Sara Lee Corp. announced an agreement to sell its fresh bakery businesses in Spain and Portugal to Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de C.V. for approximately $154 million. The agreement includes all Sara Lee fresh bakery brands in Spain and Portugal as well as seven manufacturing facilities.

Sara Lee Corp. is considering a binding offer from Sagard for the sale of EuroDough (Sara Lee’s European chilled dough business) for a purchase price of approximately $159 million.

Omaha Steaks announced that Alan Simon, company chairman and fourth generation family owner, was inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame.

Rob Sweatman joined Just Born, Inc. as the company’s VP of operations. Sweatman reports to David Yale, Just Born president and COO.

Gary Saunders was promoted to general manager at Magnum Systems, where he previously served as VP of sales and marketing.

Del Monte Foods appointed consumer goods veteran M. Carl Johnson, III as its executive vice president, brands, reporting to CEO David West.

Kraft Foods opened its new European biscuit research and development center in Saclay, France, a suburb of Paris. The two-year construction project represents a $20 million investment.

Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. announced that Robert Vitale will serve as chief financial officer of Post Holdings in conjunction with the separation of Ralcorp and the Post cereal business. 

James T. Hackett was appointed to Bunge Limited’s board of directors as an independent director.

The ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston Boardman, OR potato plant earned its first ENERGY STAR certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, the Lamb Weston plants in Park Rapids, MN and Richland and Quincy, WA received ENERGY STAR recertification for 2011.

Sun Pac Foods Limited was acquired by Liquibrands Inc., a private investment firm owned by beverage industry veteran Csaba Reider. Reider will take over the helm as president and chief executive officer.

Grocery Manufacturers Association announced the appointment of Robert Burns, PhD, as its vice president, Health and Nutrition Policy.

John Bean Technologies Corporation named Steve Smith as the vice president and division manager of JBT FoodTech’s Food Processing Systems Division.

Siemens Industry Automation Division acquired Vistagy, Inc., a supplier of engineering software and services with emphasis on designing and manufacturing structures made of composite materials.

NJM Packaging acquired Montréal-based automated production equipment manufacturer, The Company of Jalbert Automation.

POWER Engineers, Inc. acquired Minneapolis-based Professional Design Group (architects/engineers). 

S+S Inspection moved its headquarters from Niagara, NY to Bartlett, IL.

The Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) presented its 2011 IFSH Award to C. Patrick Dunne, PhD, senior research chemist and senior advisor, Nutritional Biochemistry and Advanced Processing at the US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development & Engineering Center.

Stellar promoted nine of its employees, including three to vice president roles. Six of the newly promoted employees focus on food and beverage industry projects and include Scott Mark, vice president, food & beverage services operations; Michael Polczynski, vice president, field services; Matt Doherty, senior project manager, food & beverage; Nathan Edwards, project manager, food & beverage; Lauren Hedberg, procurement analyst, refrigeration services; and Jim Martini, senior automation engineer.