All National Provisioner Podcasts

Tony Pariseau, key markets specialist for the food and beverage sector at NORD Drivesystems, discusses how meat and poultry processing applications can benefit from surface protection treatment. In this interview, he shares insights on what ROI and operational efficiency improvements incorporating surface protection treatment can provide for meat and poultry processing operations.

Mads Stenbye, solution director for Columbus, joins us to discuss how poultry producers are rethinking planning around biological variability rather than "average" flock assumptions. Stenbye explains how differences between flocks can have a big impact on producer's costs and profitability, how producers can spot problems before they affect the bottom line, and how AI is being used to spot changes...

Jesse Smith, director of land stewardship at White Buffalo Land Trust and co-founder of Figure Ate Foods, discusses what is driving demand for premium value-added proteins, how consumers define restaurant-quality products for at-home eating, and how brands can balance convenience, product quality and clean-label expectations.

Jeff Holyoak, head of commercial strategy for Aircapture, sits down to discuss how CO2 supplies are currently affecting meat and poultry operations. Holyoak explains why CO2 has become harder to rely on in recent years, how vulnerable meat processors can be if a major shortage occurs, and the benefits of on-site direct air capture.

In this interview, Jacob Maggioncalda, associate brand manager-foodservice for Smithfield Culinary, discusses Smithfield Culinary's Guest Check patron survey, which finds consumers place a big emphasis on the quantity and quality of meat when ordering a sandwich at food-away-from-home dining experiences.

Sarah Showalter and Chad Groves discuss how younger consumers, clearer fat-to-lean labeling, and expanded package formats are driving ground pork demand and creating new opportunities for processors.

Pat Maher, CEO of Atkins Ranch, discusses how Atkins Ranch has created a differentiated, yet high-quality lamb product that justifies premium shelf placement -- and is putting more money back in the pockets of the 100-plus New Zealand sheep farmers who are part of the cooperative.

Brandon Fields, global director, applied meat science, for PIC, discusses how PIC's Pork Chop Studio can help pork processors improve the quality of their product.

Corbion's Rob Ames shares insights on how shelf-life extension and sodium-reduction intersect with meat and poultry processors' food safety efforts.

Christopher Roach, CEO of Better For Butchery, discusses the company’s acquisition of a 27,000‑square‑foot USDA‑inspected processing facility in Princeton, Ky. The move transforms Better For Butchery from a DTC‑focused meat business into a platform‑scale processing, co‑packing, cold‑storage, and fulfillment hub built to support independent farmers and regional meat brands.

Don Smiley, director of food and beverage for Messer, shares insights on solutions to help meat and poultry processors and handlers reduce reliance on CO2 and improve production efficiency.

In this interview, the Country Natural Beef CEO discusses how producing RaiseWell certified beef for retailers including Whole Foods meshes with the ranching co-op's prioritizing what's best for people, animals and the environment.

Legacy Maker Farms leaders Steve Hershberger and Ian Baer discuss the company's new ownership, rebranding, and AI-driven strategy.

Mike McCarthy of Foods Connected, a cloud-based software platform with protein-specific tools, shares insights on how production management software solutions can help processors across the globe navigate the constantly evolving variables of the meat industry.

Michael Burgess, director of marketing for Charcuterie Artisans, explores the evolution of the meat snack consumer.

Kim Rice, vice chair for the Poultry Industry Food Safety Council (PIFSCo), discusses PIFSCo's recent launch and how the initiative can benefit the breeder, broiler, duck, layer and turkey sectors.

The National Provisioner sits down with Blake Albers, founder and CEO of Nebraska-based Albers Craft Meats, to discuss whole-animal utilization, value-added products, and consumer price sensitivity.

PS Seasoning recently launched four new seasoning blends for commercial meat processors: Pesto Sausage, Curry Sausage, Birria Snack Stick and Candied Jalapeño Jerky. The innovative flavors were Inspired by the company’s 2026 Flavor and Consumer Behavior Trends Forecast. In this interview, Alex Betances and Stephanie Neu share insights on what role seasoning can play in a meat or poultry product's...

Wixon's Marketing Manager Rachael Jarzembowski and Executive Chef – Culinary Manager Ryan Kukuruzovic explore Wixon's 2026 Flavor Forecast and implications for meat and poultry processors.

Edmund Chin, managing director and co-founder of packaging supplier Lucid Corp., details Lucid’s new Infinity tray, a 100% recyclable pad-less tray for meat and poultry products. He discusses benefits the Infinity tray offers for meat and poultry applications, including preserving freshness, texture and flavor.

John Burrows, seafood technical director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, joins ASMI Communications Director Greg Smith to discuss Alaska’s seafood industry and seafood marketplace trends, including the role of Alaska’s long embrace of sustainable fisheries practices.

The National Provisioner Multimedia Specialist Brett Parker sits down with Andrew Baltz, chief operating officer of Creekstone Farms, and Chafik Barbar, CEO of Marble, as they discuss their recent collaboration on bringing AI-automation to Creekstone's Kansas plant.  In this interview, Baltz and Barbar discuss how plant workflow will improve with their automation efforts, how AI will change the en...

Hormel's Blake Flores shares insights on adding value for foodservice customers. With 70% of restaurant operators reporting hard-to-fill positions and 45% struggling to meet current demand, the foodservice industry is facing unprecedented operational challenges and looking for labor solutions to keep up. Hormel Foods offers insights on emerging trends in labor-efficient technologies, such as pre-c...

James Beard Award-winning chef and author Tim Byres teams up with Southern Recipe Small Batch. In this interview, Tim Byres explains how to use the brand's Pop Your Own Pellets in both home kitchens and foodservice operations.

Anne Malleau, VP of agriculture and animal welfare programs at Open Farm, explains how regenerative practices and third-party verification can strengthen value and trust across the entire protein sector, from the pet nutrition space to human food production.