Articles by Kevin T. Higgins

Food plants often outlive the people working in them. No wonder more attention is being paid to their sustainability.

Logistics demanded a fourth plant west of the Rockies, but West Liberty Foods seized the opportunity to upgrade its production flow and material-handling safeguards.

Eighteen wind turbines make an elegant statement along the roofline of Kettle Foods’ southern Wisconsin plant. The low-power installation was preferred over solar as an alternative energy source. Source: AeroVation

Years of research and industry involvement preceded the March launch of Michael Miller’s fish-farming venture.

Reclamation of thermal heat is a conspicuous example of the many energy initiatives underway as the food industry rethinks the ROI on energy management.

With customers demanding less material waste and manufacturing looking for ways to trim transportation costs, the trend toward sustainable packaging is gathering momentum.

Market conditions pushed Fresherized Foods to get back to basics this year, but the innovator in high pressure processing expects to emerge even stronger in global guacamole production.

While American food companies have progressed from flirtation to serious courtship of plastic containers, manufacturers in Europe, South America and Asia are tapping an expanding lineup of can shaping technology to revive flagging sales in some categories and kick-start consumer interest in others, according to Carolyn Takata, marketing director for Woodland Hills, CA-based Silgan Containers Corp.

California importer cuts through table-wine clutter with ecology-conscious containers.

In the coming months, IPM Foods LLC, a start-up contract manufacturer, will try to resurrect low-acid canning without the can, using Tetra Pak’s Recart packaging system.