Abdallah Candies’ New Caramel Creations Satisfies the Rise in Category Popularity
Abdallah Candies, a Minnesota-based candy company, has introduced new varieties to its highly popular “Old Fashioned Caramels” category. Known particularly for the premium caramel, Abdallah Candies’ individually twist-wrapped butter caramel morsels now have companions that are every bit as mouthwatering. New flavors such as chocolate-vanilla-sea-salt-twist, roasted-almond-coconut and toffee-almond caramel now accompany the best-selling plain butter caramels.
Available packaged in 7 ounce bags or in bulk, the new varieties extend the line with unique flavor combinations that perfectly complement the ultra-soft creamy caramel the company is famous for. For those who manufacture and desire the famous caramel flavor and want a caramel that is soft, creamy and won’t flow off their product, 12 pound blocks are available.
Abdallah Candies is a fourth generation, Minnesota family-owned gourmet confectioner which manufactures more than 200 varieties of specialty chocolates, including 24 flavors and two sizes of fresh cream truffles, tender toffees, caramels, stemmed cherries, fruits, clusters, creams, nougats and sugar free chocolates. Products are available packaged for everyday and seasonal sales and are also available in bulk.
Dairy Iowa Event is June 8
Dairy Iowa, a partnership between individuals and organizations invested in Iowa’s dairy industry, will hold its annual June Dairy Month event June 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Heartland Agribition Center in Independence. The meeting’s keynote speaker is Kevin Murphy of Food Chain Communications, addressing the challenges faced by the dairy community from misinformation and extremist attitudes, and how to respond.
The day’s events are concurrent with a youth communications workshop presented by Midwest Dairy. All Iowa dairy youth enthusiasts are encouraged to attend.
The program includes a panel of dairy farmers sharing their labor-saving and value-added efforts, as well as roundtable discussions among many of the groups who work on behalf of dairy throughout Iowa. In addition to Midwest Dairy and the Iowa State Dairy Association, participants will include the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance, Northeast Iowa Community College, the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and Iowa State University.
In addition, the meeting will host the presentation of the annual Ralph Keeling Awards given to individuals dedicated to Iowa’s dairy legacy, and scholarships presented by Midwest Dairy Association and the Iowa State Dairy Association.
Those wishing to attend may visit IowaDairy.org for more information, or may contact Mitch Schulte at mschulte@midwestdairy.com or 319.775.3451.
Wisconsin Cheese Named Official State Dairy Product
Wisconsin has long been synonymous with cheese, but the state legislature has made it official – Wisconsin cheese is now the state dairy product. Wisconsin cheese joins a list of prominent state symbols including the dairy cow, designated the state’s domestic animal in 1971, and milk, Wisconsin’s official state beverage since 1987.
For more than a century, Wisconsin has led the nation in cheese production, producing over three billion pounds of cheese annually. Wisconsin cheesemakers combine generations of tradition with cutting edge innovation to craft the finest cheese, and Wisconsin is the only place outside of Europe to offer a prestigious Master Cheesemaker certification for veteran cheesemakers who have been making cheese for 10 years or more. The state regularly takes home top honors for its world class cheeses including a recent historic sweep of the cheese industry’s three major competitions – the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, the American Cheese Society Competition and the World Championship Cheese Contest.
The designation was proposed by a group of fourth grade students at Mineral Point Elementary in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. It was signed into law by Governor Scott Walker at a special signing event at Mineral Point Elementary on June 1. WMMB also participated in the historic signing event and provided fresh squeaky Wisconsin cheese curds for the students to enjoy.
“We are so pleased to give Wisconsin cheese the recognition it deserves by declaring it the official state dairy product,” said Governor Scott Walker. “Today we celebrate the efforts of Wisconsin’s hard-working dairy farmers and cheesemakers who make us all proud to live in America’s Dairyland.”
“This is a victory for everyone in the Wisconsin dairy community to celebrate–from the dairy farmers who produce the highest quality milk to the third and fourth generation cheesemakers who have dedicated their lives to making the best cheese in the world,” said Suzanne Fanning, Vice President, National Product Communications, of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB). “We’d like to thank Mrs. Livia Doyle and the efforts of her fourth grade class at Mineral Point Elementary for proposing the idea and seeing it all the way to the governor’s desk! This is a wonderful way for kids to learn about the state government and see that they can make a difference.”
“The students are absolutely thrilled that their voices have been heard,” said Livia Doyle, fourth grade Teacher at Mineral Point Elementary School. “Being a part of this legislative process has been more meaningful and educational than ever imagined! The students have experienced firsthand what it means to have an idea and to share it with our representatives.”
To learn more about Wisconsin cheese visit EatWisconsinCheese.com.
