An Inside "Listen" to the 2019 Global Food Forum

Hear the biggest takeaways from some of the biggest food multinationals at the Wall Street Journal's 2019 Global Food Forum and how these trends will impact packaging and processing.

Nov 13th, 2019

For the past four years, the Wall Street Journal has brought together a who's who of the biggest names in food for its Global Food Forum. Companies like Campbell’s, McDonald’s, Panera, Hershey and Mondelez are just some of the companies that take the forum’s stage to explore key risks and opportunities shaping the global business of food.

As the largest segment of packaging and processing, understanding new technologies, consumer tastes and government regulations in global food production is very important. Hear from PMMI’s Senior Vice President, Glen Long and Vice President of Industry Services, Tom Egan on their biggest takeaways from the 2019 Global Food Forum and how these trends will impact packaging and processing, by tuning in to this UnPACKed with PMMI podcast episode.

Plants should modify processing lines so that workers are at least six feet apart in all directions and do not face each other. Image courtesy of CDC.

New CDC Interim Guidance for Meat and Poultry Workers

Plants should modify processing lines so that workers are at least six feet apart in all directions and do not face each other. A qualified workplace coordinator should be identified who will be responsible for COVID-19 assessment and control planning.

Frito-Lay Expanding Georgia Plant

PepsiCo’s Plano, Texas-based division will add lines to produce Frito-Lay tortilla chip products and Baked Cheetos, and include space for future growth.

Just like in this iceberg image, hidden operating costs can sink you. Total cost of ownership enables gathering better data and understanding for better informed decisions.

It’s All About the Cost, Not the Price

Just like all change management, total cost of ownership is a journey that has transformational results when successfully implemented.

Flowers Foods Brands

Flowers Foods Temporarily Closes Bakery Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Producer of Nature's Own, Wonder, Tastykake, Dave’s Killer Bread, and other bakery foods shuts down production at facility because of increase in the number of cases at the site.

Prime Beverage Group Facility

Prime Beverage Group Building Manufacturing Operation in North Carolina

Contract beverage manufacturer chooses Gray, a fully integrated service provider specializing in engineering, design, and construction, as partner on the project.

Maple Leaf Foods Becomes First Carbon Neutral Major Food Company

Company releases its 2019 Sustainability Report, outlining key programs and achievements, as well as future initiatives and priorities to become the world’s most sustainable protein company.

Danone Wexford, Ireland Plant

Danone Facility Is World’s First Carbon Neutral Baby Formula Plant

Milestone is viewed as a major step toward achieving Danone’s goal of zero net carbon emissions companywide by 2050.

Installation of a new tank system and pumps have paid dividends and saves more than $30,000 per year at Smithfield Foods' Sioux Falls, S.D. facility. Photo courtesy of Smithfield.

Water-reduction Project Results in 5 Million Gallons Saved

When a Smithfield Foods Ideation Project challenged facilities to reduce the use of single-pass water for reuse elsewhere, the company’s Sioux Falls, S.D. facility answered the call.

Conagra Brands’ Milwaukee plant team members Nick Thompson, Xiomaris Mendez, and Jake Rozenberg proudly display Chicken Melts products that are now more sustainably produced. Photo courtesy of Conagra Brands.

Conagra Brands Team Rectifies Cheese Loss

A thorough investigation uncovered that a large contributor to food waste was cheese miss-cuts. The team solved the issue through editing standards, optimizing run settings, and conducting machinery preventative maintenance.

Nestlé Canada Inc. Selling Pure Life Bottled Water Business

Move will allow the company to focus on its international water brands San Pellegrino, Perrier, and Acqua Panna.

Barry Callebaut Acquires Australian Company

Zurich-based Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, now owns GKC Foods (Australia) Pty Ltd.

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Packaging Robotics Playbook

This new playbook from Packaging World showcases the trends, case studies, and how-to tips to help you make the best possible robot purchasing and application decisions for your operation.

City Brewery upgraded two existing canning lines and installed a third canning line at its Latrobe, Penn., plant, boosting its production capacity to 48 million cases annually.

City Brewery Triples Production Capacity

The co-manufacturer upgraded its canning lines in six months with controllers, AC drives, and HMI software to quickly and nimbly accommodate changing consumer tastes as well as optimize operational efficiency.

