Food For Thought

For anyone in Product Development and R&D at a food and beverage company, this episode is definitely for you. With us on the podcast today is Manmit Shrimali, co-founder and CEO of Turing Labs AI . Founded in 2019, Turing Labs, which recently concluded $16.5 Million Dollars in Series A funding, has been helping Consumer Packaged Goods companies get new or improved products to market faster using t...

On today’s episode, we’re talking with Rick Williams, Practice Lead in operations and supply chain management at JPG Resources. Williams talks with us about the top supply chain issues impacting food and beverage processors in Spring 2022… and beyond. From the impact of geopolitical issues, to ingredient and packaging material availability, we touch on all of the current links impacting today’s su...

With us on today’s episode is Matt Cohen, co-founder of Kidfresh . Launched in 2007, Kidfresh takes children’s favorite foods -- like spaghetti and meatballs, mac’ and cheese, and chicken nuggets -- and adds a nutritious twist to them. But that’s not all. Not only are they more nutritious, they’re also more convenient, a huge plus for busy parents.   Join us as we talk about the reason Kidfresh wa...

With us on the podcast today is Tony Pariseau, Key Market Specialist focusing on the food and beverage industry for NORD Drivesystems.  Tony recently sat down with us to walk us through the types of gearboxes, electric motors and variable frequency drives the family-owned and operated company produces.   We walk through a few of NORD’s innovative new products while also talking about what NORD off...

In today’s episode we’re talking about The Lady Godiva Initiative , a program Godiva launched in 2020 to support charitable organizations that empower women around the world. One of the recipients of Godiva’s Initiative is Hot Bread Kitchen , a New York-based nonprofit that creates economic opportunity through careers in food. Join us as we talk about the Initiative – how and why it got started an...

With us today is Angela Dodd, founder of Females in Food . Angela created the Females in Food Community to help women in the food and beverage industry advance their careers.  Consider this: 80% of food buying decisions globally are made by women, yet, across every segment of the food and beverage industry, fewer than 20% of senior leadership positions are held by women.   We talk about that stati...

Welcome to the third season of the Food For Thought Podcast. We’re kicking things off by asking: What can we expect in the food and beverage industry this year? Food Processing Editor in Chief Dave Fusaro and Senior Editor Pan Demetrakakes offer their perspectives on the big issues facing the industry this year. We talk about labor issues and the supply chain as well as the why and how inflation c...

With us today is Maggie Slowic, Global Industry Director for Manufacturing at IFS . During the episode, we talk about the biggest challenges facing the industry right now, including how food and beverage companies are operating in an environment that's influenced by a lot of change. We hone in on why is traceability so important and its essential role in maintaining an efficient – and resilient –...

In today’s episode, we’re talking with Liz Sertl, Senior Director of Community Engagement at GS1 US. If you’re not familiar with GS1 US, you’re certainly familiar with their barcodes. With more than six billion scans a day, those barcodes are what helps keep product moving, and the supply chain efficient. We talk a lot about efficiency versus resiliency in the supply chain and where food manufactu...

In today’s episode, I’m talking with Ryan Powell about how Insite AI is working with food companies and retailers to better understand consumer behavior. Over the course of 25 minutes, we talk a lot about data. We touch on clean data, predictive modeling, microsegments, ecosystems, and so much more. If you’re in charge purchasing, planning, or predicting, you won’t want to miss this episode. We al...

In this special bonus episode, Bartek Ingredients ’ Jeff Billig and Matthew Patrick talk about the challenges that formulators and manufacturers encounter when working with pectins. We kick things off talk talking about Bartek’s focus in the bakery, beverage and confectionery markets as well as how the company, which specializes in malic and fumaric acids helps companies optimize their application...

Did you know that we waste about 40% of our food across the United States and most of that ends up in landfills. Did you also know there is a solution to reduce that much food waste while also making a new product category? It’s true and it’s called Upcycling. Here to talk about upcycling and how it can benefit people and processors is Kaitlin Mogentale. Mogentale is the creator and founder of Pul...

