industry

State of the Industry 2019: Innovating to drive cracker category growth

Crackers maintain far-reaching appeal. But while the category benefits from increased consumer interest in snacking, crackers have experienced intensified competition from other foods within salty snacks and beyond.




industry

State of the Industry 2020: Healthy pizza diversity fuels growth

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S., shoppers began to frantically stock up on select food products. Due to its convenience and comfort-food appeal, frozen pizza was a top choice, and retailers soon found themselves with dwindling supplies as American society braced for the worst.




industry

State of the Industry 2020: Crackers grow through innovation

Crackers are a product category that has nearly universal appeal. Consumers are snacking more often, especially in light of the recent pandemic, and the expanding variety of crackers on the market today make them a natural fit for nearly any snacking occasion.




industry

State of the Industry 2020: Puffed and extruded snacks grow through innovation

The puffed and extruded snacks category has grown-up, and the market is seeing some diverse company.




industry

State of the Industry 2020: Snack and nut mixes combine nutrition with bold flavors

It's safe to say COVID-19 has made its mark on the food industry. People are cooking more at home than they used to.




industry

Remembering Nathan Norris, baking industry legend (1960–2024)

The respected industry leader served the baking field for more than 45 years, most recently as diversity, equity, and inclusion director with Highland Baking Co.




industry

State of the Industry 2022: Fresh bread category stabilizes with segments of growth

State of the Industry analysis of the fresh bread category, including sandwich and loaf bread products, bagels, and English muffins.




industry

State of the Industry 2023: Consumers buying bread for in-home enjoyment

As recovery from the pandemic continues, U.S. consumers are slowly making their way back to the real world—which includes dining out at restaurants with friends and family and grabbing lunch at fast-food and quick-serve eateries near the office.




industry

State of the Industry 2021: Fresh bread sees record growth

State of the Industry analysis of the fresh bread category, including coverage of loaf and sandwich breads, artisan breads, bagels, and English muffins.




industry

State of the Industry 2021: Tortillas grow through product diversity

Tortillas, always one of the most versatile breads, had extra mileage to accomplish this past year: consumers wanted better-for-you options for their tacos, flautas, and fajitas. They also wanted these to be easily accessible at their local grocery stores so that they could cook at home during the pandemic.




industry

ADM announces industry's first net carbon neutral milling operations

ADM has announced that the company has achieved net carbon neutral status for its U.S. flour milling operations.




industry

European trends influence the global baking industry

Bread is a universal language. Nearly every culture has historical roots in forming judicious combinations of water and grains, seeds, pulses, starches, and other substrates, often functionally lightened with some sort of leavening, and perhaps a dash of salt for flavor. It’s the quintessential expression of science, art, and sustenance.




industry

NAMA Spring Conference brings together milling industry in South Carolina

More than 170 milling industry leaders and guests gathered in South Carolina for the North American Millers’ Association’s 2022 Spring Conference, which ended on April 12, 2022.




industry

Enforcement changes in the food industry

On Sept. 26, the two owners of Jensen Farms, were arrested for shipping adulterated food in 2011. The charge was shipping contaminated cantaloupe, which resulted in the death of 33 people and sickened 147 people. The two brothers were arrested on misdemeanor charges of introducing adulterated food into commerce. 




industry

Undeclared allergens continue to plague bakery industry

Product recalls in bakery and snack categories have remained consistent over the years, with undeclared allergens the primary cause. These costly recalls are preventable!




industry

State of the Industry on Bakery: Driving the bakery market forward

New influences, trends and preferences are redirecting many bakers to develop and produce new products. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is still a critical issue, as are commodities, private-label products and many business consolidations. 




industry

State of the Industry: Sweet Goods—Caddy Shack of Sweet Goods

It can be rather tough for sweet goods products these days. The huge movement to better-for-you items hasn’t exactly been good news and a smooth fairway for this category. But bakers and manufacturers of sweet goods, snack cakes and other delectable treats are watching the demands just as closely as producers in other bakery market segments, and heeding the calls.




