Articles by Alyse Thompson-Richards

Food manufacturers face stricter demands as recalls and outbreaks push a more reactive focus on food safety. Responsibility is shifting from quality teams to shared ownership, using cross-functional approaches to improve safety, compliance, and daily practices.

Food safety underpins every aspect of food manufacturing, yet new CRB research shows cost and competing priorities continue to hinder improvements. This month's From the Editor explores why investing in hygienic design and facility planning remains essential.

EIC Alyse Thompson-Richards highlights recent food and beverage industry developments, including Ferrara’s South Carolina plant, Ferrero’s line installation, Conagra Brands’ expansion in Arkansas, Walmart’s new milk processing facility, Kraft Heinz’s investment in Canada, and Swaggerty Farms’ expansion.

Dharma Prime and Halak Mehta are inspiring examples of women thriving in STEM careers, particularly in engineering and food science. As they share their experiences and insights, they highlight the importance of diversity and support in these traditionally male-dominated fields.

The organizations, which have long published parallel industry reports, have joined forces to offer food manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) an overview of market performance and a glimpse at what to expect going forward.

In our annual Women in Engineering feature, we highlight inspiring stories of women like Halak Mehta and Dharma Prime. Despite progress, the pay gap persists, underscoring the need for ongoing efforts toward equality.

EIC Alyse Thompson-Richards summarizes recent food and beverage industry updates, including Mars' investments, Campbell's chip plant closure, and expansions by Chobani, Bel Group and Rise Baking Company.

From opening to a fast-casual restaurant in D.C. to quintupling its CPG production capacity when its new Maryland facility becomes fully operational, Little Sesame is on a journey of creativity, inspiration and growth.

EIC Alyse Thompson-Richards highlights recent food and beverage industry expansions, including Smithfield Foods’ South Dakota facility, Nestlé Purina’s Brazilian pet food plant, J.M. Smucker’s pet food expansion, DrinkPAK’s Texas beverage facility, Dainty Foods’ Ohio plant, and Tovala’s Illinois processing facility.

Food waste poses a significant challenge across the food industry. New research reveals that while many companies recognize the issue, only a fraction set tangible reduction targets. To align actions with global best practices, measuring and reporting food waste is crucial.