Keeping Food Processing Safe During COVID-19

Pandemic causes food companies to cut back on product offerings to simplify supply chains and meet consumer demand. Labor crisis remains top challenge for industry, as COVID-19 accelerates challenge to make food manufacturing jobs attractive to workers.

Sep 24th, 2020

ProFood World Editor in Chief Joyce Fassl discusses the tools and best practices food and beverage processors can use to cope with the pandemic.

ProFood World Editor in Chief Joyce Fassl discusses the tools and best practices food and beverage processors can use to cope with the pandemic.

As someone who has covered the food and beverage industry for over 30 years, editor-in-chief of ProFood World magazine Joyce Fassl was our obvious first stop to help us sort through the COVID-19 clutter and news, and tell us what’s really going on with food processing during the pandemic. Are they safe? Are they all shutting down because of virus spread? What are the plants doing to keep our workers and our food supply safe?

PACK EXPO Connects Trend Chat

Serialization and the cold chain for new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments—and how food is starting to feel a lot more like pharma regarding regulatory hurdles. PACK EXPO Connects Trend Chat Wednesday, November 11 • 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM CT. More info here.

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Bacardí Goes All-In on 100% Biodegradable Spirits Bottle

The new 100% biodegradable bottle isn't just a prototype or regional rollout. It will replace 80 million plastic bottles–3,000 tons of plastic–currently produced by Bacardi across its portfolio of brands every year.

For more information and free registration, visit packexpoconnects.com.

How-To Guide on Mastering PACK EXPO Connects

Every preparation tool attendees need to ensure a successful event

New Wine Cottle is Wildly Exuberant

Pioneering low-cal, low-ABV, flavored wine company Fun Wine introduces its Hard Bubbly line in an aluminum bottle with vibrant artwork that pulses with a Miami vibe.

Burger King and Tim Hortons to Pilot Reusable Containers Through Loop

The QSRs will be testing a closed-loop program for cups and food containers that will give guests the option to pay a deposit for the professionally sanitized packaging, refunded upon return.

Aluminum Wine Bottle Delivers Rugged Luxury

New wine products aluminum bottles are geared toward a number of different lifestyles and occasions. Revelshine premium wine is ‘designed to be taken off the beaten path.’

Pod Pack now operates 14 packaging lines producing half a dozen formats with contract packaging customers including all the big national brands, local regional brands, hospitals, schools, foodservice, and anywhere else you can imagine.

Coffee Pod Co-Packer Realizes Perks of ERP System

Between limiting downtime, speeding up throughput, and a host of soon-to-be realized improvements via ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software data harvesting, Pod Pack is making the most of its new ERP system.

Plant-Based, Reusable Water Bottle is Geared Toward Tourists

Bottle Up brings collectible, prefilled, reusable bottles to London and Amsterdam, with other major cities soon rolling out, to help reduce the plastic litter left behind by tourists.

Duggal CEO and colleagues with Duggal's new Landa S10 press.

S10 Nanographic Press Reaches NY Converter

Duggal Visual Solutions recently installed a new seven-color Landa S10 Nanographic press in its New York City facility.

Agitator Pouch Shakes Up Precision Nutrition

Powdered supplement product tailored to individual consumers’ needs comes in a lightweight, portable pouch with a plastic agitator that ‘blends’ the beverage once water is added.

For more information and free registration, visit packexpoconnects.com.

The Countdown to 2020’s Most Comprehensive Virtual Packaging Event is On

See more technology in less time at PACK EXPO Connects

The 8-color 17” press at IMEC is the first Mark Andy Evolution to be installed in Ireland . Shown here are Production Manager James Williams (left) and Production Supervisor John Scully

First Evolution Press in Ireland

IMEC Media became the first converter in Ireland to install an Evolution flexo press, which is built for conventional labels and scalable for flexible film.

Check out The Cobot Spot from Universal Robots

Check out The Cobot Spot from Universal Robots

Looking for automation solutions for packaging and palletizing? This is your destination for all things cobot. Whether it’s webinars, video case studies or product information, you’ll find it all in this one spot.

VTM tubes filled with liquid medium are used to store and transport nasal swabs for viruses including SARS-CoV-2.

COVID-19 Test Medium Production Ramped Up By 20,000% in Six Months

Viral Transport Media tubes filled with liquid media are used to store and transport nasal swabs for viruses including COVID-19. Sixteen integrated lines were designed, built and installed in 20 weeks to meet demand.

