Food For Thought

Burgers Evolve, But Remain Front and Center for U.S. Consumers

Consumers continue to seek a great burger when they visit restaurants across the U.S., and even with things like the “chicken sandwich wars” and other innovative products, the burger still stands tall. Lucy Woods, senior manager of consumer insights for Cargill, joins the podcast to discuss the trends driving burger consumption and demand focused more on the foodservice marketplace today.
Do consumers prefer thick or thin patties? Do they like certain cuts of meat to be included in the blend? Where does nutrition fit into the equation these days, when consumers are looking for comfort foods as well? And what about the infamous slider burger?

How Ajinomoto Foods North America Looks to Grow Under New President/CEO

Welcome to the Food for Thought podcast. I’m Andy Hanacek, senior editor of Food Processing magazine.
Dave Gardner, who was recently promoted to president and CEO of Ajinomoto Foods North America (AFNA), joins the Food For Thought podcast to discuss what is driving the popularity in Asian foods as well as frozen foods in the U.S. today. Gardner explains how the quality, value and convenience of frozen foods today are meeting demands of consumers, and they are responding positively.
In addition, Gardner talks about his approach to his new role at AFNA, what he expects to bring to the table as the president and CEO, and the three points he believes the AFNA team needs to focus on moving forward to continue to grow.

Mezete Aims to Bring Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine to a Global Audience

In mid-May, I attended the National Restaurant Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, visiting several booths and taking in the product and equipment innovations there — while eating and drinking my way through many delicious, and filling, product samples.
One of the booths I visited was the Mezete booth, where Khaled Kasih, CEO and third-generation leader of Amman, Jordan-based Kasih Food Production Co. (and the Mezete brand), took a few minutes to discuss Middle Eastern cuisine with me (and offer some samples, of course!). For this episode of the Food For Thought podcast, Kasih digs into the history of Middle Eastern cuisine and the growing popularity of authentically produced foods from the region.
He also discusses his company’s passion for bringing the foods to a global audience, using innovative technology as the backbone of creating high-quality, true-to-tradition Middle Eastern foods.

AI’s Future Impact: A Disconnect Between Manufacturers and Employees

Randstad USA recently released its Workmonitor 2026 Report, and Christina Parker, senior vice president for the company, joins the Food For Thought podcast to dig into the results. The report covers numerous topics, and Parker discusses the sentiment on artificial intelligence in the manufacturing space, noting a disconnect between what employers and employees expect the impact to be over the next few years.
Furthermore, she details some of the communication and collaboration needed between employers and employees to properly manage expectations for the systems being implemented. AI has helped manufacturers of all types deal with the labor shortages of recent years, and Parker lays out some of the things employees are seeking today in the post-pandemic employment landscape.

Private Label Continues to Grow as Consumer Perception, Demands Change

Private-label brands have transitioned from a budget-driven alternative to a core pillar of growth and loyalty in the food and beverage industry. In this episode, Circana’s Sally Lyons Wyatt unpacks data showing how store brands continue to gain ground in the marketplace, even as inflation pressures ease.
The conversation also explores how evolving shopping behaviors — especially the rise of e-commerce and AI-driven purchasing — are reshaping the competitive landscape. As digital agents prioritize price, availability and functional equivalence over brand equity, private label stands to benefit, particularly within retailer-controlled ecosystems.

Analyzing the M&A Landscape in the Food and Beverage Industry

Jake Steslicki, vice president for PMCF, joins the podcast this time around to discuss the merger and acquisition landscape coming out of 2025 and heading into the new year in the food and beverage industry. He gives an analysis of how the previous calendar year went, and then digs into where things sit today.
What should the industry expect when it comes to deal-making through the rest of the year and even into 2027? What do the big-headline deals mean for the industry overall? Are there any moves companies should make to steel themselves for potential transactions in the not-too-distant future? Steslicki offers insights into all of these things and more this time around.

Americans Want Food Flexibility, ‘Culinary Individualism’ Instead of Rigid Diet Rules

In this episode, Maheen Khan, senior brand manager for Challenge Butter, unpacks new research on Americans’ eating habits and what it signals for the future of food. The survey, sanctioned by Challenge Butter, signals a clear shift away from rigid diets and consumption rules toward a more flexible approach to eating — “culinary individualism,” as Challenge Butter is calling it. Khan explains how consumers are redefining wellness in 2026, prioritizing flavor, quality and enjoyment over restriction, following a mindset that encourages people to cook intuitively and make food choices that fit their own lifestyles.
Finally, Khan dives into how Challenge Butter is positioning itself in the midst of broader industry trends, from GLP-1 drugs to the new Dietary Guidelines and the ultraprocessed foods debate.

Can the Meat Industry Capitalize on Its MAHA, Dietary Guidelines Moment?

“The meat industry is having a moment,” says Brian Brozovic, who details some of the trends and insights he saw and learned at the Annual Meat Conference to start this episode of the podcast, and digs deeper into the culinary and product trends driving innovation today.
Brozovic then goes on to discuss how the industry is preparing for the potential of the MAHA movement and new Dietary Guidelines to give meat and poultry a boost — and whether the U.S. cattle supply chain is capable of handling any uptick in demand. Finally, he details the work he is involved in as a member of the Meat Institute’s Emerging Leaders Program, as well as what he and the Empirical Foods team has been working on nowadays.

How Hormel Foods Responds to Evolving Consumers, Protein Demand

In today’s episode, Jason Baskin, director of Retail Strategy and Business Transformation of Hormel Foods Corporation talks about the ways in which the 135-year-old company continues to evolve and grow. Guided by a tight focus on consumers and on providing what the company calls “real food protein,” Hormel feels well-positioned to move into a new phase of growth.
In addition, Baskin offers insights into some of the trends impacting Hormel’s portfolio — from multicultural food influences to the growing specter of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs — and what Hormel’s approach has been to addressing those trends.

Using Automation to Advance Dry-Cleaning Processes

This episode is brought to you by Control Concepts Inc.
Food and beverage processing engineers have much to balance when designing and optimizing facilities and production lines — including maintaining optimum food safety and process performance. Implementation of hygienic air-handling systems should be a critical piece of that puzzle, says Henry Tiffany, president of Control Concepts Inc., who shares insights on how processors can ensure product integrity and safety, using innovative dry-cleaning systems. 
This episode is sponsored by Control Concepts Inc. Learn more about Control Concepts' AirSweep material activation systems.