility, states such as California, Wisconsin and Vermont offer print and interactive digital maps of local cheesemakers, indicating which ones offer tours to the public during regular hours or by appointment.
Vivien Straus, a board member of the Marin Economic Forum and manager of Straus Home Ranch, created the California Cheese Trail in 2010 as a way to promote artisan cheesemakers in California’s Sonoma and Marin counties, and eventually cheesemakers throughout the state.
The California Cheese Trail now includes a website (http://cheesetrail.org), a downloadable app and a printed map that help visitors to design their own tours, find tastings, classes or other cheese events, and see which cheesemakers offer tours.
“The map itself has helped make artisan cheese a huge deal in California. We became known for artisan cheese in the North Bay of San Francisco,” Straus says. “One of the cheesemakers said that 50 percent of their business comes from the cheese map, while others have said around 30 percent. It’s been really big for the ones open to the public.”
The California Cheese Trail is a nonprofit project supported by partners such as Whole Foods Market, California Milk Advisory Board, California Artisan Cheese Guild and Marin Agricultural Land Trust.
Straus notes that she tries to be all-inclusive in the listings, from large processors like Hilmar Cheese in Hilmar, California, which produces more cheese and whey on one site than any other manufacturer in the world, to small farmstead operations such as Jollity Farm, a wooded 40-goat dairy nestled in the Sierra foothills.
The printed map previously featured only Sonoma and Marin cheesemakers, but in its next printing, it will include all of California.
“I think people will be surprised to find they can buy Burrata from a cheesemaker in the center of Los Angeles,” Straus says. “Hilmar gives great tours and has a great education center. For small cheesemakers, it has allowed people to find out who they are and has absolutely allowed them to increase visibility and sales.”
While California currently may be more famous for its wine tours, Straus says she thinks cheese tours in California are well on their way to reaching the same level of success.
“People are fascinated by how cheese is made. They like to taste it, and it’s an adventure that’s a little different,” Straus says. “For the ones that are adventurous enough to take the farm tours, they’re interested to see the animals — kids and adults, too, are completely fascinated. Really, cheese is still a little bit of a mystery, and I think that’s kind of fun.”
Flavor, versatility of Cheddar
boost demand, innovation
August 19, 2016
Editor’s Note: “Cheese of the Month” is Cheese Market News’ exclusive profile series exploring various cheese types. Each month, CMN highlights a different cheese in this feature, giving our readers a comprehensive look at production, marketing, sales and in-depth aspects of each profiled cheese type. Please read on to learn about this month’s featured cheese: Cheddar.
By Stephanie Awe
MADISON, Wis. — Cheddar — a rich, natural cheese — originates from Somerset in England around the late 12th century, and it has since been embraced by the United States. From sandwiches to snacking to inclusion in recipes, Cheddar is a multifaceted, flavorful cheese that is a prominent part of America’s palate.
Natural Cheddar (fixed weight only) is the top-selling variety of natural cheese at multi-outlet and convenience stores in the United States, with a 27-percent volume share among all cheese types (52 weeks ending July 10, 2016), according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI) data courtesy of Dairy Management Inc. Second to Cheddar in the lineup is cream cheese, with 13-percent volume share. On average, U.S. consumers purchase about 8.6 pounds of Cheddar each year from these outlets and stores, the data says.
Prior to 1850, Cheddar made up almost all of the cheese produced in the nation, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB). Cheddar production in Wisconsin started in the mid-1800s and by 1880, more Cheddar was produced in the state than any other cheese variety, WMMB says.
As of 2015, Wisconsin’s Cheddar production was the highest of any state at 613.5 million pounds, according to USDA’s Dairy Products 2015 Annual Summary released in April 2016.
Cheddar production in the nation is second to Mozzarella, with production totaling 3.39 billion pounds in 2015, up 2.3 percent from 2014, according to USDA’s annual summary.
“Cheddar is a very versatile cheese and can be eaten alone, or with fruits and nuts, on burgers, in pastas or hot dishes, on pizzas or in any number of ways,” says Tony Hook, co-owner of Hook’s Cheese Co., Mineral Point, Wisconsin.
In addition to its various applications, Cheddar is traded at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). In its 2005 white paper, “A New Cheese Pricing Model,” Blimling and Associates Inc., a dairy consulting and research firm based in Madison, Wisconsin, notes that the National Cheese Exchange (NCE) — which had operated in Green Bay, Wisconsin, before closing — focused on exchanging Cheddar starting in the late 1960s. (Prior to that, NCE had used American, brick and Swiss cheeses.) Upon NCE’s closing in 1997, cash trading shifted to the CME, the white paper says.
Phil Plourd, president, Blimling and Associates, says he believes Cheddar was first incorporated into the exchange because it was the cheese of highest commodity. Along the way, Cheddar was included in milk product price formulas, emphasizing Cheddar’s importance in the market superstructure that is seen today, he adds.
• Aging and other characteristics
Typically, Cheddar is made using whole milk with a mesophillic starter culture, according to Dean Sommer, cheese and food technologist, Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research.
The milk is first coagulated and, once reaching the proper firmness, cut into small cubes with wire curd harps. Then, the curd is “cooked” — using either steam or hot water in the jacket surrounding the vat — to expel whey from the curd and firm the curd. As a result, the curd shrinks and is stirred in the liquid whey to develop acid in the curd, Sommer says.
Next, the curds and whey are pumped onto a curd table, where the whey is drained so the curds can “fuse” together — a key step in the Cheddar-making process, Sommer says. The matted curd is cut into slabs, which are flipped every 15-20 minutes, also referred to as the “cheddaring” process. The slabs are then run through rotating knife blades in a curd mill before being salted and either bagged as cheese curds or pressed into a solid block, often for aging.
“This natural aging process is where the real magic happens,” says Nate Formalarie, brand communications manager, Cabot Creamery Cooperative. Cabot, based in Cabot, Vermont, ages its Cheddars from five months to five years, developing more bite and a crumbly texture as they age, he says.
At Hook’s, Cheddar is typically aged up to 15 years, although the company also has produced 20-year Cheddar. The company’s most popular Cheddar is its five-year, a time frame in which 70 percent of its Cheddar is sold, Hook adds.
Once reaching the five-year mark when aging Cheddar, Hook says the cheese starts smoothing out, the acidity dropping and returning to a “milky” flavor. Around five years, the cheese also typically develops calcium lactate crystals that create a crunch, he adds.
Hook’s uses the same recipe for all of its Cheddars, which are built for aging, Hook says. Throughout the aging process, Hook’s holds two quality tests of each vat per year to ensure the cheese is still developing well. The cheese is ready to sell before it develops any “off” flavors, he says.
