50 YEARS AGO

Dec. 24, 1971: Chicago—In spite of major manufacturing hiccups, food scientists continue to experiment on fat-modified cheese made with vegetable fat and skim milk. Vegetable fats often impart an “off” flavor,; still, interest in fat-modified cheese runs because it’s less expensive and part of a lowfat diet.

Milwaukee, WI—Mogens Longreen, who has served as executive vice president of Chr. Hansen Laboratory, Inc., here for the past two years, has been tapped as president. Longreen succeeds Fritz Schsousboe, who is retiring after 50 years with the company.

25 YEARS AGO

Dec. 20, 1996: Fort Lee, NJ—Bel Cheese USA will begin production of its Wispride brand refrigerated cheese spreads in its Little Chute, WI, plant starting early next year. Bel Cheese plans to add roughly 40 new positions to its Little Chute staff. Wispride products are currently made in Bel’s Leitchfield, KY, facility.

Madison—For the first time ever, butter manufacturers will have the opportunity to compete against their peers in the new Butter category of the ninth biennial US Championship Cheese Contest. The Goat Cheese category has also been divided into Fresh and Aged sub-categories.

10 YEARS AGO

Dec. 23, 2011: Madison—Brian Eggebrecht of Colby, WI, has been selected to receive the WCMA’s highest honor, Life Member. Eggebrecht has served as contest chairman for the US and World Championship Cheese Contests for 22 years. Before that, he served seven years as assistant contest chairman, ably assisting his father, James Eggebrecht. James Eggebrecht earned the WCMA Life Membership honor in 1985.

Twin Falls, ID—Chobani broke ground on a new 940,000 squarefoot manufacturing plant here this week. This second domestic manufacturing plant is part of Chobani’s continued growth initiative. Production is slated to kick off in the second half of 2012, enabling consumers to more easily find Chobani products in stores.