If you’re reading this in print, then you’re holding a small piece of history in your hands.

Beginning with our July issue, we will be a 100% digital publication. This plan has been in the works for quite some time, and we’ve known there would be a day where we would make this transition. Current events simply accelerated the process.

The reasons for this change are many, and I could write pages on each of them. But they all ultimately boil down to this: The times are changing, and we need to change with them.

I’ll bet you’ve heard that one before.

We’ve all heard it, to the point that it’s become a cliché. But clichés exist for a reason, and they’re usually rooted in a truth. In this case, that truth is that much like the industry we cover, the future of this magazine is digital. While the exact reasons and execution are different when we’re talking about magazines versus food production, the basic concepts are the same: better data, more flexibility and the ability to do things we couldn’t do before.

One of the things that I like about working for this magazine and its parent company is that it is very, very rare to hear “but that’s the way we’ve always done it.” From our corporate leadership all the way down, we’re encouraged to find new and better ways to do things, and if we find a new way that truly is better, it’s quickly shared across the entire company.

I would bet that also sounds familiar to a lot of you. But I bet it also sounds unfamiliar to a lot of you, and you’re probably a little bit jealous right now. There’s nothing more frustrating than a good idea being unable to gain traction simply because someone is scared of trying something new.

In our case, we’re embracing the new. While there won’t be a printed copy of Food Engineering hitting your desk next month, there will still be a digital edition arriving in your email. We’ll still be covering the industry in much the same way, but with some new tools at our disposal. 

It’s a strange time for a number of reasons, but in this particular instance, it’s an exciting time as well. I look forward to all of you joining us on this new journey.