At Fiscalini Cheese, Modesto, California, its Bandage Wrapped Cheddar is turned daily for the first two months and then quarterly until reaching 14 months of age, when it is sold, says Mariano Gonzalez, head cheesemaker.
Also characteristic to Cheddar are its colors, including ranges of oranges and whites. Cheddar is naturally a creamy off-white cheese due to natural colors present in the milk from grasses cows eat, according to Sommer.
Cheddar produced from milk in the summer usually has a more creamy white hue than in winter, when the resultant cheese appears more white, Sommer says. This is due to cows’ ability to eat fresh grass containing carotenoids in summer months, while in winter months cows may need to eat dried hay if in an area with harsh winters. Carotenoids, present in grasses and usually providing natural colors, are destroyed in dried hay.
The orange coloring in Cheddar is an additive, annatto, which is derived from the seed of a South American plant. Historically, the annatto was added to Cheddar in the winter months, since consumers viewed cheese with a creamier hue to be richer, Sommer says. Today, however, coloring — sometimes adding larger amounts of annatto to achieve a deeper orange — is used more as a visual consumer marketing tool, a tactic developed in England.
• A versatile cheese
Cheddar, with its various forms and flavors, has a multitude of applications. Chunk and shredded are the most common forms of Cheddar sold at multi-outlet and convenience stores, according to IRI data, suggesting consumers use it most often for snacking and in recipes.
Formalarie says Cheddar works well for almost any use, from building cheese platters to using it as an ingredient in a larger dish, adding that the company’s 8-ounce bars are of highest demand year-round.
Hook, whose company sells about 10 percent of its Cheddar directly to customers, agrees.
“A lot of customers are pairing (Cheddar) with wines or beers, and having it with fruit or nuts,” Hook says.
The remainder of Hook’s Cheddar sales — about 90 percent — are sold through specialty stores, wholesale distributors and restaurants, Hook says. Chefs often include the cheese in their signature dishes, such as grilled cheese or macaroni and cheese, he says.
• Demand for flavor at retail level
Cheddar flavors, such as smoked and pepper, have gained in volume sales from 2014 to 2016, according to IRI data (U.S. multi-outlet and convenience stores). Similarly, Black Pepper and Buffalo Wing flavors gained traction from 2015 to 2016, along with cranberry-flavored Cheddar, which has especially spiked during the holidays. In addition, Sharp and Extra Sharp Cheddars grew in sales more than Medium and Mild, the data says.
“More and more people are looking for cheeses that have more flavor,” Hook says, noting that it appears health-conscious Baby Boomers look to eat less but consume more flavor.
At Hook’s, flavors including Smoked Cheddar, Tomato Basil Cheddar and Truffled Cheddar are among varieties produced, along with its Mild, Medium and Sharp Cheddar varieties.
Cabot also offers cheese with a bite — Seriously Sharp Cheddar — which is the cooperative’s most popular Cheddar variety, according to Formalarie.
“As people find Cheddar and are introduced to it, over time their appetite for a more complex Cheddar grows,” he says.
Fiscalini Cheese will be introducing a seasonal flavored Cheddar — Pumpkin Spice — for the first time this year in an effort to stay atop of trends and provide consumers with more varieties.
“(Consumers are) always asking for something new,” says Laura Genasci, marketing and sales representative for Fiscalini, who co-manages the company with her brother and CEO, Brian Fiscalini.
The growing popularity of flavor-packed Cheddar demonstrates what is unique to the cheese: While its legacy in the United States only grows older, it is still full of surprises that keep consumers and producers coming back for more.
“Cheddar is versatile and approachable,” Formalarie says. “That draws a lot of people to it, especially if they aren’t big time cheese connoisseurs. It’s an approachable cheese with a lot of variety.”
High Desert Milk wins IMPA contest with butter
August 19, 2016
SUN VALLEY, Idaho — An 80-percent salted sweet cream butter made by High Desert Milk, Burley, Idaho, received Grand Champion honors at the 2016 Idaho Milk Processors Association (IMPA) Dairy Product Contest.
Fresh Mozzarella Bocconocini made by Ray Cisneroz, Sorrento Lactalis Inc., Nampa, Idaho, was first runner-up, while Promotory made by Steffan Christiasen of Beehive Cheese Co., Uintah, Utah, was second runner-up overall.
Contest judging took place Aug. 9 at the Glanbia production plant in Twin Falls, Idaho. Awards were announced and the winners in all classes except manufacturing cheese were auctioned off Aug. 11 during the wine and cheese social at the IMPA annual conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. This year’s auction raised a total of $21,800 for the IMPA Scholarship Fund, and the remaining cheese was donated to charity.
The winning cheeses and auction buyers in each class were are follows:
Class 1: Current Cheddar — less than 3 months
First: David Martinez, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Mild Cheddar, 98.30. Evans Grain purchased 40 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $1,900.
Second: Efraem Manzo, Darigold Inc., Mild White Cheddar, 97.25.
Third: Blackfoot Plant, Glanbia-Blackfoot, Current Cheddar (White), 97.20.
Class 2: Medium Cheddar — 3 to 6 months
First: Steffan Christiasen, Beehive Cheese Co., Promotory – Rich Creamy Utah Original, 98.65. DSM purchased 20 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $800.
Second: Team 3, Jerome Cheese Co., Medium Cheddar, 96.25.
Third: Sultjo Alic, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Medium Cheddar, 94.70.
Class 3: Sharp Cheddar — 6 to 12 months
First: Eulogio Martinon, Beehive Cheese Co., Promotory – Rich Creamy Utah Original, 97.65. Chr. Hansen Inc. purchased 20 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $1,100.
Second: Team 3, Jerome Cheese Co., Sharp Cheddar, 95.65.
Third: Kevin Sloan, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Sharp Cheddar 6-12 months (White Cheddar), 94.25.
Class 4: Aged Cheddar — 12 to 24 months
First: Dragan Devetak, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Aged Cheddar 12-24 months, 97.35. APT purchased 40 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $2,000.
Second: Steve Shobe, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Aged Cheddar 12-24 months, 95.00.
Third: Jeff Stagg, Beehive Cheese Co., Promotory – Rich Creamy Utah Original, 94.85.
Class 5: Aged Cheddar — older than 24 months
First: Megan Armstrong, Utah State University, Aged Cheddar Cheese (Old Juniper), 96.15. Wells Fargo purchased 23.45 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $900.
Second: Tim Welsh, Beehive Cheese Co., Promotory – Rich Creamy Utah Original, 95.25.
