Ahhh, the New Year. Good-bye 2019, hello 2020. Time to ring in the New Year with new ideas, new technologies, new product developments and new ways of doing business.
Here’s an editor’s pick of the Top 5 trends to take over the cold food and beverage industry in 2020:
CBD. As the use, manufacture and sale of CBD becomes legal in more states, so too does the opportunity to incorporate this “ingredient” into your company’s portfolio. Keep an eye out for our 2020 Best New Retail Products contest, which will be chock-full of CBD-infused products. And, check out the Supply Chain & Logistics article in our September 2020 issue, which will discuss the legal issues to date behind cannabis and foodservice distribution.
Regenerative agriculture. Anything that’s designed to improve soil health, promote sustainability and prompt environmental practices is a hot topic in the industry. Also, keep watch of hydroponic farming (expert column on this in our January 2020 issue) and other sustainable farming methods.
Robots and robotics. When robots first entered the cold food and beverage manufacturing scene, companies were all up in arms (no pun intended) about how to incorporate these machines into their current production lines. Then, employees began to fear for their jobs. What happened was robots easily integrated with manufacturing processes to work alongside line operators. But, there’s no stopping their role in the future of the industry. Check out how robotics and other emerging technologies impact cold food chains in our March 2020 issue.
Renewables. From renewable energy to renewable packaging, today’s consumers want out with the new and in with the old. Consumers want sustainability, reusability and products that protect the environment. Look for interviews and expert columns discussing renewable energy initiatives and renewable packaging trends.
Plant-based. Let’s face it—plant-based is no longer a fad. In fact, placing the Impossible Burger on fast food menus proved that anything is possible when it comes to creating categories and giving consumers a product they didn’t know they wanted so bad. From plant-based proteins to plant-based milk to plant-based pizza, I project our 2020 Best New Retail Products contest to be filled with plant-based new product introductions.
Additionally, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods is celebrating its 30-year anniversary in 2020. Every issue revisits a previous Processor of the Year to showcase growth, progress and success over the years.
So, come on, join me on the ride through trends, technologies, solutions and developments. Can’t wait to see what the New Year has in store for this industry.
