Jenny Zegler, director of Food and Drink for Mintel, joins the podcast this time around to dig into the details of three predictions that Mintel has made for 2026 for the food and beverage industry.

Will consumers be more interested in longer shelf-life for products as part of their value proposition? What role does sensory play in new product development for food and beverage products in the New Year?

Zegler talks about these expected demands from consumers and how processors can take advantage of these opportunities starting now.

Jackson’s, a snack company that focuses on better-for-you snacks cooked in avocado oil, recently celebrated the grand opening of its Muskego, Wis., facility expansion, and CEO James Marino joined the Food For Thought podcast to detail the capital investment.

Marino also talked about the snacking landscape and how Jackson’s is working to develop better-for-you products aiming to disrupt the category and meet consumer demand for healthier options.

In conjunction with our November cover story, in which we honor and feature Wayne-Sanderson Farms as our 2025 Processor of the Year, I had the opportunity to visit the company’s Decatur, Ala., prepared foods processing complex and its Customer Innovation Center there.

While visiting, I sat down with Matt Masters, director of R&D, and Beau Batchelor, corporate research chef – product development, to talk about the formulation and consumer trends driving the chicken industry today. The two shared their insights on flavors, dayparts and cuts of chicken that consumers continue to seek, as well as some of the larger macro factors driving demand.

This episode is brought to you by Aptean.

As food and beverage processors seek ways to operate efficiently while monitoring and maintaining food safety and a traceable supply chain, they’re looking for advanced technology to help them achieve their goals. Jack Payne, solution consulting director, Food & Beverage and Process Manufacturing, for Aptean, and a longtime industry expert in the field, shares his insights on the innovations that have driven the industry forward, and how a shared passion for serving the best quality, safest food and beverage products has shined through in nearly every partnership he’s developed with processors.

This episode is sponsored by Aptean. Learn more about Aptean.

This episode is brought to you by Envita Solutions.

As food and beverage processors look for ways to enhance their sustainability efforts, more of them are turning toward their production waste streams to find hidden value. Scott Cole, senior director, Strategic Growth for Food & Beverage, for Envita Solutions, discusses some of the initiatives and innovations processors can look into that can help them both save on costs and also protect the environment around them.

Learn more about Envita Solutions.

Americans continue to be attracted to trying new cuisines and ethnic foods, and Indian foods are growing in popularity, according to Kiernan Laughlin, general manager for frozen Indian foods processor Deep Indian Kitchen.

In this episode, Laughlin talks about the key to winning over new consumers when it comes to Indian foods and how Deep Indian Kitchen is dedicated to authenticity in its products while innovating in the competitive, retail frozen foods category.

At the upcoming Equipment, Automation and Technology Show (EATS) for Food & Beverage slated for Oct. 28-30 in Chicago, attendees will see over 300 exhibitors across eight sectors along with three live production lines and demos from Jeff Mauro and Rick Bayless. Not to be overlooked are the education sessions designed around the challenges food processors care about most, from food safety to sustainability and automation.

In this bonus episode, Sarah Hatcher, Group Show Director for EATS, shares details on 4 educational topics that will be covered at the show. Learn more about EATS here.

While attending Pack Expo Las Vegas earlier this week, I was able to sit down for a few minutes with Xinnan Li and Jim Owen, both senior analysts with Rabobank’s RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness team. In this episode, the experts discussed the impact of tariffs on plastics and paperboard in the packaging supply world, as well as the market conditions leading to higher costs both now and in the future.

For any industry trade show, it's important to prepare and plan your visit so you get the most out of your time at the event and leave feeling inspired. In this special bonus episode, you'll hear five quick tips for navigating the upcoming Equipment, Automation and Technology (EATS) show for Food & Beverage in Chicago, slated for Oct. 28-30. Sarah Hatcher, Group Show Director for EATS breaks down some must-see aspects of the show, from live demos to innovative solutions spanning 200+ product categories. Plan your visit and learn more about EATS here.

Pumpkin spice lovers, rejoice! Shannon O’Shields, vice president of marketing for Rubix Foods, explains that even though pumpkin has become ubiquitous, it is not cancelled — and in fact, it has established itself among consumers as an anchor flavor for the fall season.

Nevertheless, when considering seasonal food and beverage items, processors would be wise to expand beyond pumpkin and investigate some of the faster-rising flavors. In addition, O’Shields shares two of the macro trends Rubix Foods is watching in product development as the calendar prepares to turn to 2026.