Articles by Alyse Thompson-Richards

EIC Alyse Thompson-Richards recaps some recent plant openings and expansions in the food and beverage industry, including Little Sesame’s new plant, InnovAsian’s frozen food facility, Charcuterie Artisans’ innovation center, BRIDOR’s expansion, M2 Ingredients’ innovation center and Boh Bah’s production facility.

AI is revolutionizing manufacturing with applications in predictive analytics and product development. Despite challenges like data silos and integration, progress is being made towards agentic AI. Discover how companies are adapting and what the future may hold.

EIC Alyse Thompson-Richards recaps some recent plant openings and expansions in the food and beverage industry, including DrinkPAK’s East Coast beverage manufacturing facility, V&V Supremo’s Wisconsin plant, Danone’s Texas facility expansion, Cal-Maine Foods’ optimization and expansion project, and MMPA’s dairy plant acquisition.

In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled the tariffs, including sweeping reciprocal tariffs, to be unconstitutional.

Food and beverage manufacturers continue to invest in their operations, but their capital expenditure is more deliberate under dynamic economic conditions

In a recent survey, Weavix found manufacturing workers are satisfied with their communication strategies but there’s still room for improvement.

The 2026 edition will feature the largest trade show floor in its history, with more than 665,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and more than 1,380 exhibitors.

Last year was an eventful year for the food manufacturing industry, and FOOD ENGINEERING expects many of the major themes to carry over into 2026.

A recent study by ABB reveals just how much unplanned downtime costs, but implementing a modernization strategy can help.

Bob Garrison, chief editor of Prepared Foods, Kelley Rodriguez, editor-in-chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, editor-in-chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, discuss the biggest trends impacting the food industry in 2025 and beyond.