Cottage cheese industry innovator and Irvine, California-based good culture® has announced that it has closed another round of strategic funding.

Dykes, who has spent his professional career leading and executing agricultural government affairs policies and strategies, will work in transition with Tipton beginning in October and will assume the CEO role in January 2017.

LALA US features a portfolio of established brands including LALA yogurt smoothies, Promised Land premium milk and cream products, Borden cultured products, Frusion smoothies, Skim Plus milk, and Nordica cottage cheese.

Increasing penetration of plant-based milk such as almond milk, soy milk and, coconut milk to replace cow milk is anticipated to propel demand.

The current era of exalting everything “real” is turning processors away from the artificial and highly processed ingredients that once were principal tools in food formulators’ kits.

Chobani is adding Leland Maschmeyer in the new role of chief creative officer as the Greek yogurt maker tries to find new ways to tell its brand story.

All of the milk used for the Kindred Creamery™ brand is provided via Meister Cheese’s Cows First™ animal welfare program.

Mergers and acquisitions continued apace, as companies continued to seek additional value from domestic markets and new opportunities elsewhere.

The American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI) welcomed three additional industry professionals to the ADPI Center of Excellence. Joining this group of resource specialists are A. Kent Keller, Andrew M. Novakovic, and Geoffrey W. Smithers.

The clean label trend (which is dominating the conversation in the food industry) isn’t so much a trend anymore, but a “movement.” This is a common thing I’m hearing when talking to dairy processors and suppliers lately. With consumers making it very clear what it is they want, more food manufacturers are recognizing this movement and are answering the call with new product innovation, more transparency about what they use, changing the ingredients, or in some cases, all of these things.