food production

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2021, if enacted, would reduce funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s beleaguered Economic Research Service by 27% from what was authorized by Congress for fiscal year 2020. The president proposed an E.R.S. budget of $62 million for fiscal......

BERKELEY, CALIF. — Dang Foods announced the creation of three new snack products: Tropical Mango Coconut Chips, Toasted Sesame Thai Rice Chips, and Peanut Butter Dang Bar. The snack brand also released new packaging and a new logo. All products created by Dang Foods are gluten-free, soy-free, and made without......

GREELEY, COLO. — JBS USA, a subsidiary of JBS S.A., announced on Feb. 18 plans to purchase Empire Packing Co. LP for $238 million. The transaction includes Empire’s case-ready production facilities and Ledbetter branded retail products. Empire is comprised of five processing facilities located in Cincinnati and Mason, Ohio; Denver;......

CHICAGO — Inspired by the saying “When you have more than you need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence,” the Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network (C.F.B.N.) has launched Bigger Table, a nonprofit organization that aims to bring together the area’s food and beverage industry to collaborate and deliver......

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Back to Nature announced a move to plant-based snacking, shifting away from using any animal products in its products, excluding honey. The company also has redesigned its logo and packaging for all products. These rebranding decisions are in celebration of its 60th anniversary. “The demand for better-for-you......

KIBBUTZ GIVAT BRENNER, ISRAEL — Seed breeding start-up Equinom Ltd., secured $10 million in a Series B funding round led by Germany-based BASF Venture Capital, Roquette and Trendlines Group. The start-up will use the capital injection to expand its crossbreeding technology, which produces non-G.M.O. seeds with higher nutritional profiles and......

CHICAGO — Kellogg Co.’s RXBAR business is launching RXBAR Select, a new platform that includes a collection of unique flavors made in a limited quantity and for a limited time. Each year, the company creates and tests hundreds of flavor combinations in the RXBAR kitchen, but only one or two......

CHICAGO — Conagra Brands, Inc. is unleashing an avalanche of innovation for the year across its frozen, snacks and staples portfolios. “Our fiscal ‘20 innovation is performing exceptionally well, and our new fiscal ‘21 innovation slate has just been debuted to our customers,” said Sean M. Connolly, president and chief......

COLUMBUS, OHIO — White Castle is launching a dairy-free cheddar cheese alternative to complement its plant-based Impossible slider. The chain introduced its meat-free burger option in April 2018 as a test item before launching it as a permanent offering later that year. “Our Impossible Slider was an instant craver favorite,......

BOCA RATON, FLA. — General Mills, Inc. plans to throw its weight around. More specifically, management sees the company’s scale and the data it gathers to manage its business as a key point of differentiation in managing costs and improving customer service in traditional and new sales channels. Jeffrey L.......

AMSTERDAM — New Verdad Opti Powder N350 from Corbion provides an alternative to traditional salt curing. While salt curing, or dry curing, has been used to preserve fish for millennia, today’s longer and more complex supply chains require better protection from human pathogens such as Listeria, Corbion said. Verdad Opti Powder N350......

CHICAGO — Weak consumption trends in the recent quarter prompted executives at Conagra Brands, Inc. to lower the company’s full-year outlook. Management now expects fiscal 2020 organic net sales growth to be flat to 0.5%. The previous estimate was 1% to 1.5%. Additionally, adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing......

HORSHAM, PA. — Bimbo Bakeries USA is building out its portfolio of portable breakfast offerings with new Thomas’ Pick Me Ups soft-baked oatmeal squares and Thomas’ Mini Croissants. Thomas’ Pick Me Ups are bite-size, soft-baked oatmeal squares made with ingredients such as rolled oats, chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds......

CARLSBAD, CALIF. — Mamma Chia is moving into the plant-based milk alternative market with the launch of Mamma Chia Organic Chiamilk. The dairy-free beverage contains 800 mgs of omega-3 fatty acids, MCT, zero grams of sugar and more calcium than a glass of traditional milk, the company said. Available in......

WILMINGTON, DEL. — DuPont is bringing back former chief executive officer Edward D. Breen to lead the company as part of a management shakeup designed to spur improved operational performance. Mr. Breen, who is currently executive chairman of DuPont, succeeds Marc Doyle. Mr. Breen was c.e.o. of DowDuPont from 2017-19,......

CALABASAS HILLS, CALIF. — The Cheesecake Factory has transformed its signature cheesecakes into ice cream form with a new collection of The Cheesecake Factory At Home premium cheesecake ice cream. To create the frozen treats, The Cheesecake Factory collaborated with Wells Enterprises, Inc., a Le Mars, Iowa-based ice cream manufacturer.......

LOUISVILLE, KY. — Amanda Clark has been named chief development officer at Papa John’s International, Inc. She will be tasked with leading the company’s efforts to expand its restaurant footprint in North America and internationally. Ms. Clark joins the company from Taco Bell, where she held several positions, including vice-president......

OAK BROOK, ILL. —The changes TreeHouse Foods management is making to restructure the company to achieve future growth showed up in the private label manufacturers’ fiscal 2019 bottom line. For the year ended Dec. 31, 2019, the company recorded a loss of $361 million, a significant decline when compared with......

KANSAS CITY — Dairy cooperative Dairy Farmers of America (D.F.A.) has offered $425 million and the assumption of liabilities to acquire some of Dean Foods Co.’s assets. Dean Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Nov. 12, 2019, and the offer, if accepted, will designate D.F.A. as the stalking horse......