Nielsen announced the 2016 U.S. Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Award winners. Nielsen’s annual Breakthrough Innovation Awards recognize America’s unsung household heroes. In conjunction with announcing the winners, Nielsen also issued the fifth edition of the U.S. Breakthrough Innovation Report at Nielsen’s U.S. Consumer 360 event in Las Vegas.

Together, Starbucks and Anheuser-Busch will bring their complementary strengths to bear to capitalize on the significant growth opportunity.

The Hershey Company confirmed that it had received a preliminary, non-binding indication of interest from Mondelēz International to acquire the company for a mix of cash and stock consideration, totaling $107 a share of Hershey common stock. The indication of interest also included other non-monetary considerations.

Teaching professionals realize there are different ways in which students learn. There also are different types of learning environments. And after one of the industry’s largest annual exhibitions, food and beverage formulators can find a more intimate, unique learning opportunity at Prepared Foods’ annual R&D Applications Seminar Chicago.

A panel of expert culinary judges, public vote, and artisan opinions decided the outcome of the competition.

Friendly’s Ice Cream, LLC announced that it has finalized the sale of its Retail Ice Cream and Manufacturing business from an affiliate of Friendly’s Ice Cream, LLC to Dallas, Texas-based Dean Foods Company, a leading food and beverage company and the largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of fresh fluid milk and other dairy and dairy case products in the United States, for the amount of $155 million in cash.

L.A. Aloe LLC, makers of a fast-growing line of certified organic aloe water beverages called Aloe Gloe, announced an investment from the Venturing & Emerging Brands (VEB) unit of The Coca-Cola Company.

Harmening will be responsible for all company operations including U.S. Retail, International, Convenience Stores and Foodservice segments, Sales and Channel Development, as well as Global Supply Chain, and Innovation, Technology and Quality functions.

Johnson also served as Chairman of the Campbell Board of Directors from 1993 until 1999.

Ganeden announced its first-ever Innovation Jumpstart program, which encouraged the development of new probiotic food and beverage ideas. Submissions flooded in during the three month entry time, and after extensive deliberation three finalists have been selected.