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Thermal management is crucial to processing, storing and delivering several types of snacks and baked goods. The latest systems cover a wide range of functions, including chilling dough, cooling product after exiting the oven, and refrigerating or freezing finished product. Specialized cold storage facilities also are part of the mix.

For snack food and select baked goods producers today, flexibility is the most sought-after feature of form/fill/seal (FFS) packaging equipment. Manufacturers also seek modular designs that provide scalable solutions and flexible layout configurations.

New and updated equipment makes short work of slicing, cutting and portioning dough, as well as other snack and bakery essentials.

According to data from IRI, Chicago, sales of frozen pizza were up about 1.15 percent in the 52 weeks ending August 7, 2016, representing about $4.5 billion. Unit sales, though, were down about 2.14 percent. Why?

Private label has come a long way from its “generic” years. Today, focuses are on premium, national-brand-better (NBB) offerings and clean eating—snack and bakery products that are part of the better-for-you category, including those that are gluten-free.

For over 500 years, we’ve been looking for the fountain of youth—that magical restorative water that will make us look and feel younger. While the fountain has yet to be discovered, we can find some solace in knowing that many of the foods we eat are becoming healthier for us.

In 1989, when La Brea Bakery opened its doors, it introduced Los Angeles to the sublime beauty of artisan bread. Fast-forward to 2016, and La Brea Bakery has grown into the largest baker of nationally distributed artisan breads in the U.S.—breads that still retain their original artisan allure.

If it seems like everywhere you turn, you are hearing more about grains—whole, ancient or sprouted—you are paying attention. You’re also witnessing a major food trend.

Advances in fleet management are being driven by routing and scheduling software linked to in-cab vehicle tracking equipment that streamlines the delivery process. These advances can help cut costs and better monitor delivery of products in a market where on-time delivery is crucial.

When it comes to packaging materials, one of the biggest consumer demands cited by bakers and snack producers is the need for extended shelf life—packaging that makes food last longer on the store shelf and in the refrigerator.