The history of the American food industry boasts a number of iconic snack foods. And one of the best is Cheez-It crackers, a brand currently owned by another American classic, Kellogg Co. In fact, Kellogg's is home to a wealth of historic snack and bakery products, including Corn Flakes and Pringles, among dozens of other strong category anchor brands.

There is nothing like a pandemic to test a company's limitations. While food producers received official designation as "essential" businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic descended on the American food industry, continuing operations during the pandemic did not equate to business as usual.

The snack and bakery industry continues to face a difficult road when it comes to staffing. Challenges related to filling open positions for skilled and unskilled production personnel have persisted for years. But the past several months have proven particularly trying as employers seek to fill available jobs with individuals from an increasingly wary, pandemic-weary America.

Snack food and wholesale bakery companies in the market for machines that help prepare, store, transport, and otherwise handle ingredients are most focused on qualities like automation, ease of maintenance, and the ability to deliver higher performance in throughput and accuracy.

Lay's continues to celebrate soccer by tapping "Chip Shot" Legend Lionel Messi for a new commercial, a consumer sweepstakes, and limited-edition commemorative Lay's packaging.

Whether gearing up for summer travel, or simply packing for a summer picnic, Frito-Lay has a variety of flavors and on-the-go options to help consumers fuel the summer fun. 

Striking the right balance between indulgence and better-for-you is important in winning over the consumer. The pandemic has heightened consumers' interest in health and well-being.

Inclusions such as fruits, vegetables, and chocolate can add another dimension of visual appeal, flavor, and texture to snacks and baked goods.

The items include Cinnabon churros, Auntie Anne’s pretzels, and Subway cookies.

Available in sweet and savory flavors, the all-new 85-oz. Bucket of Bites features Pretzel Bites served with six different sauces of the fans’ choice, such as Cheddar Cheese, Pizza Sauce, Honey Mustard, and Cream Cheese.

Whether it is apple, pumpkin, pecan, blueberry, cherry, peach, Key lime, lemon meringue, coconut cream, sweet potato, mince or countless more, the sweet, savory tastes are as American as... well, you know.

Grocery retailers across the country now have even more choices to offer in-store bakery shoppers when it comes to pies.

Tastykake has released its seasonal summer products, available now for a limited-time only until August 21, 2021.

The all-natural pie company expands into the healthy frozen snack category with almond butter and fruit sandwiches.

Wholly Wholesome's new pie shells and rolled pie dough contains clean-label ingredients that consumers would find in their own kitchens.

Stacy's Rise Pies, available now through Thanksgiving, aim to help drive awareness of the disparity in funding for women business owners.

The kosher brand also is giving its product packaging a makeover.

The new quesadillas leverage Kraft Heinz’s 360CRISP technology to deliver crispiness straight from the microwave.

The frozen snacks aisle aims to please discerning palates of all ages.

The new seasonal stack includes four buttermilk pancakes loaded with bacon and topped with maple glaze, diced bacon, a bacon strip and whipped topping. 

Craig brings over 15 years of global business and finance experience, including leading finance divisions across various Mars portfolios.

Consumers can delight in Dunkin's festive favorites, like its Cookie Butter Donut, plus its new almond croissant.

Brioche brand moves into bake at home market, with a new range of authentic French baguettes and rolls.

The brand is returning two favorites to shelves: its Cranberry Walnut Loaf and Take & Bake Savory Holiday Rolls.

King's Hawaiian partners with AMC Theatres and Despicable Me 4 for Soft Pretzel Bites and LTO packaging.

Product manufacturers need to continuously evaluate portfolio strategies to defend financial goals and positioning for the short- and long-term.

The well-known sweets brand has launched 20 prepackaged sweet treats that consumers can purchase at retailers nationwide and online.

Tradition is the foundation that grounds much of the bakery industry’s continued success. We see this immutable fact across nearly every category, with leading companies selling billions of dollars of traditional baked goods that have long stood the test of time. These are core products beloved by millions of shoppers.

Insights into the top sandwich trends across the U.S. restaurant industry, including R&D inspirations for sandwich-specific breads, buns and rolls.

Today's snack and bakery consumers want food products in packaging that offers convenience, reliable functionality and sustained freshness. They're looking for better-for-you snacks in single-serve portions and resealability.

A leader from the bakery chain talks growth, innovation, and maintaining quality standards.

Paris Baguette will be offering a mochi and a King Cream doughnut, plus a chocolate cake, Easter log, and Easter layer cake for the spring season.

Handmade on-site by the brand's expert bakers and cakers, the menu is getting a lemon twist this season, including a new innovation: the Supreme Croissant, available in lemon and chocolate varieties. 

Toffee Cake is Crumbl’s newest dessert offering: a chocolate cake soaked in melty caramel sauce and crowned with fluffy whipped cream and chopped toffee pieces.

The Baked by Melissa x Claussen Pickle Cupcake will be available beginning July 10 in packs of six or 25 while supplies last.

The limited-edition meal kit is inspired by the series’ Thanksgiving episode and features all the pre-portioned ingredients to recreate the sweet and savory trifle.

The limited-time bakery treat is made with Miyoko’s Cinnamon Brown Sugar Oat Milk Butter.

Consumers have been looking to eat healthier, and producers are responding, offering multigrain, keto, and other options for loaf bread.

Buns and rolls will never not be valued in the U.S.—whether you’re a carnivore, flexitarian, or vegetarian, you’re inevitably going to be eating a hamburger or perhaps veggie burger this summer. 

Snacking is a constant, with BFY and other trends mixing things up.

Manufacturers are poised to tackle the various challenges of the chips category.

The cracker market, like many other snack segments, is in an evolutionary state. If you ask Craig Lieberman, president and founder of Denver-based 34 Degrees, changes in the category span “from the types and styles of crackers to the location and placement of crackers in the store.”

New Jersey bakery Hudson Bread counts on Koenig for its high-quality bread production, with a new dough sheeting line as the newest addition to its production line.

Pringles Mexican Street Corn Potato Crisps are light, crispy, and never greasy, and bursting with roasted spices, citrus zest, and a little kick of cayenne pepper, per the brand.

The limited-edition Spicy Pimento Cheese includes a blend of bold pimento peppers and cheddar cheese flavors cooked into Kettle chips.

Bare Snacks is releasing a limited-time offering just in time for fall, with its new Sea Salt & Caramel Apple Chips. 

Consumers continue to reach for their favorite puffed and extruded snacks in their many forms. However, while U.S. shoppers still put tried and true types (like cheese curls and pork rinds) in their cart, they’re increasingly interested in trying new flavor twists, better-for-you bases, and other novel takes on the category. 

The snack company chatted up its various brands and new items at Sweets & Snacks.

The plant-based snack company features limited-edition Minions-themed pack designs on all puffs and veggie straw flavors and special pack sizes.

The plant-based snack company is debuting Mexican Street Corn and Churro Chickpea Puffs.