Food Business News - July 19, 2011 - 34

Dairy Business News

New OptiSol ingredient works with frozen yogurt

Regional ice cream maker ceases production
SEARCY, ARK. — Yarnell’s Premium Ice Cream ceased production of all product lines on June 30. The company cited rising commodity costs combined with increased competition as the reasons for the closing. “This has been an extremely tough year for the ice cream industry in general, and particularly to regional, independent manufacturers like ourselves,” said Christina Yarnell, chief executive officer. “We have examined many possible avenues to keep the company afloat — actively marketing the company to investors and strategic buyers — the majority of whom are undergoing the same financial distress we are. However, we’ve b been unable to obtain additional f financing from our lenders or l locate a buyer, and have come t to the difficult decision that the a appropriate course of action is to sh shut our doors.” Yarnell’s manufactured a variety of ice cream and novelty products, in including frozen yogurt and fruit sh sherbet. The company employed ap approximately 200. DBN

FITCHBURG, WIS. — Glanbia Nutritionals has launched OptiSol 1030, a dairy protein concentrate designed for frozen yogurt systems and suitable for incorporation into Greekstyle frozen yogurt. The soluble OptiSol 1030 combines the functionality of dairy protein with improved ﬂavor and a smoother texture, according to the company, which has an ofﬁce in Fitchburg. DBN

Dairy organizations team to form consortium
ROSEMONT, ILL. — Six dairy organizations have formed the International Dairy Research Consortium for Nutrition and Health, which is designed to be a partnership to increase pre-competitive research on the nutrition and health beneﬁts of dairy. The organizations forming the consortium include the Centre National Interporfessionnel de I’Economie Laitiere (France), Dairy Australia, Dairy Farmers of Canada, the Dairy Research Institute, the Danish Dairy Research Foundation and the Dutch Dairy Association. “Dairy nutrition research is at a critical point in that there is mounting evidence indicating dairy’s beneﬁts extend beyond good nutrition and may reduce risk of several major chronic diseases, but more research is needed to fully substantiate these claims,” said Gregory Miller, president of the Dairy Research Institute and executive vice-president of the National Dairy Council. “Building international alignment through this consortium will accelerate our ability to ﬁrmly establish newer beneﬁts of dairy and its position as an essential part of a healthy diet.” The organization will work to advance dairy nutrition and health research by identifying common goals with the greatest potential to increase dairy demand. DBN

New Danisco system targets artisan ice cream
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK — Danisco has developed Cremodan 500 Coldline, an emulsifier and stabilizer system designed to boost the quality of traditional, handmade ice cream. The system overcomes the quality and storage stability challenges that arise from the lack of heat treatment and homogenization in artisan processes, according to Danisco. Made with cold-soluble, vegetable-derived components, Cremodan 500 Coldline releases its functionality without any need of heat treatment. “Most emulsifiers and stabilizers used in ice cream production have little or no functionality without proper heat treatment,” said Finn Madsen, principal scientist at Danisco. “Our intense research has enabled us to identify the right raw materials and processes for an ingredient system that matches the crucial needs of the artisan ice cream industry.” DBN

Harris sees consumers continue to focus on value, spending cuts
NEW YORK — Consumers continue to exhibit frugality in their purchasing patterns, according to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive. The poll, which was conducted between June 13 and 20, and included 2,163 adults, showed Americans expect the economy to worsen in the next year. As a result, Americans are taking steps to reduce expenditures. Of interest to food and beverage manufacturers are the facts that 67% of the survey’s respondents said they are purchasing more generic brands in an effort to save money, up from 61% who responded to the same question in February. Forty-six per cent of consumers are brown-bagging their lunch as a way to save money, up from 45% in February. Thirty-nine per cent of respondents also said they have switched from purchasing bottled water to using reﬁllable water bottles. The result is an increase of 4% from the February survey. The poll also showed that the number of consumers who have stopped purchasing coffee in the morning has remained steady at 21%. “While there are some differences in the changes older and younger Americans are making to save money — for example, older Americans who may no longer work are less likely to report beginning to brown bag their lunch, carpool or use mass transit, or purchase coffee in the morning — what is clear is that most Americans are making some changes in order to cut back on expenses,” said Harris Interactive. “While making more careful spending decisions may be good for a household budget, continual cutting back doesn’t do much to help the overall economy grow.” DBN

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July 19, 2011

Food Business News - July 19, 2011

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