197: The Intersection of Food Processing Equipment, Sustainability, and Kansas City BBQ with Doug Wilson, Marlen International

Grab a bite to eat while you listen to this episode, preferably something fresh off the grill. We look behind the curtain of the food and beverage manufacturing world with Doug Wilson, the Director of Engineering at Marlen International.

Doug takes us on a journey through his career evolution from welding to food and beverage manufacturing, sharing pivotal moments that shaped his career. He emphasizes the importance of organization and workflow efficiency, revealing how his first plant startup taught him that failure can be the best teacher.

Doug breaks apart misconceptions about manufacturing in the food and beverage space and highlights that sanitary practices are make or break in this industry. He also sheds light on the artisanal side of food production, where meticulous recipe testing and quality assurance are key. We hear how Doug has helped smaller companies scale and the lessons they learn along the way when adopting new food processing equipment that makes it all possible.

Sustainability is a topic that’s near and dear to Doug’s heart, and he lets us in on Marlen’s tactic for reusing energy in the grilling process, which comes with an added flavorful bonus. Our conversation naturally comes to barbeque talk, specifically the world-famous Kansas City Barbeque Society which hosts events and competitions to celebrate a key part of KC’s culture.

In this episode, find out:

• How Doug first became a passionate Kansas City barbeque fan
• Doug’s early career in welding and high-speed printing and packaging
• Important lessons that Doug learned from an early startup that failed around workflow
• How Doug moved into the food processing business at Marlen
• Common misconceptions around food and beverage manufacturing
• What goes on behind the scenes of mass food production around testing and quality control
• Doug shares how he’s helped a number of smaller producers to industrialize and scale (including a truck stand)
• The key to ensuring quality when automation is a huge part of large-scale operations
• How the food manufacturing industry is changing, with a lean toward prepared meals
• How Marlen recycles exhaust fumes to boost energy efficiency
• Doug explains some of his barbeque tools, the Kansas City Barbeque Society, and his time as a judge
• What makes Kansas City a hub of food and beverage manufacturing
• The future of manufacturing in the food sector, Doug’s predictions

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “We take the exhaust gases from the grill and pump it into the oven, so you get more of that smoked flavor. Another nice thing from the environmental side is all that exhaust gas is at 300 degrees, that's just energy you're losing. We can scale way back and reuse all that energy a second time.”
• “If you have nothing but success until you have a failure, how do you know what you need to improve on?”
• “The industry is massive, and I think a lot of people just don't realize how many people touch it along the way."

Links & mentions:

• Marlen International, Kansas City-based manufacturer of batch ovens, smokehouses, chillers, and more. They enable customer success through trusted and robust food processing solutions, application know-how, process expertise and engineering customization.
• The Kansas City Barbeque Society, a competitive cooking organization based in Kansas City, Missouri, famous for Kansas City BBQ. It’s the world’s largest organization of barbeque and grilling enthusiasts with over 16,000 members.
• Q39, a hip, airy Kansas City BBQ joint with beamed ceilings & exposed brick serving smoked BBQ & wood-fired meats.
• Jack Stack, a bustling local KC chain known for its vast barbeque menu encompassing steak & seafood.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.