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After three days and more than 46,000 steps logged on my pedometer, it’s safe to say that I saw my fair share of natural and organic products at Natural Products Expo West (page 14), which took place last month.

I’m a big fan of movies and eagerly anticipate two events: the Academy Awards and Turner Classic Movies’ (TCM) annual 31 Days of Oscar, which took place on Feb. 26, and Feb. 1 through March 3, respectively. This year, several beverage brands took center stage at Hollywood’s biggest night.

Observations, special studies and compliance evaluations have led to the conclusion that the filling machine is the kingpin of practically every beverage production/packaging line in any segment of the industry. Visits to wineries, distilleries, breweries, soft drink facilities, as well as juice, water and specialty beverage facilities, have provided substantial evidence that many portions of the supply chain are affected by the filler at the production source.

As millennials have gained immense buying power in the U.S. market, targeting this demographic has proven to require a different technique than was utilized for previous generations. As a millennial myself, the vast amount of research on the best ways to reach my consumer group constantly grabs my attention.

At a time when the divisive nature of the United States is receiving much attention, it seems as though we have found a topic that both sides can agree upon: craft beer. In late January, the Craft Beer Modernization and Tax Reform Act was introduced in both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support.

Clean drinking water is something most Americans take for granted. Yet, there have been many disasters throughout the years — the 2004 Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and, more recently, the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Mich. — which have called the safety of drinking water into question.

Now that the snow has melted and flowers are in bloom, it can only mean one thing: it’s time to get trucks ready for summer. Investing a few hours now can save days of downtime when the scorching temperatures of summer return.

The interpretations of the word “automation” have had many variations with broad scopes of intention. What is automation and what does it mean to beverage operators?