Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa details how the pandemic transformed this year’s Frozen Foods Processor of the Year award, plus why the ability to shift business on short notice will be key to succeeding in 2021.

Booming e-commerce and DTC deliveries are raising questions about the price and sustainability of cold foods packaging. We talk to three companies for tips on balancing cost and conscience.  

No Evil Foods, makers of small-batch plant-based meat, is announcing their partnership with rePurpose Global, a movement of conscious consumers and businesses, to offset their plastic footprint. The brand has committed to going plastic negative by funding the recovery and recycling of two pounds of plastic waste for every one pound they generate. In doing so, they will become the first plant-based meat company to take a plastic-negative stance.

Boursin introduces Boursin Dairy-Free Cheese Spread Alternative in Garlic & Herbs flavor. This new cheese spread alternative is the same Garlic & Herbs flavor you expect from Boursin, but in a dairy-free, plant-based version to meet the needs and desires of even more consumers. Whether for entertaining at home, making a diet-inclusive “cheese” board or including in a recipe, Boursin Dairy-Free is perfect to ensure all guests have great tasting options.

After two years of research and development, Nature Fresh Farms has officially launched their 100% home compostable cucumber wrap, a first for the North American marketplace. Made from a starch-based PLA that is derived from plant-based resources, the film is home compostable breaking down naturally into CO2 and water within 90 days.

FiveStar Gourmet Foods adds to their successful Family Size line of Simply Fresh Salads with their new Fig & Walnut Salad. As fall approaches, figs and fresh apples are in peak season and both are amazingly delicious. It is a wonderful pairing of fruit and nuts that provides freshness beyond what is expected. Other best-selling recipes in the Simply Fresh Salads Family Size line include Mexican Style Caesar Salad with Cilantro Cesar Dressing and limited-edition Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

New equipment, materials and innovative products designed for cold foods packaging.

Plant-based meat company Heura has launched its new packaging, reducing the use of plastic by 80% and honoring the Mediterranean roots. Until today, the plant based meat segment has been led internationally by companies born in Silicon Valley. Heura, however, believes that the future of food must have its pillars in one of the most famous gastronomic cultures in the world, the Mediterranean. 

Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa sits down with Alison Bodor, president and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) to discuss how frozen foods can play a key role in fighting global food waste.

Nature Fresh Farms continue their sustainable initiatives by releasing a new, 100% home compostable wrap for their Long English Cucumbers, a first in the North American market. An alternative to traditional polyethylene plastic, this film is an environmentally friendly compostable wrap that breaks down in a household compost without leaving behind microplastics.