Food Processing’s Food For Thought Podcast

Rebranding Initiative Helps Golden Waffles Meet Growing Breakfast Popularity and Demand

According to Alissa Davis, vice president of marketing for Golden Waffles, breakfast is coming back as people begin traveling again, both for work and pleasure. As such, Golden Waffles — which manufactures and sells its own waffle batter and provides waffle irons and accessories to foodservice operators and institutions — has rebranded itself and positioned its business to take advantage of the trends.
Davis joins the podcast to discuss what’s driving breakfast trends with consumers, the flavor and ingredient trends driving Golden Waffles’ product development, and how the company drove its rebranding efforts, moving away from the 90-year-old name Golden Malted and becoming Golden Waffles.

Invest in Employees, Capture Legacy Knowledge and Retain the Next Generation of Plant Workers

As we begin to turn the page on the 2024 calendar year, John Robertson of Life Cycle Engineering joins the Food For Thought podcast to discuss the workforce challenges facing manufacturing and food and beverage processors and how automation is helping ease some of the burden.
Robertson warns that processors who have not fostered a strong plan to capture legacy knowledge and support the next generation of employees can wait no longer. And they need to begin to use the technology and tactics available to keep their workers well-trained and their plants humming along.

Happy Thanksgiving from Food Processing!

The Food For Thought podcast will be taking this week off, but don't worry, we will be back "on the air" next Wednesday, Dec. 4, with all the great insights and conversation you've come to expect! Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and here's to the best food holiday of the year!

Consumers Hunt Deals on Thanksgiving Meals, and Other Turkey Day F&B Trends

Circana’s vice president of Thought Leadership, Joan Driggs, joins the Food For Thought podcast to discuss the trends driving Thanksgiving shopping for food and beverage products this year. Shoppers are not wavering on the products they want on this American food-fest of a holiday, and retailers and processors, fortunately, are stepping up to offer deals and make the cost a little more affordable for consumers.
In addition, Driggs digs into the Thanksgiving meal — how people approach eating at home versus in a restaurant — when they do celebrate Turkey Day out of the home — and how the Thanksgiving meal remains very heavily homemade. She also implores food and beverage manufacturers to be unique and find ways to promote their products as adjacencies to the main meal, which often supplies a few added leftover meal options in the days afterward.
Check out Circana's 2024 Thanksgiving Outlook for a deeper dive.

How Molecular Recycling Can Help Take Packaging Sustainability to the Next Level

The term “recycling” has been around for decades, but how much progress have food and beverage companies made? And how have consumers been supported in their efforts to recycle?
John Hewitt, senior vice president of packaging and sustainability on behalf of the Consumer Brands Association, talks about where industry stands, and then offers a learning session on molecular recycling — a recycling process that takes the standard, mechanical recycling processes to the next level.

The Innovation Driving Consumer Demand, Acceptance of Fermented Foods

As consumers seek healthier options in their food choices, fermented foods have seen a resurgence in popularity, and Fermented Food Holdings, or FFH, hopes to take advantage of the rising demand. The company recently promoted Jorge Azevedo from chief operating officer to be its first CEO, and he joins the Food For Thought podcast to discuss the company’s growth and its mission moving forward.
In addition, Azevedo offers his insights into the fermented foods marketplace and the demand for those products from consumers, and how FFH is looking to grow not just in the fermented foods space, but also as a functional foods company.

Increase Operational Productivity with Advanced Use of Automation, Data and Labor Best Practices

Food and beverage plants are constantly chasing improved productivity and efficiency, and Bill Remy, CEO for TBM Consulting, joins the Food For Thought podcast to discuss strategies to help them reach those goals.
Remy also reminds processors of the importance of getting skilled workers on board to maintain the equipment at a high level, despite the complexity of the automation being installed, and figuring out a way to transfer the tribal knowledge from longtime workers who leave to the new generation of employees.

Integrate Electrical Safety, Food Safety to Further Mitigate Risk in Food Plant Design

This episode is brought to you by Robroy Industries.
For food and beverage processors, designing facilities, equipment and components requires a sharp focus on mitigating safety risks to product and the workforce. Taken singularly, the bar has been raised for most of these standards.
Yet, as Steve Voelzke, president of the Electrical Division at Robroy Industries, explains, an all-encompassing, wide-lens approach to designing systems around all the standards together can help companies advance safety and reliability in their plants and stay ahead of the curve.
Learn more about Robroy Industries

How to Capitalize on Private-Label Popularity, Target Gen Z Food & Bev Consumers

The popularity of private-label food and beverage products continues to grow, and it’s being driven by a variety of factors from inflation over the years to continued price pressure to the influence of the Gen Z shopper.
Nichole Jones, principal in EY-Parthenon’s retail strategy practice, and Don Johnson, principal in the consumer products and retail strategy practice at EY-Parthenon, join the podcast to discuss what makes this opportunity in private label different from other historical opportunities. They also give insights on how to cater products to Gen Z consumers, as well as strategies for processors and retailers to take advantage and strike while the iron remains hot.

Strategies, Solutions to Ease the Burden of Maintenance on Processing Plants

This episode is brought to you by Regal Rexnord.
Food and beverage processors aim every day to deliver increased sustainable productivity to get products out the door quicker. However, that goal often can be impeded by routine or unexpected conveyor line maintenance.
Barry Voshell, strategic account manager for Regal Rexnord, joins us in this episode to discuss the various solutions in the industry that can reduce maintenance intervals and ease the burden of keeping lines and equipment operating at peak efficiency — a burden faced by both processors and their maintenance teams.
Learn more about Regal Rexnord