Known for its plant-based, real-food ingredients, Laird Superfood’s Pumpkin Spice line is crafted with a signature blend of ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, plus real pumpkin.

The new bar includes 20 grams of protein, the flavor of key lime pie, and no added sugar.

100% natural Ziggy Bars are packed with essential nutrients and fiber and are a way to support digestive health.

Three Wishes Cereal is launching granola bars for the first time, in three nostalgic flavors.

The bars include a pumpkin spice-inspired base with chunks of white chocolate pieces, topped with graham cracker-flavored clusters and a gourmet drizzle.

The plant-based bars feature 14 g of protein each and are made with organic ingredients.

Kellanova has rereleased a slew of seasonal products for autumn and Halloween.

The limited-time bars incorporate ginger, allspice, and other simple ingredients, with a total of 12 g of protein in each serving.

Previously only available in four-packs, single-serve Organic Snack Bars are now available at select 7-Eleven and Circle K locations in San Diego and Los Angeles to meet the desires of today’s busy, health-conscious consumers.  

The company’s most recent introductions give health-minded snackers a range of grain-free options in bar form.

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.

Automation has begun to take over the world of sorting and ingredient handling among snack and bakery products, especially in the area of continuous batching and delivery systems.

Honeywell introduced its latest technology breakthroughs and innovative solutions for manufacturers, distribution centers, logistics providers, delivery firms and retailers to help drive efficiency across their supply chain operations.

Ross SysCon Control Panels are now offered with wireless connection allowing users to access the PLC system using tablets, laptops and smartphones via Ethernet, WLAN or Bluetooth.

Bühler Aeroglide has introduced a complete moisture control system that helps customers maintain a dryer temperature profile and minimize over drying.  

A warehouse management system (WMS) centers on software that supports day-to-day operations. WMS programs enable centralized management of a wide range of tasks, including tracking inventory levels and stock locations, order fulfillment, and shipping and receiving.

PROCESS EXPO 2017 took place September 19–22 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The biennial event, operated by the Food Processing Suppliers Association, attracts food industry professionals from around the world. 

Thiele Technologies has announced that it soon will integrate Allen-Bradley control software on SYMACH Palletizers.

Inside the proceedings of PACK EXPO Las Vegas, including a survey of new packaging equipment, materials, technology and more.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, the domestic baking industry consumes an estimated $800 million worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year, as noted in its guide, "Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Baking Industry" (Nov. 2016 update, available on www.energystar.gov).

The food industry is reveling in the digital age with the continual improvement of new technology. More snack producers and bakeries aspire toward alignment with Industry 4.0 ideals

The Readco Process Control System (RCS) from process equipment manufacturer Readco Kurimoto, LLC, York, Pa., integrates mixing, heating, cooling and feeding into a single, touch-screen HMI.

EXAIR's new Dual 316 Stainless Steel Cabinet Cooler Systems with ETC (Electronic Temperature Control) keep electrical enclosures cool with 20°F (-7°C) air while maintaining the NEMA 4X rating of the enclosure and removing the heat that could adversely affect the internal components.

Is it just me or does it seem like the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate came out just last week? 

The long and tortuous path to enacting and implementing President Obama’s signature achievement, the Affordable Care Act, has taken yet another twist.

During and since the two-week government shutdown, there has been a lot of analysis from across the political spectrum. The analysis includes a lot of finger pointing and blame assessment. At the end of the day, it was the abdication of leadership by all parties and no coherent strategy for how to end the stalemate that lengthen the shutdown.

Last month, I had the opportunity to offer testimony in support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to modestly scale back the amount of ethanol required to be produced under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been on a roll lately. Its regulatory agenda is so full that advocates went to court to force timelines on the multitude of food-safety regulations required by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). 

After the resounding victory by Republicans at all levels of government—local, state and federal—in November, there was some speculation about the posture and tone President Obama might take in his final two years in office.

Many of us are asking ourselves where the summer went, and it is difficult to find a good answer. I hope you had some deserved downtime with family at some point.

When 2015 began, most Washington, D.C. observers predicted more gridlock in Washington.

Multiple prevailing trends at the consumer and regulatory levels will factor into the business concerns of the bakery industry over the coming year. These include product-development dynamics like non-GMO, nutritional labeling, transparency and food safety—all of which have the potential to positively influence overall shopper perceptions related to bread and the other baked goods that play a part of dietary patterns.

With the election of Donald Trump, and a slightly narrower Republican majority in Congress, Washington and the national punditocracy is both stunned and clamoring to find meaning in the election results.

With great trepidation that this column will become immediately obsolete or at least very dated in the short time from submitting it to publication, I want to address the whirlwind of regulatory relief announcements from the new Trump Administration.

During the tumultuous first year of the Trump Administration, the untold story has been the significant efforts to mitigate the numerous regulatory overreaches by the Obama Administration.

I recently met with one of the most actively engaged and supportive members of the American Bakers Association (ABA) and their senior management team. They asked me to provide a market and Washington update.

Even though the year started in a partial government shutdown, the government relations team from the American Bakers Association (ABA) continued to push forward on several key regulatory initiatives.

As of the last regulatory update from the American Bakers Association (ABA), we were coming out of a governmental shutdown. Now, the clock is ticking as we stare down the August recess in Congress and feel continued residual delays from that shutdown.

The fly-in will connect baking industry leaders with elected officials in the nation’s capitol.

People commonly misconstrue the work of a writer/historian.

The essence of plumbing is its mechanical genius.

The nature of plumbing is such that its most clever innovations usually are obscure to the public eye.

The debate over who Thomas Crapper was - or even if there was a Thomas Crapper at all - continues.

People take for granted devices such as the T&P valve, kitchen disposal, flush toilet and so many of our industry's other useful gadgets that have made lives safer, healthier, more comfortable and convenient.

Tool Tips—September 2018

Tool Tips—October 2018

Tool Tips—February 2019

Tool Tips—March 2019

Tool Tips—July 2019

This tool tip made my co-worker and our customer so happy that he made one and wrote my name on it.