Associations Lining Up to Support PACK EXPO Connects

Industry Champions PACK EXPO Connects through Partner Program and Showcase of Packaging Innovations

From Mondelez, the latest in consumer engagement through digital printing technology.

Mondelez Leverages Digital Printing

Mondelez International, owner of Cadbury, has launched a new initiative to transform confectionery packaging into customizable experiences for football fans.

Schenck Process to Acquire Baker Perkins

The move will strengthen Schenck’s European capabilities in the food processing and equipment sector, and broaden its product offerings in the Americas.

Tree-Ring Symbol Conveys Winery’s 110-Year History

The concentric circles of an old, weathered stump at Limerick Lane Cellars become the foundation for a new brand story based on the rich history of the land and the people who worked it.

Baby Food Brand Grows Up

Babyblends maker Little Spoon has expanded its product offerings to include supplements/vitamins and a line of plated meals for the younger set in just a few short years, while also selling solely direct-to-consumer.

End-of-line upgrade was accomplished recently at Pearlwater Mineralquellen AG of Switzerland.

End-of-line Upgrade

Pearlwater Mineralquellen AG of Switzerland recently enhanced the efficiency of its production line as well as its bottle quality by upgrading its end-of-line palletizer.

Recycled Content Mandates: Pros and Cons

While recycled content mandates could drive significant change, policies enacted to create system efficiencies must consider impacts and opportunities across the entire system

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New sustainable packaging initiative from Clover Sonoma.

New Sustainable Milk Carton

Clover Sonoma, a third-generation family-owned and operated dairy based in Petaluma, Calif., is transitioning its half-gallon organic milk to a fully renewable plant-based paperboard milk carton.

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Q&A: Non-Profit Launches Sustainable Procurement Guide in Healthcare

11 Questions on how a non-profit organization is guiding healthcare purchasing decisions and what manufacturers need to know.

Package Design for WD-40 Specialist Line Lands Smoothly

New packaging from the brand that helped send rockets into space relies on color cues to help consumers find the product on shelf and enhance its professional positioning.

New Eckrich deli meat pack designs demonstrate benefits to the consumer, like ideas for home-made meals.

Eckrich Deli Meats get a Research-Driven Pack Redesign

After asking consumers what they wanted and needed from the deli category, this Smithfield brand learned that packaging needed to better demonstrate consumer benefits, like ideas for home-cooked meals.

Beverage Encourages Voters to Speak their ‘Peace’

By scanning a ‘sip & scan’ icon on special Peace Tea iced tea beverage cans, consumers can link to a mobile landing page powered by non-profit Vote.org.

Sun-Maid's glow-in-the-dark snacks for Halloween.

Sun-Maid Goes Glow -in-the-Dark

For those looking for a festive addition to a Halloween treat bag or bowl, Sun-Maid is releasing limited-edition glow-in-the-dark packaging for its Sour Raisin Snacks and yogurt-covered raisins.

Innovating the Plant-Based Food Category with Functional Superfoods

Lavva is growing its brand with Paleo and Keto-certified plant-based yogurts and milk products.

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Pentawards 2020 Winners Announced

The 2020 winners of the world’s leading packaging design awards are revealed in first-ever virtual Pentawards Gala Ceremony.

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COVID-19 May Boost Cloud and Edge Computing

Though there is much discussion of “the cloud” in manufacturing, its use is not as widespread as it might appear, though the pandemic may prompt expanded use.

Celestial Seasonings' Authentic Green Tea BEFORE (l.) and AFTER the redesign.

Celestial Seasonings Goes Bold for Gen Z

Understanding that Gen Z is less likely to respond to text-heavy packaging, the company introduces a new functional line and updates core varieties with iconic, attention-grabbing graphics.

Fritz Yambrach, San Jose State University

Honoring Hall of Fame Careers: Fritz Yambrach of San Jose State University

Now on a biennial cadence, the Packaging & Processing Hall of Fame is inducting four new members into its ranks in 2020. Fritz Yambrach's dedicated his live to ongoing service as an educator, program builder, and packaging innovator.

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How To Broaden Use of Remote Access

If CPGs are ever going to capitalize fully on the potential benefits offered by remote access technology, they need to start small and grow success rather than looking to quickly implement an entire complex plan all at once.