The COVID-19 pandemic has multiple lessons for the snack industry. Overall, the snack industry has had a strong, up year. But the degree of a "COVID bump" varied from category to category. As we emerge and plan for the future, recent, and current, product purchase behaviors can help provide a roadmap for what's to come.

As I've engaged (remotely) with the industry of late, I've heard myriad stories of hardship and determined struggle, of community support and selfless volunteerism, of ingenuity and fortitude. These core values, so central to true leadership, are what bridge the gap to unite us across this great nation.

Culinary history can bring powerful elements to storytelling, as seen in the origin of Mikesell's Potato Chip Co. and its Saratoga chips.

This past year was unlike any other throughout our history as a nation, and the snack and bakery industry saw significant impact.

Over the past few months, as I went through the process of developing SF&WB's annual "Top 50 Snack & Bakery Companies" list, I felt a renewed sense of admiration for the inherent power of merging true nutrition with indulgence.

The history of the food industry offers many great examples of notable pioneers who innovated in the face of adversity.

During the interview for our September issue cover story profile on fast-growing entrepreneurial brand Ka-Pop! Snacks, a company founded and led by Dustin Finkel, he talked about the need to keep the joy in better-for-you snacking.

We are a nation divided. America has grown increasingly polarized across our political and social spectrum, and this national anxiety will, unfortunately, increase as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the November elections approach.

It's the last day of April. I'm sitting at my desk in my home office where I've largely isolated myself for the past several weeks. I look out my window and things seems relatively unchanged compared to two months ago.

Since identifying the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 in Wuhan, China in late December 2019 until press time for our April issue of SF&WB at the end of March, the virus is known to have infected over 750,000 people, tragically causing over 36,200 deaths.