The Hershey Company Expanding Virginia Facility

The company is investing $135 million on the project, which will create 110 new jobs in Augusta County, Virginia.

Diageo New Plant

Diageo Building Its First Carbon Neutral Distillery

The facility under construction in Kentucky will be powered by 100% renewable electricity, reinforcing Diageo’s global commitment to reducing its carbon emissions and addressing climate change.

Borden Dairy Sold

Capitol Peak Partners and its affiliates, as well as KKR, will acquire virtually all of company’s assets.

Global Meat Industry Hammered by COVID-19

Meat processing and packaging plants continue to be world-wide coronavirus hot spots.

Conagra Recognizes Winners of Sustainable Development Awards

Awards were given to employee teams for sustainable brands, waste reduction and recycling, water conservation and wastewater management, climate change and energy-efficiency, and sustainable operations initiatives.

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Hershey's Unwraps their COVID-19 strategy with employees and suppliers

Hershey’s Josh Becker sat down with PMMI’s Sean Riley to talk about a customer’s perspective on how Hershey is handling visits from suppliers, training and service issues.

James Garr, wastewater supervisor for Smithfield Foods' Crete, Neb. facility, was a key part of the plant's successful composting project. Photo courtesy of Smithfield Foods.

Smithfield Foods Facility Reduces Solid Waste by 10 Million Lbs.

A customer’s change meant these solids were no longer approved to be part of the cooker feed stream, but collaboration and information sharing with other Smithfield facilities paved the way for environmental savings at the company’s Crete, Neb. plant.

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FDA to Roll Out the Blueprint for a 'New Era of Smarter Food Safety'

In addition, the agency is also integrating the lessons learned during this pandemic to ensure that the food supply is supported during times of crisis.

Organic Valley Farms Implement Streambank and Spring Area Restoration Projects

Two Sonoma County farmers restore waterways on their farms with the help of local students, teachers, and volunteers.

Emerson Adds Augmented Reality for Asset Management

This summer’s update to Plantweb Optics will include augmented reality capabilities to help users locate troublesome assets and correct issues with the aid of experts via real-time collaboration.

Jbt Chairman, President, And Ceo Tom Giacomini

JBT Chairman, President, and CEO to Take Medical Leave of Absence

Interim leadership has been appointed to serve during Tom Giacomini’s absence.

The VERYX B140 belt-fed sorter is equipped with top and bottom sensors that allow for in-air inspection of products.

Frozen Vegetable Processor Boosts Product Quality and Production Efficiency with Digital Sorters

A combination of next-generation cameras, sensors, and pixel-level detection allows for all-sided surface inspection.

Cargill Chocolate

Cargill Launching Chocolate Manufacturing Operation in Asia

Company has growth plans across region to meet the steadily rising increase in consumer demand for chocolate products.

Erik Blom, Duravant Managing Director Of Food Processing Emeai

Duravant Appoints Food Processing Managing Director

Food processing veteran Erik Blom will focus on company’s growth in Europe, Middle East, Asia, and India.

During the COVID-19 crisis, Just Made recently experienced a 50% to 60% increase in the sales of its cold-pressed juices, which undergo HPP.

Sales Spike for HPP Products During COVID-19 Pandemic

Consumers in quarantine are snapping up HPP food and beverages because they offer extended shelf life and food safety as they wait out the crisis.

Smithfield's Kinston facility upgraded the lighting in its ammonia engine room to meet new International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration standards. New LEDs provide more foot candles and safety. Photo courtesy of Smithfield.

Smithfield Foods Lights the Way to Sustainability

By replacing high-energy-use HIDs with LED lighting, the meat processor’s Kinston, N.C. facility drives down its total kWh usage and receives a Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Award from ProFood World.

Heat And Control 70 Yrs Press

Heat and Control Celebrating 70th Anniversary

The company will mark the platinum occasion with a 12-month-long celebration.

PepsiCo Issues 2019 Sustainability Report

Document highlights company’s progress in helping to build a more sustainable food system.

Site Solar Panels

Tetra Pak Commits to Net Zero Emissions

Tetra Pak announced its commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its own operations by 2030, with the ambition to achieve net zero GHG emissions for the entire value chain by 2050.