When it comes to product handling equipment, snack producers and bakeries are looking for flexible machines that can run a variety of products and offer quick or completely automatic changeovers.

Greater product variety and increasing consumer attention to quality are among key factors driving snack producers and bakeries to update their inspection and detection equipment with models that, among other features, detect ever-smaller foreign objects and reduce false rejects.

Secondary packaging in the warehouse, a key component of the distribution chain, encompasses a wide range of machinery that performs shrink wrapping, shrink bundling, pallet unitizing and case building. Integrated palletizing and shrink-wrapping systems represent another end-of-line packaging solution that protects and delivers product to customers in a timely fashion.

The latest form/fill/seal (FFS) packaging systems are designed to accommodate a wide range of packaging options at high speeds while ensuring food safety via sanitary design. The systems combine flexibility and automation, as they often need to pack different products on the same line. In addition, new designs enable quick changeover.

As more bakeries embrace the trend of distributing frozen product, managing temperatures at key points throughout production has arisen as crucial aspects of success.

Packaging materials have evolved to meet new demands today’s snack and bakery market. A desire for longer shelf life paired with fewer preservatives in the foods and healthy eating overall has prompted the need for lightweight packaging, thinner barrier materials and convenience features on thinner, more-sustainable substances.

When it comes to logistics and the ability to ship goods to market on time, snack and bakery producers face many challenges.

Value-added packaging formats like retail-ready or shelf-ready packaging make it easy for retailers to quickly shelve products. It also builds an additional layer of branding to help snack producers and bakery companies deliver a strong message to shoppers.

A warehouse management system (WMS) centers on software that supports day-to-day operations. WMS programs enable centralized management of a wide range of tasks, including tracking inventory levels and stock locations, order fulfillment, and shipping and receiving.

The versatile puffed and extruded snack segment is answering the call of consumers who want to try different flavor profiles and combinations. On the traditional side, products such as Cheetos continue to prosper in the marketplace. In fact, total annual sales for cheese snacks just reached $2.1 billion. Through a balance of tradition and forward-thinking innovation, this segment represents the best of both worlds.