Over the past few months, after nearly two years of disruption, I've been getting back into the saddle, visiting with the industry across the many pathways I carve through the course of my work.

The snack and bakery industry continues to face a difficult road when it comes to staffing. Challenges related to filling open positions for skilled and unskilled production personnel have persisted for years. But the past several months have proven particularly trying as employers seek to fill available jobs with individuals from an increasingly wary, pandemic-weary America.

Traceability takes a top spot in modern food industry food safety strategies, following every aspect of the supply chain through manufacturing and to the point of consumer purchase.

Industrial commercial bakeries look to dough customization machines like water chillers, water meters, ice makers, and automated dough scoring units to improve and automate the dough process, primarily during mixing.

Bread is a universal language. Nearly every culture has historical roots in forming judicious combinations of water and grains, seeds, pulses, starches, and other substrates, often functionally lightened with some sort of leavening, and perhaps a dash of salt for flavor. It’s the quintessential expression of science, art, and sustenance.

According to the April 2021 "Cold Chain Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report" from Grand View Research, the global cold chain market size was valued at $210.5 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.8 percent from 2021 to 2028.

As the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic descended upon America in early 2020, the American population began reacting to their new reality, and it was clear that snack and bakery production across the country would face a clear challenge. People were stocking up on supplies at an alarming rate, and the rush was on to keep grocery store shelves stocked.

Lest anyone think that the pandemic pressed "pause" on campaigns for corporate sustainability, think again. If anything, COVID-19 reminded consumers, and the snack and bakery sectors, just how interconnected we are, whether we’re selecting suppliers, expanding production, or packing a protein bar into our gym bags.

Since the beginning of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began its destructive spread across the earth, the baking industry has seen highs and lows unlike any other time in history. This unprecedented challenge has reshaped our world, and much of the industry is emerging stronger than ever.

Companies in the market for new or improved mixers for snack and bakery dough applications have displayed a recent focus on specific features and benefits. These include efficiency, cost savings, pre-hydration, handling of ancient grains, automation of processes, and stepped-up sanitation and maintenance, especially in the wake of COVID-19.