Demand for robot cooks rises as food-service kitchens combat COVID-19
Robots that can cook—from flipping burgers to baking bread—are becoming more popular as virus-wary kitchens try to put some distance between workers and customers.
Robots that can cook—from flipping burgers to baking bread—are becoming more popular as virus-wary kitchens try to put some distance between workers and customers.
Food costs have been rising due to high demand from Americans cooking more at home, but also because of lost production following virus outbreaks at food-processing facilities.
As of Monday, U.S. beef and pork processing capacity was down 40% from last year, according to Jayson Lusk, head of the department of agricultural economics at Purdue University.
The order will use the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure to keep production plants open.
COVID-19 has become a significant problem for the industry. An estimated 25% of U.S. pork processing capacity has closed in recent days.
Governors in the Midwest are hoping to keep large meatpacking plants operating amid coronavirus outbreaks that have sickened hundreds of workers and threaten to disrupt the nation’s supply of pork and beef.
The meat supply chain is especially vulnerable since processing is increasingly done at massive plants that butcher tens of thousands of animals daily, so the closure of even a few big ones can quickly be felt by customers.
For now—although some restaurants can still sell Circle Kombucha with takeout orders—most of the company’s sales are taking place at about 150 grocery stores in Indiana and the region.
The study looked at the common artificial sweetener used in Splenda, which is owned and made by Carmel-based Heartland Food Products Group.
The Fresh Cut operation at Caito’s main campus at 3120 N. Post Road cuts and packages fresh produce for distribution to retailers.
Longtime local candy company The Best Chocolate in Town has been acquired by Indianapolis-based Newfangled Confections, which is known for it popular signature Frittle candy.
The shop in Castleton is expected to open in March and will sell fresh baby food plus merchandise for both babies and mothers. The company also offers baby food subscription boxes.
The tax abatement is for equipment the artisanal, vegan chocolate maker and distributor plans to use at at its new, 12,870-square-foot facility in the Circle City Industrial Complex, 1125 Brookside Ave.
Hammond-based 18th Street Brewery—which was voted the best brewpub in America this year by readers of USA Today—has officially announced plans to open an Indianapolis location.
The company is asking the Anderson City Council for a tax break as part of a plan to install new equipment at the factory along Interstate 69.
Six-year-old SoChatti makes artisanal, vegan chocolate that is consumed in melted form.
colate consumption is in melted form. The company says it uses innovative warming methods that capture and preserve the flavors of chocolate.
After nearly two years of preparation, Primeval Brewing co-founders Nathan Compton and Tim Palmer opened their European-style beer hall in Noblesville to a line that wrapped around the block.
Dean Foods, America’s biggest milk processor, filed for bankruptcy Tuesday amid a decades-long drop-off in U.S. milk consumption blamed on changing trends and a growing variety of alternatives.
Every year, an estimated 100 billion plastic bottles are produced in the U.S., the bulk of which come from three of America’s biggest beverage companies. Only one-third of those bottles get recycled.
Grocery distributor SpartanNash is shutting down Fresh Kitchen, a prepared-meals division of Indianapolis-based Caito Foods Service that once held great promise.