August 2026

ON THE COVER:
► Top Seedz Gains the Advantage with Automation

FEATURES:
► Managing Facility-induced Food Waste
► Alt Protein Targets Scale and New Product Development
► How Automation Supports Variability and Flexibility in Food Manufacturing

Top Seedz Gains the Advantage with Automated Cracker Production

With disciplined planning and support from local business programs, Rebecca and Will Brady have doubled the production capacity of their seed-based cracker company.

Alyse Thompson-Richards

August 10, 2026

Rebecca Brady, CEO of Top Seedz, and her husband Will Brady, COO, are expanding and automating operations, recently commissioning a second manufacturing line. This has doubled production capacity, putting Top Seedz on track to reach $100 million in annual sales.

Woman with wired headphones is on her phone laying on her stomach on the floor and holding a green protein shake.

Alternative Protein

Alt Protein Targets Scale and New Product Development

Protein products geared toward a healthy lifestyle are ubiquitous in North America. As demand increases across the board, producers are evaluating alternative protein manufacturing and precision fermentation.

Grant Gerke

August 31, 2026

With rising demand for protein, food manufacturers are turning to plant-based proteins, precision fermentation, and AI-powered tools for innovation. Pea protein is becoming popular, and new partnerships and digital technologies are aiding in reformulation and product development.

Food processing factory workers loading into a food cart.

Food Waste Management

Managing Facility-Induced Food Waste

While processors have equipment and software fine-tuned to prevent process waste, their building could be working against them.

Wayne Labs

August 17, 2026

Older facilities, in many cases, can be maintained to protect ingredients and finished goods. However, attention should be paid to drainage systems, along with monitoring environmental temperatures, humidity and airflows in critical spaces.

Sustainable Packaging

CPG Firms Must Move Strategically to Meet Sustainable Packaging Goals

Redesigns to reduce a package’s footprint and the production of thinner packaging are on the rise, but will legacy machinery be ready to handle the emerging materials?

Rebecca Marquez

July 10, 2026

As CPG companies transition to sustainable materials, trade-offs are almost guaranteed.

How Automation Supports Variability and Flexibility in Food Manufacturing

Falc Borchard

July 1, 2026

As product portfolios expand and production requirements become increasingly complex, manufacturers are under growing pressure to maintain efficiency with systems originally designed for predictable, repetitive production.

The Value of Speed in Track-and-Trace Environmental Monitoring Programs

Matthew Hahs

June 30, 2026

Effective environmental monitoring programs are defined not by how much data they collect, but by how quickly they trace data forward and backward to isolate the source and analyze the impact.

Two plastic containers with clear, plastic seals filled with rice and vegetables on a green tablecloth.

Regulatory Watch

FDA Advances Post-Market Review of Phthalates Used in Food Contact Materials

This work will inform the agency’s upcoming post-market safety assessment of the food contact uses of phthalates.

August 6, 2026

The U.S. FDA has evaluated eight ortho-(o)-phthalates used as plasticizers in food contact for a cumulative risk assessment. This analysis will inform the FDA's upcoming safety assessment and determine if these substances should be grouped based on their chemical or pharmacological similarities.

From the Editor

Will the Food and Beverage Market Grow in 2027?

Considering consumer demands and behavior is necessary, since they have real implications on designing products and food manufacturing processes.

Alyse Thompson-Richards

August 3, 2026

It's essential to remember that the primary goal of food manufacturers is to provide products for consumers. Understanding consumer demand, trends, and behaviors is key, as these factors greatly impact product and process design.

Join Lynn Dornblaser, Client Advisor at Mintel, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, Editor-in-Chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, as they break down the 2026 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies and discuss the factors affecting this year’s rankings.

Explore food safety strategies that strengthen sanitation, risk management, operational efficiency, and compliance across foodservice and facility environments.