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Jun 24, 2020

NCRC + NCFIL: Growth In Place

With a mission to empower human health through nutrition, the North Carolina Research Campus makes sense as a home to and partner with the NC Food Innovation Lab, which is dedicated to supporting plant-based food innovators.  NCRC in Kannapolis is a 350-acre research campus north of Charlotte, NC, with a “scientific community representing eight universities, the David H. Murdock Research Institute, Rowan-Cabarrus…

Jun 16, 2020

NCFIL: Setting Our Vision In Motion

The upfitting of the NCFIL facility is nearly complete, so our vision and mission for the future can begin to be realized. Our vision is to be a recognized leader for economic enhancement through the application of food technology in the transformation of raw agricultural commodities to value-added products.  Ultimately, our mission is to encourage a collaborative environment where academic scientists…

Jun 3, 2020

NCFIL Director’s Perspective: May 2020

The global food industry has experienced highs and lows the past few months as many food companies rapidly pivoted their supply chains and product offerings to harvest crops and place them in distribution.  Meat processing was especially hard hit as scores of plant workers and inspectors became sick with the coronavirus.  We offer our sincere condolences to those…

May 28, 2020

Food Business Rejuvenation During COVID-19: Opportunity to Innovate

Food manufacturers are financially reporting record quarters during the pandemic, but this success does not necessarily translate to a continuance as states and other countries reopen for business. Consumers are facing unusual challenges during the current pandemic as food manufacturers scramble to maintain fulfilling supply chain demand.   What does this pandemic mean for manufacturers, consumers, and…

May 22, 2020

Where to Go From Here? Impact of COVID-19 on the Food System

In previous blogs, we’ve considered:  As the U.S. starts to reopen, where does the food system go from here?  Future of Plant-Based Meats By now, all of us have heard about the devastating effects of COVID-19 on meat plant workers and federal inspectors. This situation impacts the consumer’s ability to purchase desired meat supplies, but in…

May 15, 2020

Joseph Hildebrand: NCFIL’s New Pilot Plant Manager

New NCFIL Team Member Joseph Hildebrand knows what it’s like to be on a hard-working team and to serve others. Joe plays rugby, a game that teaches perseverance, and he is an Eagle Scout, an honor earned by serving others. So, Joe is the perfect fit for NCFIL—he is a researcher who never gives up…

Apr 27, 2020

NCFIL Director’s Perspective: April 2020

“What a long, strange trip it’s been.” Jerry Garcia could not have known his phrase would apply to the challenges we’ve all faced in the last month or so due to the coronavirus. Our team’s sympathy goes out to those whose health or livelihoods are impacted by this virulent virus. We hope better days are…

Apr 23, 2020

Continued Challenges to Global Food Supply Chains

The U.S. government and food industry groups have reassured the consuming public that our food supply is strong, and empty shelves do not signal a looming food shortage. So, what exactly has caused disruptions in the food supply chain?  Empty shelves have partly been created by people panic buying and hoarding in anticipation of a prolonged…

Apr 14, 2020

How Produce Growers + Packagers Can Stabilize Retail Supply Chain During Coronavirus Pandemic

Chaos in the Supply Chain?  Regulatory officials confirm food products are safe, available and meeting consumers’ needs during this pandemic. However, the press is reporting incidences of producers not harvesting produce because they are challenged with pivoting their inventory from fulfilling food service needs to fulfilling retail outlets. This has created chaos in the supply chain.  …

Apr 8, 2020

Will the Coronavirus Pandemic Impact U.S. Food Supply Chain?

Much has been recently written about our nation’s food supply and consumer hoarding. I will not repeat what has been said, but rather offer additional perspectives during this trying time. This subject could be examined from numerous angles and fill many pages, but I will remain brief in this blog. Our food supply chain is currently,…