DAIRY BRIEFS

Organic yogurt processorStonyfield Farm, Londonderry, N.H., said it hiredWalt Freese, former CEO at Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., to become Stonyfield's president and chief executive officer later in January. In turn, Co-FounderGary Hirshbergsaid he will continue as Stonyfield chairman and shareholder.

TheTillamook County Creamery Association(TCCA) Tillamook, Ore., said it will reorganize operations, packaging and distribution activities to reduce cost while expanding market reach beyond the Pacific Northwest. TCCA said will move some packaging operations to two co-packers to cut, wrap and distribute Tillamook cheese. "The new co-packers have facilities that are more centrally located to our growing customer base. This move will improve operational efficiencies, decrease the time to market and the associated costs, making TCCA more sustainable as a farmer-owned co-operative," officials said. TCCA's Tillamook, Ore., facility will continue to make, cut, package and distribute Tillamook cheese.

Estate Cheese Group LLC(ECG), Sonoma, Calif., said it acquiredSonoma Creamery LLC, formerlySonoma Foods Inc., fromPulmuone USA Inc. andMonterey Gourmet Foods Inc. Terms were not disclosed. ECG officials said it has retained all Sonoma employees includingDavid Viviani,vice president of marketing and grandson of co-founder Celso Viviani; andLou Biaggi,vice president of operations.