Industry News

Mars Chocolate
Mars Chocolate and Wrigley Canada are now officially operating as one business, known as Mars Wrigley Confectionery, part of Mars Canada Inc., the legal parent company of Mars segments in Canada.

Del Monte Fresh Produce
Del Monte Fresh Produce’s North America division is acquiring Mann Packing for approximately $361 million. Mann Packing’s annual sales were approximately $535 million in 2017.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.  
Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. and Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. have entered into a definitive merger agreement to create Keurig Dr Pepper.

Sensient Technologies 
Sensient Technologies is acquiring the natural color business of GlobeNatural, a leading natural food and ingredient company based in Lima, Peru, owned by the Michell Group. The new entity will operate as Sensient Natural Colors Peru S.A.C.

Nestlé 
Nestlé agreed to sell its US confectionery business to Ferrero for CHF 2.8 billion. Nestlé’s 2016 US confectionery sales reached about CHF 900 million. 

Tyson Foods 
Tyson Foods, Inc. has invested in Memphis Meats, a “clean meat” startup. Memphis Meats focuses on producing real meat directly from animal cells, without the need to raise or process animals.

Hostess Brands, Inc. 
Hostess Brands, Inc. is completing the acquisition of certain US breakfast assets of ARYZTA LLC, including the Big Texas and Cloverhill brands and one of ARYZTA’s Chicago Cloverhill bakery facilities, which was, until June 2017, a significant co-manufacturer to the company. In addition to the brands, the acquisition includes supply partnerships with several key retailers of Hostess.

Allied Electronics & Automation 
Allied Electronics & Automation has signed a distribution agreement with Stadium Group PLC, a UK-based company with manufacturing facilities in the UK and Asia. Allied will be the Americas’ distributor for select Stadium Group products, including power supplies, cable power products, HMI modules, single-board computing (SBC) devices and wireless connectivity devices for IoT (Internet of Things) applications.
   

People News

Brother Gearmotors 
Brother Gearmotors, a division of Brother International Corporation, has named Dan Lydigsen as national sales director. 

Coca Cola 
Coca Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated has repositioned its executive vice president officer group. The following officers have assumed new titles: Robert G. Chambless, executive VP, franchise beverage operations; E. Beauregarde Fisher, III, executive VP, general counsel and secretary; James E. Harris, executive VP, business transformation and business services; David M. Katz, executive VP and CFO. 

Dorner Mfg. Corp. 
Ben McGruder has been appointed director of customer service and inside sales for Dorner Mfg. Corp.

The Fremont Company
The Fremont Company, the producer of Frank’s Kraut and Mississippi BBQ Sauce, has promoted Eric Kadrovach to VP of operations. He will be overseeing all three Ohio plants.

Packline USA
Packline USA has named Shay Zohar as president and CEO. Zohar succeeds former President and CEO Amir Tamshe, who established the company in 2002. Tamshe now leads Packline’s global sales and product development efforts.

PMMI
PMMI, the association for packaging and processing technologies, has named Jim Pittas president and CEO. Pittas succeeds Chuck Yuska. The association also promoted Dave Newcorn to senior VP, digital & data.