PAC Machinery has unveiled a Magnum Horizontal Fulfillment Auto Bagger with dual-side label printer, designed for mail order fulfillment.

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.”

The bars category continues show good to strong levels of growth, with sufficiently diversified product offerings to appeal to nearly every type of shopper. Few product categories so seamlessly fit into today’s on-the-go lifestyle suited to on-demand snacking.

A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp.'s Model 19 packer is designed for snack manufacturers interested in automating their hand-packing lines.

Bunting Magnetics Co.’s NUHI Cartridge Magnet has been completely redesigned to address manufacturers' processing challenges.

Did you miss the new products, ingredients and equipment posted on Snackandbakery.com this week? If so, check them out now.

Efficient cold-chain management is vital to bakers and snack producers, as consumers demand products that are fresh and government regulations require food producers to ensure food safety. Product traceability is another factor impacting this area.

When it comes to baked goods and snacks, consumers increasingly look for products in resealable, standup pouches and flexible packaging. It boosts ease-of-use for consumers, and helps improve the ability to keep foods fresh. As a result, bakers and snack producers are helping retailers meet this demand by investing in equipment capable of making packaging with popular closures, such as press-to-close zippers and sliders.

Consumer demand for baked goods and snacks that are better-for-you, clean-label, gluten-free or in line with other food trends are prompting many bakers and snack manufacturers to re-examine existing products and develop new ones. Depending on the ingredients they add to or remove from formulations to achieve the results they desire, manufacturers can find themselves dealing with dough that’s thicker, stickier or otherwise different from the original recipe—and wondering whether their processing equipment will be able to handle it.

WP Bakery Group USA says the new WP Kemper Kronos spiral mixer is a more affordable version of its President spiral mixer.