Third: David Campbell, Utah State University, Aged Cheddar Cheese (Old Juniper), 93.35.
Class 6: Colby/Monterey Jack/Muenster
First: Dalibor Bampa, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Colby Jack, 98.00. Nelson-Jameson purchased 40 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $1,800.
Second: Joey Villagomez, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Colby, 97.55.
Third: Team 3, Jerome Cheese Co., Monterey Jack, 97.25.
Class 7: Hard Italian Cheese
First: Donald Greenberg, Nelson Ricks Cheese Co., Asiago Piacevole, 99.10. Nelson Ricks purchased 10 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $1,800.
Second: Dave Irish, Utah State University, Aggiano cheese, 99.00.
Third: Manuel Montes, Nelson Ricks Cheese Co., Piccolo Parmo “Little Parmesan,” 98.35.
Class 8: Soft/Semi-soft and Fresh Italian Cheese
First: Ray Cisneroz, Sorrento Lactalis Inc, Fresh Mozzarella Bocconocini, 99.65. Complete Filtration purchased 16 ounces of this winning cheese for a total of $500.
Second: Kegan Caliztro, Sorrento Lactalis Inc., low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella, 99.45.
Third: Dustin Becherer, Sorrento Lactalis Inc., low-moisture part-skim Organic String Mozzarella, 99.40.
Class 9: Spiced Cheese
First: Britton Welsh, Beehive Cheese Co., Big John’s Cajun, 98.00. Chr. Hansen Inc. purchased 20 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $800.
Second: Mike Billiard, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Pepperjack, 97.50.
Third: Oliver Ford, Beehive Cheese Co., Hatch Chile-flavored Promontory, 97.30.
Class 10: Flavored Cheese
First: Oliver Ford, Beehive Cheese Co., Rosemary Promotory – Creamy Utah Original, 99.25. DuPont purchased 20 pounds of this cheese for a total of $700.
Second: Warren Buchanan, Beehive Cheese Co., Smoked Apple Walnut, 98.90.
Third: Magic Valley 1 Logan Team, Gossner Foods/Magic Valley, Smoked Swiss, 98.50.
Class 11: Open Reduced Fat Cheese
First: Brian Wilson, Gossner Foods/Magic Valley, Reduced Fat Swiss, 99.20. Kelley Supply purchased 16 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $800.
Second: Nijaz Heric, Glanbia-Twin Falls, Reduced Fat, 98.15.
Third: Raymond Tamayo, Darigold, 2-percent milkfat cottage cheese, 98.10.
Class 12: Open Class — Mascarpone, Ricotta, Continental Cheese
First: Blackfoot Plant, Glanbia-Blackfoot, Havarti, 99.60. DSM purchased 40 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $1,200.
Second: Team 1, Jerome Cheese Co., low salt low-moisture whole-milk Mozzarella, 99.40.
Third: Aaron Price, Sorrento Lactalis Inc., Mascarpone, 98.90.
Class 13: Swiss Cheese
First: Bill Liu, Gossner Foods, Swiss, 99.70. Kelley Supply purchased 14 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $2,000.
Second: Nick Knecht, Gossner Foods, Baby Swiss, 99.35.
Third: Clemente Russo, Gossner Foods/Magic Valley, Baby Swiss, 99.20.
Class 14: Farmstead
First: Grant Kohler, Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, 99.35. Wells Fargo purchased 11.97 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $500.
Second: Travis Ballard, Ballard Cheese LLC, 98.85.
Third: Russel Kohler, Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, 96.20.
Class 15: Artisan
First: Russel Kohler, Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, Farmstead Cheddar, 99.60. Complete Filtration purchased 11.66 pounds of this winning cheese for a total of $400.
Second: Tim Welsh, Beehive Cheese Co., 99.40.
Third: Eduardo Yanez, Beehive Cheese Co., 99.35.
Class 16: Cultured Dairy Products
First: Francisca Poniman, Chobani, Chobani Meze Dips – Chili Lime, 100.00. DuPont purchased 12 ounces of this winning product for a total of $1,500.
Second: Jennifer Welchel, Chobani, Chobani Meze Dips — Three Pepper Salsa, 98.15.
Third: Mike Schrader, Darigold, 4-percent small curd cottage cheese, 98.00.
Class 17: Butter
First: High Desert Milk, 80-percent salted sweet cream butter, 99.65. Chicago Dairy purchased 55 pounds of this winning product for a total of $3,100.
Second: High Desert Milk, 80-percent unsalted sweet cream butter, 98.10.
Third: Nate McKnight, Darigold, salted sweet cream butter, 97.25.
Class 18: Granular Cheese for Manufacturing
First: Team 1, Jerome Cheese Co., Granular Cheese for Manufacturing, 97.90.
Second: Starboard Shift Day, Glanbia-Gooding, Barrel Cheddar, 95.50.
Third: Port Shift Night, Glanbia-Gooding, Barrel Cheddar, 96.45.
White House wants TPP passed
before the end of the year
August 19, 2016
WASHINGTON — The White House last Friday submitted a draft Statement of Administrative Action to Congress, indicating that it wants Congress to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) before the end of the year.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) notes that the statement outlines several major administrative actions that would change or affect existing U.S. law in order to comply with TPP, including proposed changes that would enable the president to “impose country-specific safeguard measures” on some agricultural products like milk powders form Australia and New Zealand and condensed and evaporated milk from Peru. Other changes, IDFA says, would grant broader market access and clarify rules-of-origin procedures in the agreement.
As part of the Trade Promotion Authority Act, which allows an up-or-down vote on the TPP with no amendments from Congress, the administration must submit a draft statement at least 30 days prior to the introduction of an implementing bill.
IDFA, the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council all endorsed the TPP this spring. IDFA notes that TPP is expected to help level the playing field for U.S. exports and create new opportunities in the highly-competitive Asia-Pacific region, as long as it’s implemented accurately and all countries agree to honor their commitments.
Robust demand for cheese, butter expected through fall
August 12, 2016
By Alyssa Mitchell
MADISON, Wis. — U.S. demand for cheese and butter is strong, and market analysts expect seasonal demand to support prices through the fall.
“Demand for American cheese and most other varieties is very strong,” says Robert Wellington, senior vice president of economics, communications and legislative affairs for Agri-Mark Inc., Andover, Massachusetts. “Cheesemakers are holding on to their lower-cost blocks in anticipation of continued strong demand into the autumn.”
USDA’s Dairy Market News says industry contacts anticipate demand for Mozzarella will continue to grow as football season kicks off and pizza orders pick up.
