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GOURMET NEWS MAY 2017 www.gourmetnews.com NEWS & NOTES 5 Vermont Creamery Acquired by Land O'Lakes Vermont Creamery will become an independently operated subsidiary of Minnesota-based Land O'Lakes, Inc. under a deal announced March 29. It will continue to produce its award-winning fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter and fresh dairy at the creamery in Websterville, Vermont. "We have always taken seriously our commitment to our farmers, employees and Vermont's working landscape – these values are at the core of our decision to sell the busi- ness," said Vermont Creamery co-Founder Allison Hooper. "As we experience unprecedented growth, we need a part- ner who can bring the resources and expertise necessary to help us realize our vision and the potential of our busi- ness." "We purchased Vermont Creamery and welcome them to the Land O'Lakes family because we love their brand and would like to help bring it to even more people," said Chris Policinski, Land O'Lakes President and CEO. "We share a value-added, branded approach to marketing our products, a meaningful respect for our customers and deeply rooted rural values." Hooper and Bob Reese, who founded the business to- gether in 1984, say Land O'Lakes is the ideal new owner. A farmer-owned food and agricultural cooperative, Land O'Lakes has been in operation for more than 95 years. Widely known for its iconic butter brand, it is a diverse business that also includes Purina Animal Nutrition and WinField United. At its core, Land O'Lakes is driven by agricultural products that return value to farmers and fulfill its purpose of feeding human progress. "Vermont Creamery's heritage mirrors our own here at Land O'Lakes – a company founded by people who care about bringing the highest quality products from farm to fork," said Beth Ford, Land O'Lakes group Executive Vice President and COO. "We are excited about the culture of product innovation they have built in addition to the cate- gory itself and the opportunities for even more expansion." "After years of thoughtful planning and a rigorous selec- tion process, we are confident that we have found the best steward of our business, values and people in Land O'Lakes. We are both respected dairy brands with deep connections to farmers and an unyielding commitment to quality and innovation. We look forward to this opportu- nity to tell our story more broadly and increase access to our high-quality dairy products," Reese added. Reese and Hooper will serve as trusted advisors and brand ambassadors for the business. President Adeline Druart and the leadership team will remain in place as will all employees of the business. Ayers Brook Goat Dairy is not included in the transaction. The Hooper family will re- tain ownership of the farm, which will continue to serve as a key supplier to the creamery and catalyst for the growth of the goat dairy industry in Vermont. The terms of the acquisition will not be disclosed. Adeline Druart, President of Vermont Creamery, re- marked, "Bob and Allison have been such incredible entre- preneurs building Vermont Creamery's success and mentoring the team on their vision and values for the busi- ness. Partnering with Land O'Lakes adds the next key in- gredients for our growth: additional resources and dairy expertise. This transaction positions Vermont Creamery for continued success in the future." Founded at a time when Americans rarely ate goat cheese, Vermont Creamery has grown over nearly 35 years to be a premiere producer of fresh and aged goat cheese, crème fraîche and cultured butter. With hundreds of awards and burgeoning national distribution, Vermont Creamery is respected as a pioneer of the artisan cheese- making movement in America. In 2014, Vermont Cream- ery was the second cheesemaker in the world to earn B Corp certification and will maintain this certification and commitment to its community, employees and environ- ment under new ownership. GN Haagen-Dazs Brand Helps Bees Thrive with Creation of Pollinator Habitats The Haagen-Dazs brand is helping to change the way in- gredients are grown to better support bee populations by working hand-in-hand with its farmer suppliers. The in- ternationally-recognized ice cream brand has installed one of the largest, privately funded pollinator habitats on the farmland of its almond supplier in California's Central Val- ley. No stranger to helping the bees, the brand aims to im- pact additional ingredients used throughout its super-premium ice cream portfolio and positively influence sustainable agriculture practices. The "Haagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees" program launched in 2008, and today is expanding from research and educational funding to hands-on initiatives that will rejuvenate pollinator habitats to allow native bees to flour- ish. Located in Chowchilla, California, the habitat consists of six and a half miles of hedgerow and 11,000 native drought-tolerant shrubs and flowering plants, impacting 840 acres of farmland. In order to supply what pollinators need, the Haagen-Dazs team worked with expert agrono- mists and the Xerces Society to maximize the impact of the habitat by choosing regional plants that are attractive to pollinators. Looking forward, the team will work to create custom habitats for more of its ingredient suppliers who depend on bees to pollinate their crops. "Bees are critical to the environment, supporting one- third of the world's crops, including ingredients that are used in more than one-third of Haagen-Dazs ice cream fla- vors," says Alex Placzek, Director of the Haagen-Dazs brand. "Consumers want to know that they will be able to enjoy their favorite foods for years to come and that the in- gredients used are grown in a responsible way. By proac- tively getting involved on the farms of our suppliers, we are staying true to our journey that began nearly 10 years ago to ensure that bees can continue to thrive and enrich the planet." "Conventional agriculture relies on single crop farming, resulting in farms that lie dormant much of the year with little to no food source to help pollinators survive. The es- sential needs of bees are in jeopardy due to habitat loss, pesticide use and introduced diseases," states Eric Lee- Mäder, Pollinator Program co-Director, the Xerces Society. "In fact, many farms ship in bees to pollinate crops because the presence of native bees is diminishing. Increasing the number of pollinator-friendly landscapes will help revive the health of the bees and other pollinators." "We've taken a big step by building an incredible polli- nator habitat, and we will continue to replicate this work. As a food company, it's important that we help make a dif- ference and positively impact sustainable agriculture prac- tices throughout the supply chain," added Placzek. GN

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