Each year, Food Engineering surveys its readership to find out what challenges processors are facing, how they’re adapting and what they’re expecting for the future.
It will come as no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic is dominating the conversation this year. It’s disrupted normal routines, planning, forecasting and even life in general. It’s created a multitude of challenges for the food and beverage industry, including dealing with a surge in demand for retail products while foodservice demand evaporates; keeping employees safe and protected in environments where social distancing is often impossible; maintaining construction schedules with project managers under travel bans; and hiring, training and retaining workers to meet all of these challenges in an environment where conditions are constantly changing.