Items that debuted at the NACS 2021 show this month included Ferrara's Fudge Stripe Dip'mmms packs featuring Fudge Stripe cookies and a marshmallow or fudge dipping sauce and a new Kar's snack mix line called Snack Max from Second Nature Brands. Ferrero's Tic Tac Adventures line has added a tropical variety, and Hershey is adding the Very Berry mix to its Jolly Ranchers Gummies set.

Ferrero North America has broken ground in Bloomington, Ill., on its first US chocolate processing facility. The $75 million plant is scheduled to start production in 2023.

Consumers are starting to prioritize global environmental health over personal health, said Lu Ann Williams, director of global insights for Innova Market Insights. Innova's ranking of consumer trends for next year lists plant-based foods in second place and food technologies that improve personal or planet health in third place.

The FDA has issued a short-term, 2½-year guidance for voluntarily reducing average daily sodium intake from 3,400 to 3,000 milligrams for 163 food categories. The agency's final 10-year guidance is pending review of progress made with the short-term targets.

It is clear the labor shortage crisis "is not going to resolve itself" and new solutions, such as targeted deployments of the National Guard and issuing temporary worker visas, need to be considered, said Geoff Freeman, Consumer Brands Association president and CEO. "We are focused on keeping those shelves stocked ... We need help from the administration," said Freeman.

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday the federal government plans to ease congestion at two key California ports by expanding port operating hours to a round-the-clock basis. The Consumer Brands Association is asking the Biden administration to consult with private sector experts immediately to address all supply chain issues, such as the trucker shortage, as "we cannot ignore the warning signals of higher prices and reduced availability," said president and CEO Geoff Freeman.

Greeneye Technology will start selling its precision smart sprayers in the US next year, after launching in Israel this year. The company's machines use artificial intelligence to identify 200 different plants, determine which are weeds and apply herbicides only where needed, Greeneye CEO Nadav Bocher said.

Sweden-based TrusTrace has raised $6 million in a new funding round to further develop its traceability technology that uses blockchain and artificial intelligence to help companies source more sustainable and socially responsible food and other products. The company uses QR codes to track products through the supply chain.

Australia-based robotics startup Agerris has expanded deployment of its automated weeding machines with the sale of four robots to Queensland grower Kalfresh. The robots, called Digital Farmhands, are designed to help meet the needs of the country's aging farm workforce and also reduce the amount of herbicides needed to control weeds.

A growing number of farmers across Africa are turning to digital tools that make it easier to source products and services that help them drive efficiency and boost their incomes. A range of services from weather alerts to tractor rentals can now be accessed via mobile apps and text messaging.