Meanwhile, cheese curd sales remain strong in the Midwest region as fair season is underway, Dairy Market News says.
Cheddar barrels at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) settled at $1.88 per pound to close out the week of Aug. 5 and held there this week until dropping 1 1/2 cents today to $1.865. CME Cheddar blocks — in the lower $1.70s at the end of July — crept up to $1.815 per pound to end last week but this week pulled back from the $1.80 level to settle at $1.78 today.
“Strange things can happen to the cheese market in summertime,” says a “Dairy and Grain Report” released Aug. 5 by Blimling and Associates, Madison, Wisconsin. “It’s a generic assessment but may best synthesize commentary around the rally.”
Blimling notes hot weather has crimped milk production in the Upper Midwest, presumably cutting down on fresh cheese supply.
“While multiple contacts say that product is available, it is not necessarily fresh, and young Cheddar is what matters in Chicago,” Blimling says. “At some level, higher prices will coax additional supply, curb demand or both.”
Still, with higher stocks numbers, it’s hard to reconcile what’s going on with cheese prices at the CME, says Andrew M. Novakovic, E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics at Cornell University.
As Cheddar prices moved into the $1.80s last week — their highest level in 20 months — analysts ponder the possibility of $2 cheese.
“I would say it isn’t off the table,” says Sara Dorland, managing partner with Ceres Dairy Risk Management LLC, Seattle. “Structurally, we have to shift product mix and get younger cheese, and that takes time.”
Dorland explains that while U.S. cheese stocks are high, it could be that stocks reflect large quantities of dairy products that are not eligible for trade at the CME. While stocks reports reflect quantities of cheese less than 30 days of age, the United States likely has a greater amount of cheese intended for aging programs. Meanwhile, only cheese less than 30 days old can be traded at the CME, suggesting it is possible the United States has considerable amounts of aged cheese on hand but potentially less cheese eligible for trading, she says.
Phil Plourd, president of Blimling and Associates, agrees.
“You can have a billion pounds of cheese in warehouses, but that cheese can’t necessarily come to the exchange,” he says.
While Plourd also agrees you can “never say never” regarding $2 cheese, given over-arching fundamentals, it would be tough to sustain, he says.
Wellington agrees. He says if cheese prices reach the $2 level, they would be short-lived and likely free up some cheese to push prices down.
He adds market fundamentals also do not support higher butter prices, but neither did they point to $3 fall butter in 2015.
“Based on autumn price movements in the past two years, I would not be surprised to see butter prices rise again,” but they may fall faster than in recent years, Wellington says.
CME butter has been steady above $2 per pound since early April and for most of the year. Butter averaged $2.218 per pound last week, and this week has settled at $2.25 per pound today. Wednesday’s butter futures show it above $2 per pound throughout 2017.
Dairy Market News says a few industry contacts report the availability of cream is decreasing slightly, but most manufacturers feel they are able to meet their production needs.
“Because production is more active than most contacts had anticipated, manufacturers report being able to replace the stocks they have been selling,” Dairy Market News adds. “Demand is strong from retail and foodservice outlets. Some buyers report being unable to purchase the full amount of butter they are looking for. Butter manufacturers report little spot load availability for bulk butter, especially unfrozen bulk butter.”
However, international interest remains light, Dairy Market News says.
Blimling says while global butter prices are moving higher, they remain well below prevailing CME spot and futures values.
“We’re hard-pressed to identify reasons that would change the strength of butter in the near term,” Plourd says. “We anticipate butter will bounce around in the $2.10-$2.30 area over the next 60-90 days.”
Schuman Cheese launches
new True Cheese trust mark
August 12, 2016
FAIRFIELD, N.J. — Following news reports of fraud and adulteration in some sectors of Italian cheese, one cheese company is launching the industry’s first trust mark, True Cheese.
Schuman Cheese, a leading importer and producer of domestic Italian cheeses based in Fairfield, New Jersey, says apart from the seal and related testing of items displaying the mark, there’s no real way for consumers to self-determine exactly how a cheese is made or if excessive fillers might be included in the package.
According to Schuman Cheese, of the approximately 463 million pounds of domestically-produced varieties of hard Italian cheeses sold in the United States each year, more than 90 million pounds — mostly in grated and dehydrated forms sold in canisters — are adulterated. These adulterated cheeses can contain unwarranted levels of starches, fillers and even vegetable oil-based processed cheese.
Schuman Cheese has been working to bring the issue to light in the cheese sector. In a recent consumer survey conducted by the company, Schuman Cheese found that 95 percent of those surveyed had concerns about the issue of adulteration, and 78 percent indicated companies should not be able to label their product as “real” when it includes excessive fillers, and another 61 percent said they would not purchase fraudulent cheeses. (See “Italian cheese marketing fraud spotlighted by U.S. stakeholders” in the Sept. 4, 2015, issue of Cheese Market News.)
Last fall, Schuman Cheese unveiled the True Cheese seal design and TrueCheese.com, an informational website designed to help consumers and industry stakeholders better understand the reasons and facts behind adulteration.
Now, Schuman Cheese is adding the True Cheese trust mark to its cheeses and snacks sold in supermarket and mass retail channels. The on-package seal is intended to verify product quality and manufacturing integrity. Newly-labeled products already are appearing in some stores and will be phased in as customer orders are filled.
The first quality seal of its kind in the cheese business, the move follows similar initiatives for olive oil, honey and fresh fish. The True Cheese label will mean the verified product is made only with milk, cultures, salt and enzymes, is aged as required, and that any use of an anti-caking ingredient is at or below industry-accepted levels and properly labeled.
Schuman Cheese also has announced a product testing agreement with Covance Food Solutions — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings — to independently test True Cheese-labeled products. Periodic testing of randomly-selected products taken from retail locations will be performed at Covance’s laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin.
Neal Schuman, third-generation CEO of family-owned Schuman Cheese, notes some ingredient labels show telltale signs of adulteration, such as low protein levels, indicating a likelihood that excessive non-cheese fillers have been used. However, for the most part, lab tests are required to verify the truth, he adds.
“We guarantee that all of our products are properly labeled and produced in accordance with the strictest regulations,” Schuman says. “Our partnership with Covance provides us with an objective, third-party verification of that promise. Our goal is to assure consumers that they’re getting real Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheeses when they buy cheeses with the True Cheese trust mark. We would be happy to work with other companies to continue this effort more broadly.”
