As Bühler Aeroglide’s vice president of process engineering, Tom Barber will work with customers worldwide.

The global processing and packaging provider will highlight its start-to-finish solutions for the snack industry via an interactive booth experience at SNAXPO in Houston.

The flexibility to produce different flavors, shapes, sizes and types of products is high on the list of qualities that snack and bakery makers are seeking from manufacturers offering griddle equipment and fryers.

Quick changeovers, smaller products, sanitation needs, oil quality and temperature control are all top-of-mind for customers of griddle and fryer equipment used for key snack and bakery applications, including doughnuts and frozen breakfast products like waffles and pancakes, as well as fried snack items, like chips.

Bakeries and snack makers in the market for ovens, proofers, fryers, and dryers have a healthy list of features and benefits in mind. These include capabilities for customization and flexibility, reliability and consistency, temperature control, faster processing times and continuous production, and automation that operators can control and monitor remotely.

Snack and bakery companies looking to purchase new or improved ovens, proofers, fryers, and dryers have a long list of requests when it comes to features and benefits, according to manufacturers of those types of equipment.

Other priorities include frying more than one product concurrently, handling both older and newer snack and bakery formulations.

ONE Brands is bringing Reese's peanut butter flavor to the protein bar aisle with the debut of its new Reese's Peanut Butter Lovers flavor-inspired protein bar.

KIND's new Savory Bars bring forth a unique mix of nuts and a smokey and spicy profile, resulting in a bold taste in every bite, per the brand.

The companies are empowering consumers to "act" and make an impact with every bar.

The gluten- and peanut-free formulation is designed to be school-friendly.

Each box contains eight individually wrapped bites, and they are available in Apple Cinnamon and Double Chocolate flavors.

The Small Batch Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Kids Bar features just five ingredients.

New nostalgia-inspired protein bars, plant-based nut bars, and savory popped crisps launch at Walmart stores nationwide.

RE:DO plant-based, high-protein bars were created with Olympian input.

MET-Rx announced the expansion of its popular BIG 100 product line with the introduction of granola bars and two new flavors.

Known for its plant-based, real-food ingredients, Laird Superfood’s Pumpkin Spice line is crafted with a signature blend of ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, plus real pumpkin.

David Co-Founders Peter Rahal, founder of protein snacks brand Rxbar, and Zach Ranen, former investor and founder of Raize, bring extensive experience to their latest venture.

The new think! Minis offer a conveniently sized snack option at 100 calories and 6 grams of protein per bar, in dessert-inspired flavors.

The new bar includes 20 grams of protein, the flavor of key lime pie, and no added sugar.

This product not only offers a healthy snack option, but also addresses the growing concern of packaging waste in India.

Sized for little hands, Zbar Halloween Minis are available in a 20-ct chocolate chip flavor.

Bobo’s Limited Edition Chocolate Almond Brownie Bar ($32.88) is officially available on EatBobos.com to raise awareness for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

100% natural Ziggy Bars are packed with essential nutrients and fiber and are a way to support digestive health.

Skout is collaborating with cookbook author Caroline Chambers and her snack expert kids to launch Caro’s Beast Cookie Kids Bar, Caro Chambers bundle, and a bundle and book.

Three Wishes Cereal is launching granola bars for the first time, in three nostalgic flavors.

The caffeinated bar brand was one of six finalists in the store’s 2024 Next Big Thing competition.

The snack bars, made with whole-grain oats, are vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, and free from soy.

The bars include a pumpkin spice-inspired base with chunks of white chocolate pieces, topped with graham cracker-flavored clusters and a gourmet drizzle.

The performance bar brand recently won a GNC competition that landed its products on the store’s shelves across the country.

The limited-time bars incorporate ginger, allspice, and other simple ingredients, with a total of 12 g of protein in each serving.

Previously only available in four-packs, single-serve Organic Snack Bars are now available at select 7-Eleven and Circle K locations in San Diego and Los Angeles to meet the desires of today’s busy, health-conscious consumers.  

The company’s most recent introductions give health-minded snackers a range of grain-free options in bar form.

Snack producers and bakeries can travel multiple avenues toward improved operational efficiency. Additional automation is a natural progression.

Thermal management is crucial to processing, storing and delivering several types of snacks and baked goods. The latest systems cover a wide range of functions, including chilling dough, cooling product after exiting the oven, and refrigerating or freezing finished product. Specialized cold storage facilities also are part of the mix.

HANTEMP Controls Stainless Steel Float-Switch line has expanded to include the new SSLLA adjustable Float Switch.

The human-machine interface (HMI) is essential in an operator’s daily work, as it represents how he or she can use and control the equipment, via technology. These days, using an HMI is all about fostering an easy user experience.

Siemens recently announced a limited-time offer, effective until May 31, 2017. Under this program, users of any machine tool with SINUMERIK CNC onboard will receive a variety of additional services, plus training and a 10% discount on spare parts orders. 

Bühler Aeroglide has introduced a complete moisture control system that helps customers maintain a dryer temperature profile and minimize over drying.  

Hardy Process Solutions announced a new version of the HI 6600 Modular Sensor Systems for PROFIBUS-DP control systems.

A warehouse management system (WMS) centers on software that supports day-to-day operations. WMS programs enable centralized management of a wide range of tasks, including tracking inventory levels and stock locations, order fulfillment, and shipping and receiving.

The Beckhoff Automation booth (S-6302) will be the center of automation technology (AT) and IT convergence at Pack Expo 2017 in Las Vegas.

Thiele Technologies has announced that it soon will integrate Allen-Bradley control software on SYMACH Palletizers.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, the domestic baking industry consumes an estimated $800 million worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year, as noted in its guide, "Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Baking Industry" (Nov. 2016 update, available on www.energystar.gov).

The food industry is reveling in the digital age with the continual improvement of new technology. More snack producers and bakeries aspire toward alignment with Industry 4.0 ideals

Offering their customers the option of using microcomputer-based electrical controls for the popular piFLOW vacuum conveyors, Piab is introducing the first version of a new electrical control unit ECU-10.

WP Bakery Technology’s tried and tested control system will be launched on the market in the third generation at the iba 2018.

Beckhoff Automation will demonstrate its new AMP8000 distributed servo drive system alongside a complete lineup of automation hardware, software and networking solutions at Pack Expo 2018 in Chicago.

The Power Panel C50 provides the combined advantages of a powerful controller and a modern projected capacitive touch screen in a single HMI device.

EXAIR's new Dual 316 Stainless Steel Cabinet Cooler Systems with ETC (Electronic Temperature Control) keep electrical enclosures cool with 20°F (-7°C) air while maintaining the NEMA 4X rating of the enclosure and removing the heat that could adversely affect the internal components.