Advances in labeling are happening at a rapid pace. Technological leaps in marking/coding technology, printers, and labeling software have improved printing speed, accuracy and flexibility to accommodate a wide range of labels in today's snack and bakery market.

Product-handling equipment, mincluding cartoners and case erectors, packers and loaders, are more automated and more flexible than ever, offering quick changeovers between package formats.

Shipping contamination-free food products to the public has always been business-critical, but today's social media landscape leaves virtually no room for error. A wider variety of products, along with a wide variety of packaging options, have increased the need for more flexible inspection and detection equipment.

Secondary packaging equipment can help snack producers and bakeries perform a variety of necessary functions, including shrink wrapping, shrink bundling, pallet unitizing and case building. The latest systems are also able to meet the demands of a quick-changing market.

The latest form/fill/seal (FFS) packaging systems are more versatile and more adaptable to different bag types, film types and bag sizes than previous versions. That is good news as consumers continue to demand smaller, on-the-go, resealable packages for their snacks and baked goods, and retailers demand packaging formats that bring convenience to their customers.

Manufacturers today face many challenges when it comes to designing packaging materials for the snack and bakery market, especially as the consumption cycle of packaged foods grows longer.

The latest innovations in fleet management offer a new world of interconnectivity that accelerates and streamlines the rapid delivery of goods to market.

Designing robotics for packaging functions in snack and bakery plants is a challenge. This market segment requires robots that are highly flexible for product changeover, yet easy to program.

The word indulgence is often used in any discussion of cookies. And while that still holds true, more better-for-you, healthy options are hitting the shelves. But regardless of the protein levels in cookies, consumers are still looking for treats with appealing flavor combinations that taste good and offer a multi-dimensional bite.