People and industry news in food and beverage manufacturing for May 2021.

An issue food processors won’t talk about openly is whether they’ve been the victim of a cyberattack.

The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) and its members SIG Combibloc, BillerudKorsnäs, Elopak, Stora Enso and Tetra Pak, have set the industry’s vision for the future: to deliver the most sustainable packaging for resilient food supply systems which is renewable, climate positive and circular. 

Johnny Appleseed Organic has come out with ClimateGard™, a no-kill fertilizer for gardens. 

Beta Analytic, which provides bio-based content testing for a variety of industries, suggests a new possibility for hemp and CBD manufacturers. They could turn to carbon-14 analysis to authenticate the “naturalness” of their products.

As retail demand surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, food and beverage manufacturers found themselves having to quickly ramp up production to keep pace. The challenge faced by many was how to properly clean and sanitize both equipment and production areas when shifts were added or extended, while plants were running seven days a week and employees were scrambling to keep up with the surge in demand.

Judging by the renaissance of edible and beverage packaging and marketing, rather than inhibiting a new industry, restrictions have led to creative growth.