Industry Influence

Jun 30, 2020

NCFIL Director’s Perspective: June 2020

The North Carolina Food Innovation Lab has resumed limited operations. After 87 days of working from home, our staff has returned to finalize equipment installation, train on selected equipment, and commission…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Mar 26, 2020

Food Entrepreneur Strategies Following COVID-19

As society navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer behavior is indicating where innovation and technology might move after all this is under control. A recent blog by CB Insights inspired me to give some thought…