industry

State of the Industry: Cookies—Rookie Cookies

Cookies are a robust segment within the bakery industry. There are brands that have been around for decades and have become household names, but there are also many up-and-coming brands that offer unique flavors for niche markets and are set to become the next class of pros.




industry

State of the Industry Report—Frozen Baked Goods—Versatile Players

Busy lifestyles and affordability aren’t the only reasons why consumers add frozen baked goods to their shopping cart each week.




industry

State of the Industry Report—Snacks: Game Changers,Tortilla Chips

Harris Interactive recently released the results of its 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study, which analyzed the responses of more than 38,500 consumers on key measures of brand health for more than 1,500 lifestyle, product and service brands. When questioned about the brands they are likely to reach for when craving a salty snack, respondents chose Lay’s Potato Chips—the top-ranked salty snack for the past eight years—followed by two other Frito-Lay North America brands, Doritos and Tostitos.




industry

State of the Industry Report—Snacks: Pursuing the Perfect Pretzel

Pretzels have been around for more than a thousand years, originating in southern Europe around 610 A.D., according to historians. Today, crispy, hard pretzels are consumed by people in many of the countries represented at the 2012 Olympics.




industry

State of the Industry Report—Jerky: Meaty Considerations

When it comes to the Olympics, most people prefer some sports over others. The same holds true for consumers when it comes to snack foods.




industry

State of the Industry Report: Popcorn, Corny Competition

Low in calories, high in fiber—popcorn may just be the perfect natural snack. Of course, that doesn’t stop manufacturers from trying to up the ante by enhancing all the whole grain has to offer. Now, popcorn can be found competing with chips, pretzels and even candy in the snacking Olympics.




industry

State of the Industry Report: Pork Rinds, Ingredients: New Twists on an Old Game

Pork rinds are probably the most misunderstood item in the snack category. This is surprising, because people have been eating pork rinds—also called pork skins—as long as they have been eating pigs. One of the world’s first snack foods created thousands of years ago, and favored in the southern states, pork rinds are a simple combination of fried pork skins and salt.




industry

State of the Industry: Bread market in overdrive

Bakery products are evolving all the time in today’s market. To win the race, they mix healthful and tasty ingredients with a scoop of distinction.




industry

Chip Market Strong: State of the Industry 2015

Better-for-you ingredients and innovative flavors continue to keep potato chips at the top of consumers’ list of favorite snacks, while the classics still resonate.




industry

State of the Industry 2016: What spells success for sweet goods?

When it comes to sweet goods like doughnuts, Danishes, sweet rolls, muffins and coffee cake, the market is in a state of flux. As Walter Postelwait, president of Pak Group LLC/Bellarise Baking Ingredients, Pasadena, CA, puts it: “The total segment appears to be growing slowly, but has hot pockets of activity.”




industry

New products drive chip sales forward: State of the Industry 2016

The chips segment has grown quite lively over the past year, with new product areas emerging and others, like apple chips, seeing considerable growth and maturation. Snack producers are also starting to grow beyond potatoes, offering sweet potato, beet and parsnip chips.




industry

Improving the food industry cold chain with interconnectivity

Cold-chain management—an essential aspect of many snack and bakery operations today—has entered a brave new world characterized by sophisticated temperature monitoring and tracking technology connected by the Internet of Things (IoT).




industry

Industry 4.0 combines real-world data with digital management

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




industry

Investing in the future of the bakery industry

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.




industry

What does the Trump presidency mean to the baking industry?

