As the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic descended upon America in early 2020, the American population began reacting to their new reality—and it was clear that snack and bakery production across the country would face a clear challenge. People were stocking up on supplies at an alarming rate, and the rush was on to keep grocery store shelves stocked.
This mad rush to stock up on supplies prompted snack and bakery companies to increase throughput, add new shifts to keep facilities producing at peak capacity, often with a reduced workforce. As a result, many operations clearly saw their limitations—aspects of production that could stand updating.