Hilmar Cheese Co. Inc., Hilmar, Calif., announced plans to build a milk powder processing facility in Turlock, Calif. The new facility will enable the company to meet strong global demand for milk powders, Chief Executive Officer and President John Jeter said in a statement. Hilmar Ingredients, a division of the company, will market the powders.

Sensient Colors LLC, a St. Louis-based business unit of Sensient Technologies Corp., announced that its U.S. manufacturing site in St. Louis achieved the Excellent rating score for the annual Safe Quality Food (SQF) 2000 Level 3 recertification, which is the highest rating possible. This is the fourth consecutive year that the company has achieved an Excellent rating score.

Fona International, Geneva, Ill., hired Julie Liska as customer development director and Terri Bell as an account executive. It also gained a certified flavorist. The company announced that Marissa Piazza successfully completed her flavor chemist certification exam.

Döhler, Darmstadt, Germany, fully acquired Innoval Döhler, Mexico City, in January. Döhler had acquired nearly 40 percent of the Mexican ingredient company in 2006. Along with the full acquisition, the subsidiary’s name has changed to Doehler Mexico S.A. de C.V. Juan Maldonado now leads the company as general manager. The previous general managers and sons of the subsidiary’s founder, Gustavo León and Ricardo León, remain with the company.

In its 2013 Calorie Footprint, Oak Brook, Ill.-based PureCircle reported that it has supplied enough stevia sweeteners to enable the food and beverage industry to remove 1.8 trillion calories from global diets.

 Steviva Brands, Portland, Ore., announced plans to invest $500,000 of capital improvements in its Bonneau Products facility located in northeastern Portland. The company purchased the building in December to increase production of Bonneau products, including distilled bottled water, as well as to diversify the company’s food and beverage portfolio, it says. Building improvements will include upgrades such as a research and development kitchen that will serve as an incubator for new products as well as new equipment and increased warehouse storage.