Nov. 22, 1968: Madison—While “monster” supermarkets – stores with a minimum of 20,000 square feet of selling space – are par for West Coast food retailers, the trend is gaining ground in Mid-Atlantic and eastern chains as well. These giant stores offer greater merchandising flexibility, more sales volume and other features that pay off for retailers.

St. Paul, MN—Arthur Barrett of Winsted, MN, was named Grand Champion Cheese Maker here at the 1968 NCCIA annual meeting and cheese competition. Albin Hertzog, also of Winsted, won Reserve Champion Cheese Maker honors.

25 YEARS AGO

Nov. 26, 1993: St. Paul, MN—Widespread adoption of state fluid milk pricing programs could reduce milk prices to Minnesota farmers, and it makes no difference whether Minnesota has state-imposed minimum milk prices, said University of Minnesota ag economist Jerry Hammond here this week.

Washington—The USDA announced this week that fluid milk processors have voted to implement a national program for fluid milk promotion and consumer education. A total of 71.7 percent of fluid milk processors voting in a referendum favored implementing the program. Processors who distribute 500,000 pounds or less of fluid milk products per month will be exempt.

10 YEARS AGO

Nov. 21, 2008: Brussels, Belgium—An agreement reached this week by EU ag ministers calls for increasing EU milk quotas by 1 percent every year between 2009- 10 and 2013-14 as a way to ensure a “soft landing” when milk quotas expire in April 2015. For Italy, the 5 percent increase will be introduced immediately in 2009-10.

Eagan, MN—Protient, Inc. has recently announced the opening of its new state-of-the-industry research and applications center here. The 8,300 square-foot facility is located near the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and cost over $1 million to complete. Included on site is an applications lab, sensory lab, processing room, sample storage and preparation area, and the research department.