Nico Roesler, North American pretzel and snack equipment sales manager, Reading Bakery Systems, Robesonia, PA, says customers are focused most on efficiency and “bang for the buck, getting the most product out of the machine possible, and making sure that product is consistent and high-quality.”
Snack and bakery companies also are increasingly interested in the ability to create gluten-free varieties of traditional snacks like pretzels. These types of doughs require pre-feed rolls to ensure even and accurate distribution of the dough in the extruder because the dough does not have the strength or elasticity that gluten otherwise brings to the process, Roesler says.
“A lot of conversations with customers center around better-for-you snacking, adding protein content to traditional snacks, and finding alternate flours to provide better-for-you attributes,” he says. “We’re seeing other types of flavors, like legume flours, incorporated in the pretzel doughs—maybe not going fully gluten-free but offering some health benefits.”
Product trends like bite-sized snacks and health claims like organic are top-of-mind for customers of Egan Food Technologies, Grand Rapids, MI, says John Micelli, who handles sales and market development. “In the granola world, plant-based is big,” he says. “In the bar world, I am seeing a lot more nut and seed bars coming online.”
Sanitation and ease of cleaning are other priorities for customers, Micelli says, adding that Egan’s machines are all stainless steel and can be washed down in place. “They want it easy to change out one product to the other, with simple maintenance to remove components so they can be cleaned and washed,” he says. “Sanitation is huge, no matter what piece of equipment. … People like tool-less; infrequently as possible do they want [employees] to reach in and get a ratchet or screwdrivers. They want people to do it with their hands.” SF&WB