Emmi Roth USA's Druart
named Wis. Grand Master
August 12, 2016
WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Marc Druart, cheesemaker and senior director of research and development at Emmi Roth USA, was named the 2016 Grand Master Cheese Maker during the Blue Ribbon Cheese & Butter Auction Aug. 11 at the Wisconsin State Fair Park. Druart earned the title with his Roth Private Reserve, the first place entry in the Smear Ripened Cheese Class.
Each blue-ribbon entry from the Wisconsin State Fair Cheese & Butter Contest sold during the event, which raised $36,245 for student scholarships and dairy promotions at the Wisconsin State Fair.
Chr. Hansen of Milwaukee purchased 18 pounds of Druart’s award-winning Roth Private Reserve for $85 a pound for a total of $1,530.
Other auction results include:
Mild Cheddar: Dan Stearns, Agropur, Weyauwega, made the 40 pounds of Mild Cheddar purchased by Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth, for $40 per pound for a total of $1,600.
Swiss Styles: Joey Jaeggi, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, made the 40 pounds of Baby Swiss purchased by Berenz Packaging, Menomonee Falls, for $25 per pound for a total of $1,000.
Flavored Soft Cheese: Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, made the 10 pounds of Mediterranean Feta purchased by Wells Fargo, Milwaukee, for $42.50 per pound for a total of $425.
Flavored Goat Milk Cheese: Team Woolwich, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, made the 10 pounds of Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese purchased by Wisconsin Aging & Grading Cheese, Kaukauna, for $40 per pound for a total of $400.
Smoked Cheese: Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Team, Maple Leaf Cheese, Monroe, made the 12 pounds of Smoked Gouda purchased by Beer Capitol, Sussex, for $50 per pound for a total of $600.
Pasteurized Process Cheese, Cheese Food, Cheese Spread: Team AMPI, Associated Milk Producers Inc., Portage, made the 10 pounds of Pasteurized Process American purchased by Wisconsin Aging & Grading Cheese, Kaukauna, for $30 per pound for a total of $300.
Open Class for Hard Cheese: Mike Matucheski, Sartori Co., Antigo, made the 20 pounds of BellaVitano Gold purchased by Saz’s, Milwaukee, for $110 per pound for a total of $2,200.
Flavored Havarti: Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, made the 10 pounds of Dill Havarti purchased by Nelson-Jameson, Marshfield, for $40 per pound for a total of $400.
String Cheese: Burnett Dairy Team, Burnett Dairy Co-op, Grantsburg, made the 10 pounds of String Cheese purchased by Nelson-Jameson, Marshfield, for $150 per pound for a total of $1,500.
Flavored Semi-Soft Cheese: John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, made the 10 pounds of Caraway Brick purchased by Chr. Hansen, Milwaukee, for $10 per pound for a total of $100.
Blue Veined Cheese: Team Salemville, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, made the 12 pounds of Salemville Reserve Blue purchased by John Yingling, Mequon, for $50 per pound for a total of $600.
Reduced Fat or Lite Cheese: Team Clayton, Foremost Farms USA, Clayton, made the 10 pounds of Reduced Fat Provolone purchased by WE Energies, Milwaukee, for $40 per pound for a total of $400.
Brick, Muenster: Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, made the 10 pounds of Brick purchased by Nelson-Jameson, Marshfield, for $70 per pound for a total of $700.
Open Class for Soft & Spreadable Cheese: Lactalis American Group, Belmont, made the 10 pounds of Triple Cream Brie purchased by the Wisconsin State Fair Park Board, West Allis, for $75 per pound for a total of $750.
Colby, Monterey Jack: Team Alto, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, made the 40 pounds of Colby Jack purchased by WE Energies, Milwaukee, for $45 per pound for a total of $1,800.
Natural Goat Milk Cheese: Clock Shadow Creamery Team, Clock Shadow Creamery, Milwaukee, made the 10 pounds of Chèvre purchased by Metcalfe’s Market, Madison, for $95 per pound for a total of $950.
Mozzarella: Pat Doell, Agropur, Luxemburg, made the 13 pounds of Low Moisture, Part-Skim Mozzarella purchased by Ebert Enterprises, Algoma, for $230 per pound for a total of $2,990.
Latin American Cheese: Dennis Schliem, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, made the 12 pounds of Queso Para Fundir purchased by Wells Fargo, Milwaukee, for $40 per pound for a total of $480.
Open Class for Semi-Soft Cheese: Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Team, Maple Leaf Cheese, Monroe, made the 12 pounds of Fontina purchased by Beer Capitol, Sussex, for $60 per pound for a total of $720.
Aged Cheddar: Luke Kopecky, Land O’Lakes, Kiel, made the 40 pounds of Aged Cheddar purchased by Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth, for $125 per pound for a total of $5,000.
Cold Pack Cheese, Cheese Food: Team Pine River, Pine River Pre-Pack, Newton, made the 10 pounds of Swiss & Almond Cold Pack purchased by Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, for $180 per pound for a total of $1,800.
Feta: Steve Webster, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, made the 10 pounds of Feta in Brine purchased by DSM Food Specialties, Waukesha, for $100 per pound for a total of $1,000.
Flavored Pepper Cheese: John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, made the 10 pounds of Chili Pepper Muenster purchased by John Yingling, Mequon, for $110 per pound for a total of $1,110.
Flavored Hard Cheese: Team Henning, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, made the 40 pounds of Blueberry Cobbler Cheddar purchased by Wisconsin Aging & Grading Cheese, Kaukauna, for $15 per pound for a total of $600.
Sheep & Mixed Milk Cheese: Mike Matucheski, Sartori Co., Antigo, made the 20 pounds of Pastorale Blend purchased by West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe, West Allis, for $105 per pound for a total of $2,100.
Havarti: Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, made the 10 pounds of Havarti purchased by West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe, West Allis, for $380 per pound for a total of $3,800.
Butter: Foremost Farms 3rd Shift, Foremost Farms USA, Baraboo, made the 10 pounds of Salted Butter purchased by Nelson-Jameson, Marshfield, for $140 per pound for a total of $1,400.
ADPI releases dairy utilization, trends survey
August 12, 2016
ELMHURST, Ill. — The American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI) recently released the results of its annual “Dairy Products Utilization and Production Trends” survey, a full-color reference tool that contains industrywide data collected on the commercial uses of dry and condensed milks, whey products and lactose ingredients.
“Understanding the global market for dairy ingredients — the production and utilization trends as well as changing export numbers — is crucial for developing a successful marketing strategy to increase the worldwide use of these nutritious and functional products,” says David L. Thomas, CEO, ADPI.
