North Bay Business Journal

HAY

Q&A: Andy Berliner, CEO, Amy’s Kitchen

February 13th, 2012

In the following interview, Amy’s Kitchen Chief Executive Officer Andy Berliner touches on the company’s growth in and beyond Sonoma County, the status of the planned South Carolina plan, potential for sales of prepared natural foods in foreign markets and the proposed ballot measure California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, which was submitted to the state Attorney General’s Office last month. Mr. Berliner will be a panelist at the 2012 Sonoma State University Economic Outlook Conference on Feb. 23 in Rohnert Park.
Lagunitas explores own wastewater plant

February 6th, 2012

PETALUMA — Lagunitas Brewing Co. wants to build its own process-wastewater treatment plant to handle the expected growth of its brewery in the next several years, and Petaluma and business leaders are exploring whether additional industrial wastewater treatment capacity is needed to accommodate current food and beverage companies as well as attract more.
Locally based food makers have put down roots

February 6th, 2012

NORTH BAY – After nearly 25 years in Petaluma, Barbara’s Bakery will depart in June. Yet times are good for most food manufacturers in the North Bay. The improving economy has been kind to the food business as consumers treat themselves in restaurants and supermarkets.
Langer investing in Santa Rosa for Sonoma label

February 6th, 2012

SANTA ROSA — The Langer family of Southern California, who acquired a sparkling juice bottling plant in Healdsburg three years ago, is making a multimillion-dollar bet on Sonoma County with a more than four-fold larger bottling plant with three times as much production capacity to support its new Langers of Sonoma brand.
At last, a lunch box that is green

February 6th, 2012

SAN RAFAEL – Along with the flourishing food scene in the North Bay comes a sustainable way to tote and munch it.
ECOlunchboxes – plastic-free stainless containers and cotton bags to carry them in – are a surprise bestseller in Whole Foods, Container Stores and retail outlets across the U.S. and abroad.
Food production incubator considered for Petaluma

January 30th, 2012

PETALUMA — Creators of artisan food products who are challenged to find a place to take their businesses to a new level may be able to find such help in a food manufacturing incubator being considered in southern Sonoma County.
Medical-device maker Sanovas picks Sausalito for production

January 30th, 2012

SAUSALITO — Sanovas Inc. plans to expand its corporate headquarters in Marin County’s southernmost city to include a manufacturing operation for early production of key components used in its microsurgical devices, used in diagnosing and treating cancer and other chronic diseases.
Sanovas plans Sausalito expansion for production

January 24th, 2012

SAUSALITO — Sanovas Inc. today announced it will expand its corporate headquarters in Marin County’s southernmost city and start local assembly of key components for its microsurgical devices, used in diagnosing and treating cancer and other chronic diseases. The startup plans to hire 20 locally this year.
Barbara’s to leave Petaluma

January 19th, 2012

PETALUMA — Weetabix North America, owner of the Barbara’s brand of Puffins breakfast cereals and other snacks, today announced plans to relocate its local operations to Massachusetts in the next six months, affecting 24 jobs.
California getting majority of electric vehicle VC, study finds

January 9th, 2012

NORTH BAY — A December report by the Next 10 public policy group showed that California brought in $840 million in venture capital invested in electric vehicle technology, 80 perent of the U.S. total.
BioMarin to move ‘several hundred’ to San Rafael

January 6th, 2012

SAN RAFAEL — Novato-based BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) today said it plans to relocate several hundred employees from its Bel Marin Keys headquarters plant to downtown San Rafael by the end of this year.
Amy’s Kitchen to revamp local operations as East Coast plant delayed

December 20th, 2011

PETALUMA [updated Dec. 21] — Amy’s Kitchen, maker of prepared natural and organic foods, plans to reconfigure its Santa Rosa and Oregon operations as the planned opening of a $63 million East Coast production facility has been pushed back “a few years.”
Datum Technologies completes process for coveted ISO certificate

December 12th, 2011

SANTA ROSA – Datum Technologies has completed the ISO certification process and is ready to expand its market into aerospace and defense, said co-owner and President Richard Hunt.
BioMarin gets FDA approval for Novato expansion

December 1st, 2011

NOVATO — BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a manufacturing facility expansion in Novato that the drug makers says will support up to $1 billion in revenue for its growing enzyme replacement therapy portfolio.
Large manufactured-home factory opens in Vallejo

December 1st, 2011

VALLEJO — Massachusetts-based Blu Homes today opened a 250,000-square-foot factory in Vallejo, where the company plans to eventually employ 500 and turning out that many of the company’s high-tech, high-green manufactured dwellings annually.
BioMarin pays $81 million to complete buy-back of intellectual property

November 30th, 2011

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) today said it made an upfront payment of $81 million to complete the buy back of certain intellectual property from SA Pathology, a unit of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network in Australia.The transaction will generate between $10 to $15 million a year in cash, with no incremental operating costs, according to Jean-Jaques Bienaime, chief executive officer of BioMarin.
50 new jobs is a great start heading to 2012

November 28th, 2011

Several months ago I had the privilege of participating in a group tour of Agilent Technologies’ sprawling and visually stunning Fountaingrove campus. When the tour was done, I felt for the first time in 25 years of following Agilent that I understood — in a non-technical way, for sure — what the company does in Santa Rosa. (Coincidentally Agilent is a winner of one of our Healthiest Companies Awards and is profiled below.)
Santa Rosa lab expands drug screens for synthetic marijuana

November 22nd, 2011

SANTA ROSA — Redwood Toxicology, a division of Massachusetts-based Alere Toxicology, is expanding its testing for synthetic cannabinoids to cover new “legal” highs.
What will be California’s economic game changer?

November 21st, 2011

A look back at three decades of new and expanded manufacturing facilities in California leaves us scratching our head. What’s the state’s next big game changer? Our investment highs this decade equal our lows of the ’80s and ’90s.
Third generation to take helm of La Tortilla Factory

November 14th, 2011

SANTA ROSA — Culminating a several-year family business succession plan, Sam Tamayo will take over as chief executive officer of La Tortilla Factory in January, the company announced today.