In this episode, Dana Rodio, director of marketing and branding for Nassau Candy, offers her insights into the up-and-coming consumer group, Generation Alpha. Rodio talks about the consumption and media trends driving the habits of Gen Alpha kids, who have been bombarded with messaging and media from an early age.

She also discusses how Nassau approaches appealing to them, and what any food and beverage company should pay attention to when it comes to drawing them to their brands.

Clint Rivers, president and CEO of Wayne-Sanderson Farms, has had a long, esteemed career in the poultry industry, and he is retiring March 31, 2025, after leading several chicken companies over the last few decades.

Rivers sat down with me during the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta in January to talk about the challenges and opportunities in front of the chicken industry and how technology continues to push the envelope in processing applications.

He also reflects on his career, talks about the good mentors who have guided him, and offers his advice for those just starting out in the industry.

At the IPPE Show in Atlanta at the end of January, we caught up with Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, who recently took over as chief operating officer for the Meat Institute for longtime executive Mark Dopp, who is retiring.

Johnson-Hoffman shares with us her goals in the role and what she’s already working on just about a month into the job. She also discusses how the Institute plans to work with the new presidential administration to help the industry move forward and gives her thoughts on how the industry still can improve its efforts to keep food safety at the forefront at all times.

In this episode, recorded during the IPPE show in Atlanta in January, Juan DeVillena, senior vice president of quality assurance and food safety at Wayne-Sanderson Farms, walks through Wayne-Sanderson’s digitalization journey and how the company is working to implement artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning today.

DeVillena also discusses how the chicken processor rolled out its training and helped its employees work through the process. He also hints at how AI and machine learning could help the company’s food safety and quality efforts down the road.

Amanda Buonopane, senior manager of strategic insights for Rich Products, returns to talk about Rich’s MegaTrends reports, which the company develops and then shares with the industry.

In the current report, Buonopane says the data shows snacking is on the rise with consumers, and also how e-commerce and online shopping are impacting the food and beverage industry today.

This is the latest guest appearance by Buonopane. Check out the insights she shared in her last episode.

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a rule that would require a front-of-package nutrition label for most packaged food products, listing saturated fat, sodium and added sugars content for each product.

Natalie Rainer, partner and member of the Health Care and FDA practice at K&L Gates, discusses the proposed rule and the industry’s initial reaction. She also digs into what it means for the future of product development, formulation, and package design — and how this is a unique situation when it comes to claims made on food and beverage packaging.

As we tear down our 2024 calendars and replace them with 2025 versions, it’s a good time to look back on the year in food safety challenges, accomplishments and trends that might push into the new year.

Andrew Lorenz, who consults processors on food safety, quality and regulatory issues as CEO and founder of We R Food Safety!, offers his insights into the uptick in recalls in the past year and what FSIS and the FDA had turned their focus toward by the end of the year. Additionally, he gives an update on what to expect when it comes to federal versus state inspections and the added emphasis on preventing foreign material contamination in the product stream.

Editor's Note: To view the "Robust Listeria monocytogenes Control Program" documentation that Lorenz mentions in the episode, click here; it is free of charge to anyone.

According to Alissa Davis, vice president of marketing for Golden Waffles, breakfast is coming back as people begin traveling again, both for work and pleasure. As such, Golden Waffles — which manufactures and sells its own waffle batter and provides waffle irons and accessories to foodservice operators and institutions — has rebranded itself and positioned its business to take advantage of the trends.

Davis joins the podcast to discuss what’s driving breakfast trends with consumers, the flavor and ingredient trends driving Golden Waffles’ product development, and how the company drove its rebranding efforts, moving away from the 90-year-old name Golden Malted and becoming Golden Waffles.

As we begin to turn the page on the 2024 calendar year, John Robertson of Life Cycle Engineering joins the Food For Thought podcast to discuss the workforce challenges facing manufacturing and food and beverage processors and how automation is helping ease some of the burden.

Robertson warns that processors who have not fostered a strong plan to capture legacy knowledge and support the next generation of employees can wait no longer. And they need to begin to use the technology and tactics available to keep their workers well-trained and their plants humming along.

The Food For Thought podcast will be taking this week off, but don't worry, we will be back "on the air" next Wednesday, Dec. 4, with all the great insights and conversation you've come to expect! Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and here's to the best food holiday of the year!