Each year, ADPI collects market data from its members and other dairy industry participants on ways in which the milk-based and whey-based dairy ingredients they distribute are utilized. Projections are made from the survey data to the total industry, and the data is intended to indicate market patterns and serve as a guide in directing promotional efforts to continue the expansion of commercial markets, ADPI says.
The report notes that in 2015, milk solids produced in the United States totaled 26.31 billion pounds. While nearly 50 percent of these solids went into fluid milk and cheese products, dry and condensed milk products accounted for 3.37 billion pounds of these solids, with whey products accounting for another 3.74 billion pounds of solids.
• Milk-based dairy ingredients
In 2015, 3.46 billion pounds of milk-based dairy ingredients were produced in the United States, up 2.0 percent from 2014, USDA reports.
A total of 1.82 billion pounds of nonfat dry milk (NDM) were produced in 2015, up 3.3 percent from the prior year. Total 2015 domestic commercial sales were 1.07 billion pounds, up 6.4 percent from the previous year.
ADPI notes that the top five domestic end-uses of NDM by volume were: dairy industry (614.6 million pounds), confectionery industry (244.1 million pounds), baking industry (63.2 million pounds), prepared dry mixes and dry blend manufacturers (39.6 million pounds) and infant formulas (31.0 million pounds).
Condensed milk solids sales in the United States, reflecting condensed skim milk, whole milk and buttermilk, totaled 617.6 million pounds in 2015, up 6.7 percent from 2014. Top markets were: hard cheese (173.2 million pounds), frozen desserts and ice cream mixes (146.3 million pounds) and processed cheese (55.1 million pounds), ADPI says.
Total domestic sales of milk protein concentrate in 2015 were 186.9 million pounds, up 97.8 percent from 2014. ADPI says the principal markets included dairy industry, mainstream nutrition, sports beverages and sports powders.
In 2015, domestic sales of whole milk powder totaled 102.7 million pounds, up 63.0 percent from 2014. Top markets, according to ADPI, were confectionery industry, dairy industry, infant formulas and hot cocoa.
Domestic sales of dry buttermilk and dry buttermilk product totaled 97.2 million pounds in 2015, down 11.6 percent from a year earlier. ADPI reports the principal markets for these products were the dairy industry, prepared dry mixes and dry blend manufacturers, baking industry and confectionery industry.
• Whey-based dairy ingredients
Total USDA reported production of whey-based dairy ingredients in 2015 was 3.80 billion pounds, down 0.4 percent from 2014.
Major end-use categories for concentrated whey (solids basis) in 2015 included: dairy industry (87.1 million pounds), prepared dry mixes and dry blends (16.6 million pounds), confectionery industry (9.8 million pounds), nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals (8.4 million pounds).
In 2015, major domestic markets for dry whey, which totaled 491.2 million pounds, included: dairy industry (228.4 million pounds), prepared dry mixes and dry blends (115.9 million pounds), confectionery industry (36.8 million pounds) and baking industry (34.9 million pounds).
ADPI reports top domestic whey protein concentrate (total) markets in 2015 were: sports bars (65.1 million pounds), sports powders (58.9 million pounds), infant formulas (46.7 million pounds) and dairy industry (39.5 million pounds). A total of 307.2 million pounds was sold domestically.
Reduced lactose and reduced minerals whey were used primarily in the confectionery industry (13.4 million pounds), dairy industry (10.4 million pounds) and prepared dry mixes and dry blends (1.9 million pounds).
The top domestic markets for lactose, which totaled 289.0 million pounds in 2015, ADPI says, were the confectionery industry, infant formulas, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, prepared dry mixes and dry blends and dairy industry.
In animal feeds, whey solids were mainly used in swine (177.5 million pounds) and dairy/calf/cattle feeds (113.6 million pounds), while whey solids used in all other feeds totaled 112.3 million pounds, ADPI reports.
The full report is more than 100 pages and includes detailed information, graphs and tables about the utilization of these dairy ingredients as well as recent production and export data and product definitions. A preview of the report’s table of contents is available at www.adpi.org. ADPI’s “2015 Dairy Products Utilization and Production Trends” is available in hard copy book form ($75 for members, $165 for non-members) or in a downloadable PDF format via email ($30 for members, $120 for non-members). Both versions of the publication can be purchased from ADPI’s website under the “Publications” link. All ADPI members and survey participants receive one complimentary PDF version of the publication.


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The decision will result in about 1,000 job cuts at its manufacturing plant in State College, Pennsylvania, and pre-tax charges of $140 million to $170 million in the first half of 2003. The job cuts represent slightly more than 4 percent of the company's work force.
"This business has been facing a declining customer base and significantly increased imports for several years and it is now losing money," Corning Chairman and Chief Executive James Houghton said in a statement. "In our relentless drive to restore profitability to Corning, we can not carry money losing mature businesses."
Its shares were up 15 cents, or 2.6 percent, at $5.95 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange (news - web sites).
Corning, hurt by the slowdown in the telecommunications sector -- which accounts for half its sales -- has slashed jobs and eliminated money-losing or noncore businesses in an effort to return to profit. It last reported a net profit in the first quarter of 2001 and has said it does not see a telecom recovery until late 2004.
Analysts said the decision was not surprising.
"It's something we were anticipating at some point would be shut down, sold or something like that," said UBS Warburg analyst Nikos Theodosopoulos, who has a "buy" rating on the stock. He does not own Corning stock and UBS has done banking work for the company.
In February, Corning said it would discontinue two product lines, including optical switches, and close two plants.
Corning got into the cathode ray tube business before TV's popularity took off, making radar screens during World War II. Sales began dropping off in the mid-1990s due to cheaper competition and growing demand for liquid crystal display (LCD) technology used in computer and now TV screens.
The Corning, New York-based company also said its first- quarter results would match or exceed its previous estimates for revenue of $700 million to $730 million and a net loss of $10 million to $50 million, or 1 cent to 4 cents per share. That excludes one-time items such as the cost of an asbestos litigation settlement.
Corning's conventional glass (also called cathode ray tube) business is a partnership between Corning and Asahi Glass America, a unit of Japan's Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. (5201.T) . The companies will stop making glass by the end of the current quarter.
Corning Chief Financial Officer James Flaws said in a statement the television glass market is a mature business and results had been declining. He said the business deteriorated in the first quarter and it sees no sustainable recovery.
Flaws added that Corning remains on track to return to profit, excluding items, by the third quarter. It reports first-quarter results on April 23.
Corning said it will book $62 million of the total pre-tax charge, or $20 million after taxes, in the first quarter.
In addition to the charge related to the latest decision, Corning's first-quarter results also will include a previously announced $20 million charge related to the exit of the optical switching business and a previously announced pretax charge of $300 million related to asbestos litigation.
