From the Cold Corner

On this episode of From the Cold Corner, Don Olsen, vice president of design and operations at ESI Group, discusses what food manufacturers and processors should know about the design-build process for cold and frozen facilities.

Afia started in 2017 at an Austin area Farmer’s Market and moved into retail in 2018 with the H-E-B Quest for Texas’ Best program. In the years since, the company has grown to a national brand with 13,000 distribution points and three lines of frozen Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Food. On this episode, Farrah and Yassin Sibai, of Afia, discuss their newly-opened “purpose built” frozen food producti...

Welcome to From the Cold Corner, a podcast dedicated to the refrigerated and frozen foods’ cold chain. Marty Khait, co-founder and managing principal at Yukon Real EstatePartners, and author of R&FF’s special series, Farm to Frozen, joins R&FF Editor in Chief Kelley Rodriguez to discuss what’s ahead in 2024 for the U.S. cold storage market.

With inflation anticipated to ease in 2024 and changing consumer preferences, new research indicates that specific grocery departments will lead the pack in volume growth. On this episode of From the Cold Corner, Sally Lyons Wyatt, executive vice president and practice leader at Circana, discusses what is ahead in the New Year.

Armored Fresh, a South Korean food tech startup, wants to be the cheese alternative everyone asks for. The company was the first in the world to create vegan cheese from plant-based milk using fermentation technology and patented processes it says creates a product nearly indistinguishable from dairy-based cheese. Andrew Yu, vice president of American operations at Armored Fresh, joins From the Co...

On this episode of From the Cold Corner, we’re celebrating Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ 2023 Processor of the Year: SunOpta. A global pioneer in the sustainable food and beverage industry, SunOpta has achieved consistent growth and deep-rooted success for nearly 50 years. Collaborating with some of the most planet-friendly brands in the world, SunOpta produces 450 total organic, non-GMO plant-...

To learn more about how food manufacturers and processors are creating the latest in craveable, consumable foods, this episode of From the Cold Corner features joined by Stacey Kinkaid, vice president of Product Development and Innovation at US Foods, and Chris Glab, chief innovation officer at Wild Brine/Bubbies. They talk about research into Gen Z dining and eating trends, how their companies ap...

It certainly seems like a hot time to be in cold storage development. This episode of From the Cold Corner features Marty Khait, co-founder and managing principal at Yukon Real Estate Partners, and author of R&FF’s special series, Farm to Frozen, to discuss new options in cold storage and more.

At Refrigerated and Frozen Foods, we talk a lot about how cold foods are produced, processed and manufactured. But what happens once those foods are ready to be distributed to retailers across the country where they will ultimately end up in consumer’s homes? This episode honors Longbow Advantage, R&FF’s 2023 Logistics Provider of the Year, and discusses the ways in which technology and automa...

On this episode of From the Cold Corner, we’re joined by three guests to discuss the latest in food processing trends and cold foods manufacturing: Craig Susser of Craig’s Vegan, a California plant-based ice cream company. Created in 2016, it was a hit in Susser’s West Hollywood restaurant and by 2018, the brand had launched a pint-sized line of its cashew-based ice creams in six flavors at over 2...

Schwan’s Hearth & Fire, a frozen pizza line created with proprietary dough and a fermentation process that makes the perfect crust. With premium toppings like roast shiitake, Portobello and cremini mushrooms, whole basil leaves and goat cheese, the brand is winning over fans. So many in fact that it was voted by readers as Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ Best New Retail Product for 2023!  On...

In honor of June Dairy Month, meet sisters Stephanie and Hayley Painter, the duo behind Painterland Sisters Organic Skyr Yogurt, which launched in 2022, to preserve, showcase and utilize their family’s fourth-generation organic dairy farm. The Icelandic-style organic yogurt is thicker and creamier. It is lactose-free, rich in probiotics, high in protein and contains 13 essential nutrients.  Painte...

