This week's Fun Friday features news from Oreo, Planters, Ferrero Rocher, and Pop-Tarts.

The cake offers tastes of home, with caramel, brown sugar, dates, and pecans.

Snack food and wholesale bakery companies had been steadily adding automation to their plants and equipment contained therein for a number of years—and then the pandemic hit, accelerating the process due to both the difficulty in finding qualified people to hire, and the need for social distancing that accompanied at least the early stages of COVID-19. Ovens, proofers, and associated equipment have been among the candidates for automation.

Processing aides are ingredients typically used in small quantities, but they can have a big impact on the functional properties in snack and bakery products. Emulsifiers and enzymes are two examples of such ingredients. 

An expert from the ingredients company dives into trends in the ever-evolving category.

The bread category is having an interesting year. The good news: sales are up in almost every perimeter and center-store bread subcategory. 

This week's Fun Friday roundup includes news and products from Perdue, Doc Popcorn, In Good Hands, and Little Debbie.

The better-for-you brand is out to make U.S. consumers more familiar with figs.

The calendar, available on the company website, features a protein bar for each day.

The brand aims to deliver a sweet treat with better health benefits than traditional cookies.