Focusing Ahead—Processors' Priorities for the Near Term
Food processors are now focusing on projects and priorities put on hold during the pandemic, including maintaining or adding to food safety certifications
With COVID-19 hopefully slowly disappearing in the rearview mirror, we want to know what food companies are focusing on for the rest of this year and into 2023. We heard from more than 450 food processors and food safety professionals in every category in the U.S., Canada, and around the world, who shared with us a wide-ranging wish list of projects and priorities to complete.
From the processors' comments, it is clear that a great deal of pent-up demand exists for projects that were delayed over the past few years. At the top of the list is maintaining or adding to food safety certifications. The messages we heard indicated that while companies were able to attend to the requirements mandated by their certifications, they were challenged to keep up with the many other details needed, especially internal audits, to keep their certifications current. Also, they lacked the time to add new certifications.