New and different flavors, portions and sizes styled for families on the go, and a mix of healthier ingredients including more protein are front and center for manufacturers of frozen breakfast products like pancakes, waffles and French toast.

Snack and bakery companies frequently need to design and outfit their facilities with ventilation systems to address issues like food and worker safety and avoid cross-contamination.

Companies who make dough handling equipment like dividers, depositors and rounders say their customers want equipment that provides safety and sanitation, automation and the resulting labor savings, gentler handling of dough, and the flexibility to run a mix of high-throughput, and smaller, niche lines, depending on the job.

Hygienic design, quicker changeovers, reduction of maintenance time, improved cooling ability and the modularity and flexibility to run more-diverse products-sometimes with exotic raw materials that need gentler processing-are the top-of-mind issues for customers of extrusion equipment.

Fryers continue to see ongoing improvements related to hygienic design, oil management and energy efficiency. Equipment suppliers are also offering models that occupy a smaller physical and carbon footprint, and that include adaptability to handle a diverse array of products.