Corning said it used $189 million in cash and six million shares of stock to retire a total of $273 million in debt, resulting in a net pretax gain of about $5 million to be reported in its first-quarter results.

domain: news


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Frederic Filloux: The article is no longer an end in itself – it's an entry point to the depths and riches of the web, and a contributor to the revenue stream
Frédéric Filloux: In the second of two articles, we look at the business site's native advertising approach – and whether it can scale up
Frederic Filloux: Should the traditional serendipity of contents be preserved or should we go full steam for personalisation? Google is already working on ways to combine both
Frederic Filloux: Amazon experience can give the Post a huge competitive advantage. Here is what should be at the top of the to-do list
Fréderic Filloux: Should the paper dump the print edition, and what should its digital strategy look like, in terms of content and platforms?
Frédéric Filloux: We can be sure Jeff Bezos will try many things with the Washington Post. One could be drawing inspiration from Amazon's fabulously successful Prime service
Jean-Louis Gassée: Jeff Bezos buys himself the The Washington Post. Necrophilia or the beginning of another transformation of an old genre?
Frederic Filloux: The last Data Journalism Awards established that the genre is getting better, wider in scope and gaining many creative players
Frédéric Filloux: Suddenly, everybody is talking about the news application – what is its secret, and can it last?
Frédéric Filloux: Internet measurement techniques need a total overhaul – new methods make it hard for incumbent players to stay in the game
Jean-Louis Gassée: We need to defend ourselves and get control of our personal data amassed by private companies and government agencies
Frédéric Filloux: The Norwegian media group is aiming for digital dominance one market at a time – and now its sights are set on France
Frédéric Filloux: The shift to mobile ad revenue is lagging way behind the move to smartphones and tablets – but there are solutions
Fréderic Filloux: 4G and streaming offer big opportunities for content companies – so why did so few have a strong presence at MWC2013?
Frederic Filloux: A closer look at Google's patent for its news retrieval algorithm reveals a greater than expected emphasis on quality over quantity. Can this bias stay reliable over time?
The dispute between Google and the French press needs to be resolved within 10 days or it will lead to legislative intervention. By Frédéric Filloux
Frédéric Filloux Attempts by Irish newspapers to charge sites just for using links to their content are a harbinger for a huge battle to come
Mobile audiences might be growing but attempts to make money from them have largely failed. So where do we go from here? By Frédéric Filloux
A system set up in the 80s to stop different media cannibalising each other is forcing honest viewers into piracy
Frederic Filloux:Ranking in search engines, aggregators, tweets and Facebook likes should be embraced as a measure of success
Jean-Louis Gassée: There are trade-offs and compromises to be made with both tablets – not least with the Apple product's display
Frédéric Filloux: Traditional media firmly believe the search engine needs them to refine (and monetise) its algorithm – let's examine the facts
Frederic Filloux: Traders who sold off NYT stock due to the global advertising slide are wrong – its circulation income will continue to increase


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As the most popular cryptocurrency, bitcoin, falls in value, its proponents are discouraged. But crypto is here to stay while regulation and taxation are likely to come.
- Cryptocurrency is perceived as a speculative investment and a store of wealth
- As a means of payment for ordinary transactions, it is not gaining popularity
- Ignore, ban or regulate? Governments are likely to choose the third option
Cryptocurrencies have taken a hard hit over the past few months. For example, the US Dollar/Bitcoin exchange rate fell from almost $70,000 in early November 2021 to below $20,000 in late June, and despite ups and downs fell to $19,733 on September 15.
Historically, bitcoin — by far the most popular form of cryptocurrency — has been a success story for those who bought it: the exchange rate against the dollar was below $3,000 five years ago. Still, many Bitcoin proponents have been disappointed on two counts. This cryptocurrency has failed to become a widely used means of payment and has proven to be a weak protector of purchasing power in times of uncertainty and inflation. That’s surprising. Bitcoin supply is limited to 21 million units. With more than 19 million units, or 90 percent, already issued (“mined”), most people expected that the cap would have resulted in a steady increase in the dollar-denominated price.
what is the future
In order to predict future scenarios for cryptocurrencies, it can be helpful to look at what has happened in the past and clarify some key points. First, the world of blockchain consists of cryptocurrencies and crypto derivatives. For example, Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency while the stablecoins Tether and TerraUSD are crypto derivatives. These are “derived” from cryptocurrencies and/or are pegged to a widely accepted and centralized currency like the dollar. Put simply, a financial investor spends dollars on a company and receives a derivative in return. The company converts the dollars into cryptocurrencies and lends them to global borrowers. At the same time, the company promises the financial investor to exchange the derivatives for a fixed amount of a given cryptocurrency, if necessary linked to the dollar or backed with dollars.
The result is that if you bought bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies, you will gain/lose according to the exchange rate of the cryptocurrency in your portfolio. However, once you’ve bought a derivative, you may find that it’s not really backed by a sufficient amount of cryptocurrency, or that the dollar convertibility guarantee is porous, to say the least. If so, the derivative turns out to be worthless. This has happened to several crypto derivatives in recent months. Companies issuing such products are very active in the market and contribute to the underlying assets becoming volatile, especially when they promise excellent returns that fuel demand for cryptocurrencies and crypto derivatives. If the derivative products are poorly secured, investors will be put off in bad times.
The 2022 crypto market crash has hit the derivatives world and potentially eliminated a key source of volatility.
A second important point is that cryptocurrencies are currently seen as both a speculative tool and a store of wealth, rather than a means of payment for ordinary transactions. For example, more than 60 percent of the total bitcoins in circulation are in accounts (“wallets”) with more than 100 bitcoins each and are rarely traded on the market, except for portfolio adjustments: At the end of July 2022, only about 250,000 bitcoins were traded daily and it is likely that commercial transactions accounted for only a small proportion. Additionally, cryptocurrency holders seem to have a long-term perspective. For example, both “shrimp” and “whales” (accounts with less than 1 and over 1,000 bitcoins, respectively) have used the recent sell-off to buy the dip in bulk.
Three tentative conclusions follow: (1) the typical cryptocurrency holder’s long-term approach suggests that the cryptocurrency project is not an easy kill and will survive dramatic volatility; (2) volatility was driven by crypto derivatives, activity of which was boosted by the relatively small amount of cryptocurrencies traded in the market; (3) The crypto market crash of 2022 hit the derivatives world and potentially eliminated a key source of volatility, killing some market movers, hitting short-term speculators and presenting opportunities to long-term crypto investors.
