North Bay Business Journal

NAPA — La Saison Napa Valley opened a commercial kitchen in Napa to support its custom-events business as well as produce specialty foods.

SONOMA — Food products co-packer MPK Sonoma Corp. shut down at the end of February after a customer that made up 95 percent of revenue took production in-house in March.

VACAVILLE — RF Biocidics, maker of chemical-free food safety systems, today said Craig Powell is the new chief executive officer.

NORTH BAY — Each of the 6,170 full-time-equivalent jobs in food and non-wine beverage manufacturing in the North Bay helps to sustain an average of more than one-and-a-half additional jobs in other industries, making it one of the most economically stimulating sectors in the region.

The finding — along with other detailed analysis of the sector’s regional presence and impact — was described in a new report by Dr. Robert Eyler, chair of the economics department at Sonoma State University and director of the school’s Center for Regional Economic Analysis.

NAPA — The oldest operating chocolate producer in Napa Valley plans to greatly increase its capacity to make wholesale confections by opening a second local factory.

PETALUMA — Buckelew Programs, a non-profit behavioral health organization that provides jobs and training for people with mental health and substance abuse disorders, has leased over 18,000 square feet of space near East Washington and North McDowell Boulevard where it will open its newest location, People’s Harvest.

SANTA ROSA — Saputo Inc., parent company of DCI Cheese Co., formerly G & G Specialty Foods, announced the closure of the facility in Santa Rosa facility, resulting in the loss of 68 production and office jobs.

PETALUMA — Torn Ranch, a manufacturer of gourmet treats with thousands of retail and wholesale customers throughout North America, will move from Novato to Petaluma.

SANTA ROSA — G&G Specialty Foods, maker of cheese spreads, hummus and salsa for retail sale, is part of a $270.5 million cash merger deal by a large cheese company in Canada for G&G’s parent company.

Veteran North Bay banker Jamie Williams has joined Sonoma Bank as commercial banking regional director. … Wells Fargo’s San Francisco-based economist Gary Schlossberg noted Sonoma County has about 200 food processors, an industry posting 3 percent growth. … Bingham, Osborn and Scarborough LLC, a wealth management firm with offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, has opened a new office in Healdsburg. … Umpqua Bank officially announced its first Santa Rosa location.

SANTA ROSA – The Smoked Olive, a tiny startup gathering lots of kudos from foodies is looking to grow its operation, according to founder and partner Al Hartman.

CEO, La Tortilla Factory

PETALUMA – Kevin Imm, who has been chief executive officer of dairy processor Clover Stornetta Farms for five years and working there for 20, plans to retire from company management and ownership at the end of this year.

NORTH BAY — As consumers juggle priorities in a down economy, one item they’re not dropping is organic food. In fact, more of them are picking it up, if the growth trajectories of local organic food producers are an indication. Chicken farmer, baker and ice cream maker alike are bucking the trend.

SONOMA — Laura Chenel’s Chevre announced plans today to build a new creamery in the city of Sonoma.

SANTA ROSA, PETALUMA – Amy’s Kitchen has signed a lease for a 30,000-square-foot space in Petaluma and will begin moving its 85-member administrative staff from Santa Rosa this week. According to co-founder and President Andy Berliner, the sales, marketing, financial and customer service departments were scattered among four locations near the Santa Rosa processing plant.

KENTFIELD – Marin upscale grocer Woodlands Market will be the first stop on what entrepreneur Eric Greenberg hopes is a national rollout of his new prepared-food line.

SONOMA — A private-label food producer and copacker known for teriyaki sauces and fresh organic ginger finally will be able to triple its production capacity after a highway mishap led to a 14-month delay in the $5 million expansion project.