What’s satiating, healthy, earth-friendly and becoming more popular with consumers with each passing day? If you guessed plant proteins, you’d be right.  In this special bonus episode, Ingredion’s Yadu Dar and Carolyn Phillips are talking about what’s new in plant-based proteins, why consumers are so interested in plant-based food and what Ingredion has found in its proprietary studies that food a...

From atypical deep freezes to hurricanes, floods, and fires, natural disasters can have a significant impact on the food and beverage supply chain. Here to talk about that on this episode of the Food For Thought podcast is Michael Gehrt. Michael is an insurance recovery attorney and he works with companies to litigate on their behalf against insurance companies. He also offers advice to companies...

When we hear about entrepreneurs and startups in the food and beverage industry, the category that often gets lost in the shuffle is one that has the most ‘spirited’ approach to new product development.  Here to talk about the untapped market for advising and mentoring the independent brand owners and entrepreneurs in the wine, beer, and spirits category is Taylor Foxman, creator of the Industry C...

Despite all of the pantry stocking and comfort food eating that took place in 2020, sales for the food and beverage industry’s top 100 manufacturers came in at only 1.7% over 2019’s sales figures.  In this episode, Food Processing's Dave Fusaro and Pan Demetrakakes talk with host Erin Hallstrom about the findings in Food Processing's 46th annual list of the top food and beverage processors.  Our T...

From reduced sugar intake to increased interest in comfort food, we kick things off talking about consumer trends as they relate to sugar reduction. We then shift into the sweetener options Ingredion has available that can help product developers create products that are indulgent, yet good-for-you. And we wrap things up talking about why is allulose a good tool for sugar reduction.  Learn more ab...

On today’s episode, we’re talking Taqtile’s Kelly Malone about the realities of mixed reality. Mixed reality is a term that applies to both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality; and while AR and VR are not necessarily new, how manufacturers are able to use these tools on their plant floor is.  During this episode, we’re talking about how manufacturers are able to use mixed reality to train their...

As coronavirus kicked into high gear throughout 2020, so too, did the speed at which food and beverage processors had to keep up with demand. As any company knows, high volume production times are the worst time to experience equipment failure. We recently sat down with Jason Kreitz from Advanced Technology Services (ATS) to talk about how ATS is helping food and beverage processors integrate tech...

No one likes a pest invasion, especially when you’re running a multimillion-dollar food and beverage operation. Not only can birds, rodents, and insects be a nuisance, they’re also a food safety issue and a liability. How can you prevent pests from getting in to your facility? With us on the Food For Thought podcast today are Jerry Heath and Sharon Dobesh of Industrial Fumigant Company (IFC). In t...

With us on the podcast is Joe Weiss. Joe is an international authority on control systems cybersecurity as well as a Managing Partner at Applied Control Solutions . In the next 30 minutes, Joe walks us through some of the biggest threats to the US Food Industry’s cybersecurity, including ransomware and other kinds of cyber attacks. We talk about the methodology and intent behind most cyber-attacks...

We have an information-packed episode on the books today. Join us as we talk to Leonard Mongiello, Business Development and Sales Manager for the Industrial Fumigant Company (IFC) about microbial decontamination, bioremediation, and a host of other safety and sanitation issues all food and beverage processors deal with.  We also talk about how IFC helps processors stay food and plant safe with its...

As every food and beverage manufacturer knows, there are a lot of decisions that go into developing a new food or beverage product. Texture, mouthfeel, and taste, are only the beginning. From certifications to verifications, sometimes it helps to have a little guidance from ingredient experts.   In this special Bonus Episode, we’re talking with Corie Beyers and Kara Selgrade of Ingredion about new...

How closely do you follow the USDA's Dietary Guidelines in your own life? Are you consuming enough fruits and vegetables? In today's special bonus episode of the Food For Thought podcast, we're talking with Brendan Kesler, an innovation strategist with Van Drunen Farms about that very topic.  Listen in as we talk about the evolution of Americans' eating habits, especially as they relate to fruits...

Are comfort foods still trending? Why are so many brands doing product-mashups? And is plant-based here to stay?  We answer those questions and more during this episode of the Food For Thought podcast.  In this episode, we’ve got Arwen Kimmell, Director of Innovation Marketing at JPG Resources helping us predict what product innovation will look like for the rest of 2021 and into 2022. You won’t w...