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.




industry

The importance of the Kansas State University Bakery Science program to the industry

This past year on the Stronger Together tour, after the merger of the American Bakers Association (ABA) and the Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers’ Association, we stopped at Kansas State University (KSU) to meet with the Bakery Science & Management students and participate in the Grain Science and Industry Advisory Council meeting.




industry

Top regulatory issues facing the bakery industry

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.




industry

Industry engagement crucial in post-election landscape

The 2020 election is over, but efforts to understand the impacts are just beginning.




industry

The Industry In Its Heyday

The ‘Roaring Twenties’ were a time when all participants had their act together.




industry

The Evolution Of Industry Terminology

One of the legacies of the old Trade Extension Bureau that remains alive today was its effort to standardize industry vocabulary.




industry

PHCC, PMI, ASA discuss issues facing the plumbing industry

Every year on March 11, the international plumbing community comes together to celebrate World Plumbing Day. The day aims to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing and plumbers in protecting public health and improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities. 




industry

Why the construction industry is embracing inventory asset tagging

Contractors are a mobile breed — constantly on the move, from job to job. With so much shuffling around, there is more opportunity for human error — tools ending up on the wrong jobsite on the wrong day. When you have inventory tied up across different jobs, in the back of a work truck or van, or in a warehouse on a high shelf that’s rarely dusted, it’s easy for mistakes to be made.




industry

Celebrating the growth of women in the plumbing industry

The future for young women in this industry is now as bright as anyone wants it to be. If a young woman wants to work her way all the way up to the C-suite, the opportunities are there, and that is so exciting to see.




industry

Technology and talent lead the PHVAC industry into the future

“I don’t think people care that I’m young, or female. They care about what I know.”
Those words, spoken by Baylie Frost, a virtual design and construction (VDC) lead at Harvey’s Plumbing & Heating in Bozeman, Montana, must be music to the ears of an industry that is seeking to attract more talented young people to its ranks.




industry

State of the PVF industry roundtable

PM Engineer Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke had the chance to speak with several key industry stakeholders about trends and technological developments in the market, including: Greg Nahrgang, vice president, technical services and product development, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry; Adam Botts, product manager for Viega; and Steven Dolejsi, applications engineering manager, IPEX.




industry

RPA, Hydronics Industry Alliance partner with Egg Geothermal to offer webinar series

Each module is $140 for RPA and IAPMO members, and $170 for non-members.




industry

Industry connections are worth their weight in gold

Education enhanced my earning potential. I became a more skilled technician, gained knowledge about new and emerging technologies, and became a much more valuable asset to my employers. Throughout my journey, I met numerous mentors in various aspects of the PHVAC trades and established insider contacts that proved to be invaluable.




industry

Advancing the radiant and hydronics industry

In 2024, the RPA held educational sessions at the ASHRAE/AHR Expo in Chicago, welcoming new members and setting goals to advance the radiant and hydronics industry.




industry

Plumbing industry rallies to help following recent hurricane disasters

The East Coast has suffered severe damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, leading to extensive destruction, fatalities, and power outages. These hurricanes highlight the impact of climate change on storm severity, driven by warmer Atlantic waters. This situation underscores the urgent need for the PHCP-PVF industry to adapt to the challenges of increasingly intense storms.






industry

Caleffi to host Carlson-Holohan Industry Award of Excellence presentation at 2025 AHR Expo

The award is presented every two years to a nominee with attributes including technical mastery and a passion for hydronic technologies, demonstrated leadership as an educator and mentor, and an aptitude for cultivating fundraising opportunities for industry causes.




industry

Plumbing industry reflects on legacy of Herb Kohler

Many pieces of news go viral within the plumbing industry. However, every now and then, something happens that reaches far outside of our industry bubble. This was certainly the case as the tributes remembering legendary businessman Herb Kohler circulated throughout national news outlets and social media everywhere.




industry

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show returns to Las Vegas

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) returned to Las Vegas in 2023.  Hoping to break records again, KBIS/IBS returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center this year. Explore the latest products, technologies, and trends in kitchen and bath design.




industry

Nicole Krawcke: Industry focuses on training the next generation of plumbers