Based on “nothing” but worth something
Of course, cryptocurrencies are not like stocks and bonds, backed by promises of future streams of income, generated sometimes by a company’s successful market development and sometimes by the government’s obligation to squeeze taxpayers. Instead, cryptocurrencies are units of money that are not backed by anything, and their value depends on their credibility as a future means of payment for purchasing goods, services, and other means of payment.
In the end, regulation seems to be the safest strategy.
Central bankers and policymakers in general never miss an opportunity to warn the public that cryptocurrencies are a scam. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde recently stated that cryptocurrencies are “based on nothing” (true) and “worth nothing” (false) and that regulation is needed to prevent inexperienced investors from losing all that money , which they invest in cryptos (false).
Ironically, central bankers offer digital currencies, which President Lagarde says are “quite different” from cryptocurrencies. Central bankers’ digital currencies are certainly different from blockchain-based cryptocurrencies, but not for the reason Ms. Lagarde probably has in mind. The main problem is that decentralized currencies with a supply cap would eliminate the very notion of monetary policy and turn central bankers into an agency that regulates commercial banking and compiles statistics. Understandably, the central banking world is not happy with this prospect.
In other words, central bankers are not hostile to cryptocurrencies because they are allegedly fraudulent. If fraud means “based on nothing” then all central bankers should be taken to court. Rather, their hostility stems from the fact that widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies will eventually undermine central bank privileges, with implications for example for the financing of public debt.
Politicians and central bankers have three choices.
You can ignore, ban or regulate cryptocurrencies. The first approach is the simplest. Why should central bankers bother? After all, the world of cryptos is highly competitive and some currencies will disappear. In addition, today they are not a real threat to the money. Switching from dollars or euros to one or more cryptocurrencies is not easy: the cost of each transaction is still relatively high. In fact, as long as governments accept centralized currencies like dollars and euros as the only means of payment, switching to cryptos would be tantamount to switching to a cumbersome dual-currency regime that many people would not like. These regimes existed in the past, but only for short periods of time.
A ban on cryptocurrencies would make little sense unless authorities fear that large transactions involving cryptos could destabilize fiat currency exchange rates. Also, banning cryptocurrency must necessarily be a global move. It would lose credibility if some countries refused to comply. The fundamental problem with this approach is that the existence of cryptocurrencies and crypto derivatives is not a crime and it is by no means obvious that those who buy them are acting against the public interest.
In the end, regulation seems to be the safest strategy. Without a realistic short-term threat to fiat money as a means of payment or evidence of its use for money laundering, the authorities’ only real concern is taxation. This is the only point on which the regulator is likely to focus. It has little to do with the decentralized nature of cryptos, rather the tax collector has no way of finding out how much wealth the taxpayer has saved and it would be very difficult to know if an individual has an account. Future regulatory efforts will go in the direction of enforcing more transparency in tracking and taxing this form of wealth.
In early July, the European Parliament approved the market-in-crypto-assets proposal. In a global implementation, crypto asset providers must not operate without authorization. This approval will undoubtedly come with conditions – in theory to protect investors from fraud, in practice to force them to make their accounts visible. Unless technology eliminates the need for authorized dealers, this is just the beginning.


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SSANGYONG Motors UK has welcomed DS Dalgleish & Son to the brand.
Its range of 4x4s and SUVs is now available from the dealership, which operates from premises in Coldstream.
Nick Laird, managing director of SsangYong Motor UK, said: ‘On the back of the hugely successful launch of the new Rexton and Musso pick-ups, we have been looking to attract new dealers.
‘The brand is committed to long-term investment in new products and will see at least one new model launched each year through to 2022. We are especially delighted that DS Dalgleish & Son has decided to add the brand to its dealership in Coldstream.’
DS Dalgleish & Son was founded by David and Scott Dalgleish in 1968. It took on the Datsun (Nissan) franchise in Galashiels in 1972 and still represents Nissan today. After further expansion in 1996, with the purchase of its Coldstream site, DS Dalgleish added the Citroen franchise in 1997. Since then, the dealership has also added Subaru and Fiat to its portfolio in Galashiels.
Barry Dalgleish, dealer principal at DS Dalgleish, said: ‘We’re very excited to be joining SsangYong. We were attracted to the brand by exciting new vehicles that have started coming through from South Korea.
‘SsangYong has a great product range, with very competitive pricing and a seven-year/150,000-mile warranty. We believe it will do extremely well in our area and we look forward to growing our business as a result.’


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from the look-but-hardly-touch dept.
benfrog writes "Microsoft has decided to restrict Visual Studio 11 Express, the free-to-use version of its integrated development environment, to producing only Metro-style applications. Those who would like to produce conventional desktop applications or command line -based applications are stuck with Visual Studio 2010 or buying the full version. Microsoft announced the Visual Studio 11 lineup last week."
from the well-that's-outside-the-box dept.
rsmiller510 writes "Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has a plan to kill Google by paying the top 1,000 sites a cool million each to leave the Google index and move to Microsoft. But could such a plan ever work, and would it be worth the risk to abandon Google?"
1shooter writes "news.com reports that Microsoft is withdrawing SP1 for Vista. Nick White, Microsoft product manager blogged 'We've heard a few reports about problems customers may be experiencing as a result of KB937287,' wrote White. 'Immediately after receiving reports of this error, we made the decision to temporarily suspend automatic distribution of the update to avoid further customer impact while we investigate possible causes.'"


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Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake has taken on a quasi-mythical reputation, due as much to the shroud of mystery Microsoft has cloaked the game in as anything its developer has done. With Alan Wake first announced for the Xbox 360 and PC in 2005, Microsoft kept the game largely under lock and key until just last month, when Remedy trotted it out as a centerpiece to the publisher's Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference.
Alan Wake may, or may not, be leaving the forest some time soon-ish.
As part of its E3 showing, Microsoft said that Alan Wake is expected to make its long-anticipated debut in spring 2010. And while the Finnish studio appears to be entering the final stretch with the Xbox 360 edition of the game--relatively speaking, of course--the PC edition may be in for yet more indeterminate lag.
In a post to Alan Wake's official message boards this week, Remedy development director Markus Maki stated that the studio is completely focused on the Xbox 360 edition of the game, to the apparent detriment of the PC version.
"I'm a PC gamer at heart (have a Core i7, Radeon 4890, 5.1 audio setup at home) so I do appreciate your concerns," Maki stated. "Unfortunately all I can say at this point is that we're focusing all our efforts on the 360 version and will be making comments in regards to the PC at a later in time."