Food Processing’s Food For Thought Podcast

*Bonus Episode* The Power of Data in Food Supply Chains

Joining us on today’s episode is Maggie Slowik, Global Industry Director for Manufacturing at IFS. And we’re talking all about the power of data.    In today’s manufacturing world, there are as many uses of data as there are products. So how do companies determine what to focus on to build out their strategy? That’s what we’re talking about and more in this special bonus episode.  According to Maggie, data is the new currency. We dive into what that means and how, as an organization, the ownership of data can give you more power than you ever imagined.  We also address concerns that some in food and beverage have about data, including how exactly they’re going to embark on their digital transformation as well as how they’re going to find – and fill – the talent pipeline when it comes to data analysis.  And we cap things off talking about the Metaverse and its possible implications on the food and beverage industry as a whole.  Read the transcript on the Food Processing website.

*Bonus Episode* When MRP Is Not Enough: Advanced Requirements Planning

Welcome to our midweek bonus episode of the Food For Thought Podcast.  Like your cellphone, your personal computer and your television, technology marches on and the latest editions really do have more functionality than the previous versions. That's also true for your ERP system. Advanced Requirements Planning not only accounts for expiring lots, but also helps to plan for yield losses as well as overlapping operations.  During a recent webinar, Food Processing Editor in Chief Dave Fusaro sat down with Kate Warner, Senior Solution Engineer for Plex Systems, to discusses why food & beverage manufactures need more from their Material Requirements Planning.  In this episode of the podcast, you can listen to that conversation.   If you’d like to learn more about Advance Requirements Planning or if you’d like to access white papers on Supply Chain Planning, the State of Smart Manufacturing, and how to stay agile during demand planning, you can do so here. Enjoy the special episode

Who’s Watching out for Food’s Female Entrepreneurs?

Today’s episode is a continuation of our Women in the Workplace series. Earlier this year we talked with women from GODIVA, Hot Bread Kitchen, and the Females in Food program about how each company is helping to empower women throughout the food and beverage industry.  Today we turn our attention to Jenn Palmer, CEO of eCapital ABL. At eCapital, Jenn leads an organization that specializes in financing food and beverage companies. At the helm since January of 2020, we talk about how Jenn’s career path helped her see the value of diversity – both among eCapital’s portfolio and within her teams. And speaking of portfolios, Jenn explains how her team helped grow eCapital’s portfolio 70%...during a pandemic.   In this episode, we talk about the hurdles women experience when trying to launch or grow a food business, with special attention paid to women’s access – or lack thereof – to capital. We also address how to make financing more equitable as well as HOW – and WHY – both men and women can better support women-owned business.  Read the transcript of the episode on the Food Processing website

How Mars is Taking on Food Integrity, Food Fraud and Adulteration

With us on the podcast is Dr. Susan Blount, Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs for Mars Incorporated. Today we’re talking about food integrity, food fraud and adulteration and what Dr. Blount and her team are doing to ensure consumers throughout the world have safer foods.  We kick things off talking about what food integrity is – and isn’t and what companies like Mars are doing to ensure a safe food system. We take a deeper dive into regulations across the world when it comes to the misrepresentation of food and how that plays into the global supply chain. We also address issues pertaining to consumer trust and how Mars is working with its partners for more consistent harmonization as well as the technologies that are available to detect fraudulent foods. We cap things off talking about the Mars Global Food Safety Center and as well as whether better detection methods or more regulations are more important when it comes to food fraud.  Enjoy the episode.  Read the transcript of this episode on the Food Processing website

*Bonus Episode* Costs of Oversizing Compressed Air Systems

A review of thousands of compressed air systems has reveal that, on average, users operate below 50% of system capacity. And, in fact, oversized compressors are among the most common problems in air systems. Here to talk amore about that on the podcast today are Kaeser Compressors’ Wayne Perry and Neil Mehltretter. They’ll address why oversizing occurs and how an oversized system reduces reliability and increases maintenance and lifecycle costs. Read the transcript on the Food Processing website.

*Bonus Episode* Pest Prevention Strategies & The Future of Pest Management

Is your pest control program as effective as you’d like it to be? In this episode, we talked with Sharon Dobesh, Director Of Technical Services, and Pamela Peckman, staff entomologist, both of Industrial Fumigant Company, about pest prevention strategies you can enact at your facility as well as what the future holds in pest management. We talk about the best way to design an integrated pest management program that focuses on prevention, how sanitation works into pest control and an IPM program, as well why and how data plays such an important role in developing an IPM program.  Read the full transcript on the Food Processing website

*Bonus Episode* Meeting Business Challenges with New Digital Technology

When it comes to digital transformation initiatives, have you ever wondered what the top food and beverage companies are doing? Here to help answer that question is Eric Campagna, Food & CPG Machine Health Lead for Augury. Join us as we talk about what’s working – and not working – for the top food and beverage processors as well as the importance of taking risks, particularly when it comes to digital transformation. We talk about which digital transformation initiatives could provide the most impact as well as how manufacturers can address their current business challenges with new technologies.   We wrap things up talking about machine health and how it can increase food and beverage manufacturer’s competitive advantage.  Read the Transcript on the Food Processing website Learn more about how Augury helps the food and beverage industry. Visit their website

Is Lab-Grown Meat the Safer Option?

With us on the podcast today is Steven Burton, Founder and CEO of Icicle Technologies. Originally launched to help solve the problem of foodborne illness, Icicle now helps food companies execute their food safety plans. In this episode, we get to the meat of the matter of lab-grown meat. We kick things off talking about why the notion of lab-grown meat and alternative proteins are growing in popularity as well as their impact on the meat industry. We talk a bit about consumers’ perspectives of meat alternatives and the GMO-ification of it all before digging in to a discussion about both the advantages and drawbacks of lab-grown meat. We of course also talk about how safe lab-grown meat really is. We wrap things up talking about how Icicle Technologies is helping companies – including those in the lab-grown meat space – bring safer products to market. Read the Full Transcript on the Food Processing website *** 2022 Digital Food & Beverage Conference: Special Discount for Food For Thought ListenersBe sure to register for the 2022 Digital Food & Beverage event taking place July 25-26 in Austin, Texas to meet with fellow digital marketing and ecommerce professionals from the industry's most innovative companies. Use promo code DFB22FOOD at foodandbeverage.wbresearch.com for 25% off your pass!

*Bonus Episode* ISO Class 0 Compressed Air: Is It Just Another Way of Saying “Oil-Free”?

On today’s special episode, we’re talking with Kaeser Compressors about ISO Class 0 Compressed Air.  Join us as we talk with Neil Mehltretter, Technical Director, and Werner Rauer, Product Manager, about what Class 0 Compressed air really is.  We talk about what a Class 0 label really means as well as what guidelines and specifications there are for class zero air in food and beverage applications. We wrap things up talking about whether there are energy or other cost implications for higher levels of air quality. Enjoy the episode.  Read the transcript on the Food Processing website.

*Bonus Episode* Why Food & Beverage Manufacturers Need an Advanced MRP

Are you feeling OK about the MRP in your ERP? If you’re feeling unsure, then listen in to this informative conversation we had with Plex Systems’ Ara Surenian about material requirements planning, especially as it relates to enterprise resource planning. We kick things off talking about how supply chain planning can help with inventory lots as well as with labor issues. We then segue over to a discussion about risk management and wrap things up talking about what’s going on with the current packaging and material shortages and how Plex can help food and beverage processors plan for all of it.  Read the transcript of this episode on the Food Processing website Learn More About our Sponsor: Plex Systems at Plex.com Enjoy the episode.