Food companies and retailers regularly donate foods to charitable organizations but often lack the capability to store and distribute those donations. Cooler Management, an Ohio-based company that designs and delivers cold storage solutions, recently launched a program to help solve the infrastructure dilemma and distribute more fresh foods to food banks, schools, retailers and more. On this episo...

Learn why a loading dock designed with a Drive-Thru applications is the gold standard for facilities like cold storage, food, beverage (and more!) and how it helps protects your employees, minimizes damage to equipment and goods, while saving money on your bottom-line through environmental control. Sponsored by: 

Sales of plant-based foods topped $7 billion in 2021, with retail sales growing three times faster than total food retail sales, according to the Plant-Based Foods Association. As demand from consumers for plant-based foods, especially protein alternatives in the meat and dairy aisles, continues to grow, data suggests alt-proteins will only move further into the mainstream. On this two-part episod...

Sales of plant-based foods topped $7 billion in 2021, with retail sales growing three times faster than total food retail sales, according to the Plant-Based Foods Association. As demand from consumers for plant-based foods, especially protein alternatives in the meat and dairy aisles, continues to grow, data suggests alt-proteins will only move further into the mainstream. On this two-part episod...

On this episode of From the Cold Corner, we’re joined by Dustin Norton, Sustainability Program Manager at Primus Builders, to discuss sustainability initiatives, LEED certification and more in the design and construction of cold storage facilities.

This year marks the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA)’s 40th annual celebration of March Frozen Food Month! On this episode of From the Cold Corner, NFRA Executive Vice President and COO, Tricia Greyshock, and Angela Rosenquist, chief growth officer at InnovAsian Cuisine and chair of the NFRA Promotions Committee, discuss March Frozen Food Month and more.

The demand for refrigerated and frozen foods remains robust. For example, a survey released in November by the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) found more than a quarter of shoppers are buying more frozen fruits and vegetables than three years ago. And over 90% of foodservice operators reported using frozen foods in their menus, with the healthcare, convenience store and fast casual categorie...

As Argentina and soccer fans around the world celebrate, there’s little doubt that scores of hungry fans in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup dined on a Devanco Foods product: the Chicago-based company shipped more than a half million pounds of halal beef bacon and deli meats into the country ahead of the tournament. It’s no wonder that Devanco Foods has been named the 2023 Refrigerated and Frozen Food...

On this episode of From the Cold Corner, we’re joined by Grady McAdams, northwest region and cold storage sales leader at Heatcraft, and John Tippmann, Vice President of Sales Strategy at the Tippmann Group, to discuss the coming year in cold storage.

Godshall's starts with premium cuts of Angus Steak seasoned with traditional steakhouse spices and slowly smoke using real wood. Their Uncured Beef Bacon made with Angus Steak delivers on great taste and versatility. It cooks just like pork bacon, but with 50% less fat and has just 40 calories per serving. On this episode of From the Cold Corner, we're joined by Francis Yupangco, executive directo...

With Thanksgiving and the holiday season quickly approaching, we’re talkin’ turkey. Known as the leader in Thanksgiving turkeys, Butterball recently released its 2022 Thanksgiving Outlook report. Kyle Lock, vice president of Marketing for Butterball, joins us to some consumer insights and turkey tips.

If you’ve ever made meatballs for a football tailgate or enjoyed chicken wings at a restaurant, chances are good you have eaten a West Liberty Foods product – our 2022 Frozen Foods Processor of the Year. West Liberty Foods produces grilled, baked, enrobed, chopped/formed, steam-cooked and convection items, such as grilled chicken strips and patties, meatballs, breakfast sausage and fully-cooked ch...

On this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Vinicio Serment, U.S. Applications and Food Processing Specialist at Hiperbaric, a designer and manufacturer of HPP machinery, and Gianni Holzen, Commercial Sales Director at Fresh-Lock, a packaging company specializing in flexible and re-closeable technology, to examine the latest in high pressure processing – or HPP – and packaging for refrigerated and frozen...