From the Cold Corner

Helena Lumme, founder and president of Hälsa Dairy-Free Scandinavian-Style Oatgurt, and Mika Manninen, founder and CEO, join the Cold Corner to discuss winning the 2021 R&FF Best New Refrigerated Products Contest. They also talk about how the rapidly-growing company is addressing sustainability, innovation, and plans for 2022 and beyond.

Crepini’s President, Ann Daw, and CMO, Lisa Shkolnik, join the Cold Corner to discuss the company’s zero-carb, Paleo- and Keto-friendly egg wraps—a cross between a crêpe and a blini—and how those refrigerated products help consumers meet modern dietary preferences. They also discuss overcoming challenges with growing the company, a recent packaging redesign, and how they’re addressing current supply chain and labor issues at the company.

SideDrive is the only company in the world focused solely on providing side-drive, edge-driven conveyors for food-safe production lines. USDA-approved plastic-belted SideDrive conveyors keep refrigerated and frozen foods safe with their smooth motion that prevents breakage. Increase uptime while reducing chemical and water use thanks to SideDrive’s open-frame construction and drumless design that make cleaning and high-pressure washdown simple by reducing bacterial harborage points. Whether you want to elevate or lowerate, optimize your space or need an instance of ‘time’ in your process to cool or cure, SideDrive’s flexible conveyor configurations allow for endless solutions that keep refrigerated or frozen food products food-safe.Sponsored by:

With a focus on finding creative freezing & chilling solutions, Tony provides Commercial Cryogenic Technology support to Air Products’ food customers in the Northeastern US Region. In addition to coordinating equipment installations and updates, Tony collaborates with food manufacturers to understand their operation and identify opportunities to improve process safety and efficiency and reduce cost to grow their business.Sponsored by:

Louis Armstrong, Founder and CEO of Killer Creamery, sits down with R&FF's Layan Dahhan to talk about the origins of his healthy, sugar-free ice cream company. They discuss the difficulties of transporting frozen products, the growth of the business since its start back in 2016 and the recent addition of a frozen novelty, Killer Sammies, to their lineup of ice cream pints.

Ryan Hanan, COO for Hanan Products, joins R&FF’s Layan Dahhan to talk about the family-owned company’s evolution—this is Hanan’s 75th year in business—into an industry leader in whipped toppings, icings and fillings for the wholesale/retail bakery industry, including well-known brands like Tasty Whip and Whip Deelite. The company is also known for its kosher and vegan products today, and has expanded and upgraded its production facilities—including the addition of automation and sustainable initiatives—to help meet demand for Hanan’s products.

Milk Cult's Co-Founder and Co-Owner Ed Cornell sits down with R&FF's Layan Dahhan to talk about the origins and inspiration behind his hand-crafted, chef-inspired frozen novelty company, Milk Cult. What started in 2013 as a motorcycle version of a food truck in Washington D.C., has grown into a popular brand with grocery distribution and a devoted following throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. They also discuss the challenges and decisions a startup company faces when expanding production to meet rapidly growing demand, and much more.

Caulipower’s Founder & CEO, Gail Becker, joins Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa to discuss the company’s recent packaging redesign, the R&D process for bringing Caulipower products to market, how the company is faring with current supply chain issues, Caulipower’s community outreach as part of its sustainability strategy, and what really constitutes “better-for-you” cold foods in stores today.

Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa sits down with Peter Bartzis and Liz Vanderhoef from Devanco Foods—which placed first in our 2021 Best New Frozen Retail Products Contest—to discuss the company’s winning No-MSG Chicken Gyros Kits, as well as their overall retail sales growth (150% year-over-year), sustainability goals, new product launches, family focused company culture, and distribution strategies for e-commerce and foodservice, which is rapidly ramping up as pandemic restrictions are lifted.

If ever there was a beverage made for the cold chain, it would be kombucha. The fermented, nutrient-dense drink—which can be created in alcohol and non-alcohol versions—is a living product in need of stable temperatures throughout its journey to store shelves. One of the leading brands in the fast-growing kombucha category is Vermont-based Aqua ViTea. Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa caught up with Aqua ViTea CEO & Founder Jeff Weaber to discuss kombucha’s rise in popularity due to consumer demand for health and wellness options, and how Aqua ViTea successfully pivoted from a profitable keg-based distribution model to bottles and cans during the pandemic.