Traceability means being able to track food throughout its entire life cycle. We explain how you can guarantee this.
Summary: Digitalization has permanently changed the food industry. Especially since the coronavirus pandemic, flexible digital processes have become indispensable, as they are not tied to a specific location and stabilize workflows. They enable food companies to work efficiently and respond to consumers' increased online purchasing habits. With effective ERP strategies, companies can secure and develop their position in the food retail sector.
Digital processes have been a feature of the food industry for many years. The topic really came to the fore when the coronavirus pandemic began. When working from home became mandatory overnight in 2020, supply chains collapsed and huge numbers of employees were absent, a rapid response was required. Only those who reacted flexibly to the new situation remained capable of acting. The solution lay in digital processes, as these are not location-dependent but keep workflows running from anywhere. Coupled with this development is the tendency of many consumers to purchase food online. Buying behaviour has shifted more and more towards digitalization in recent years. While retailers have always been intermediaries, the purchasing process is now more often taking place directly between the manufacturer and the consumer. Suppliers therefore see themselves increasingly obliged to set up appealing online stores in order to adapt to the new purchasing behavior of consumers.
Another development in the food sector is sustainability. Buyers are increasingly questioning where the products they buy come from and attach importance to "clean" ingredients. For the food industry, this means pressure to bring new, innovative products onto the market that meet these demands. Waited too long?
Anyone who hesitates will quickly see the competition pass them by. Digital technologies generate insights into data and knowledge that were not available in the past. Companies are using these as a basis to bring their own production environment up to date and optimize the interaction between people, machines and processes.
While the digital transformation in the food industry is bringing about far-reaching changes in almost all areas, the importance of efficient and transparent batch management is becoming particularly clear. In an industry that is constantly evolving, the seamless traceability of products is not only a regulatory necessity, but also a decisive competitive advantage.
With the speed at which situations change, the question inevitably arises: will the new mechanisms remain or will they be yesterday's news tomorrow? Let's put it this way: trends in the food industry evolve, and nobody can predict what will be in vogue tomorrow. But the digital structures that have become established in recent years are here to stay. Why? They are firmly established and have become indispensable. One example: numerous retailers set up online stores during the lockdown, which were - and still are - heavily used. To be done again? Not at all. Because, as I said, the competition never sleeps. Those who think about the future will rely on a suitable digitalization strategy and secure long-term benefits.
From small tools to complete software: there are numerous ways to establish digital processes in food companies. They are all based on key technologies. Typical examples are
Working in the cloud is an essential part of the digital transformation in the food industry: the cloud forms the basis for innovative technologies such as machine learning and big data. At the same time, it enables companies to access data from any location and respond flexibly from anywhere. Another plus: scalability. Food companies that rely on cloud computing are not tied to fixed structures. More users today than yesterday and fewer tomorrow? No problem, you can scale the cloud to your needs.
Robots offer great added value, especially in food production. They take over tedious or dangerous work steps and make people's everyday work easier. As so-called collaborative robots, they sometimes work hand in hand with humans - combining the best of both worlds. At the same time, food companies can also make use of software robots and the possibilities of robotic process automation, which can be used to automate manual tasks.
More efficient processes, data-based decisions and the ability to recognize consumer wishes at an early stage - Industry 4.0 makes all of this possible. It supports manufacturing and offers particularly great potential for industrial production in the food sector.
The digital possibilities offered by Industry 4.0 essentially comprise the following areas:
The Internet of Things refers to everyday objects that transmit data using intelligent sensors. This is practical for quickly recognizing maintenance measures in food production machines, conducting market research, for example by coffee machines passing on information on usage to the manufacturer, or the refrigerator automatically reordering milk as soon as the corresponding compartment is empty.
The basis for the IoT is big data. This technology enables companies, such as food manufacturers, to store, filter, process and evaluate large volumes of data. This allows patterns to be identified that can reveal optimization potential for production processes, for example.
Intelligent algorithms are used to perform tasks that were previously only possible by humans. Artificial intelligence is already taking over the diagnosis of diseases, facial recognition, the control of food recipes or communication via robots, for example chatbots.
Additive manufacturing makes it possible to create flexible objects. The 3D printer layers thin layers of plastic or metal to print three-dimensional objects. The food industry is now also increasingly working with 3D printers. Products such as marzipan and chocolate can be printed without any problems and development is also progressing with more complex foods such as pizzas.
By accessing more data and having a better basis for evaluations in order to recognize current trends in the food industry, you can sharpen your customer approach. Advertising measures become more targeted and sales mechanisms hit the mark. The ideal basis for more sales.
Strict controls during production are a major time waster - if manual steps are necessary. Digital technologies support quality assurance, reveal potential for improvement and provide security. All this creates products with maximum quality.
Quality is the be-all and end-all in the food industry. But mistakes happen and product recalls can occur. This is annoying enough, so at least the process should be simple. Your products can be traced digitally without any gaps. You are able to act and have the necessary information directly to hand.
Is the folder with the information in the cupboard or are the files stored locally on the laptop? Working on the move is hardly possible. Digital storage via the cloud makes it possible to access all data online from anywhere. This allows you to spontaneously show the presentation to the customer, view an invoice or keep an eye on the production status.
You can control your processes digitally in a simpler, clearer and, above all, more efficient way. For supply chains and the planning of production quantities, this holds a lot of potential because you can plan them in line with your processes. In concrete terms, this means that you can order the necessary raw materials in good time without having too much in stock and the number of end products is targeted. This is particularly relevant in the production of fresh products such as baked goods. Waste is significantly reduced.
Developing ideas for new products is important to retain customers in the long term. With digital support, you can promote your research and development, pick up on current trends and customer wishes and concentrate on creative tasks.
The secret behind automated work steps are workflows. They initiate the next task step by step and make it possible, for example, to view the receipt of your goods for production at the click of a mouse. Particular benefits are generated when the steps go hand in hand and trigger further processes. This is the case, for example, when invoice data from a document management system is combined with the ERP system.
All stages of the food process can be mapped using a digital value chain. From product development and production to delivery and customer feedback, every step can be tracked and traced.
From purchase orders for raw materials to electronic invoicing - digital transformation in food industry companies across the entire supply chain is a great opportunity. Up-to-date data, less work, an overview and full information capability are just as helpful as the option of audit-proof archiving.
Planning your production digitally creates a better overview. Why? The data is stored centrally and can be accessed uniformly. This creates the basis for planning requirements more precisely and setting up processes with maximum efficiency. The result: cost-efficient processes, smooth planning of delivery quantities and current stock levels in real time.
A digital twin is a virtual representation of a real object - from the individual component to the complete system. This image is created in order to carry out tests on the virtual object and simulate improvements. Only when these stand up to scrutiny are they implemented on the real product.
Digital technologies are used to make processes more efficient, which not only has an impact on speed and therefore the result, but also has the potential to reduce power consumption and save energy.
Data generated using digital tools can help to optimize filling and packaging processes. Combining production lines with the manufacture of packaging, using equipment more efficiently and identifying unnecessary packaging waste - the possibilities with digital tools are huge.
Digital technologies are already finding their way into other industries and offer a wide range of applications for optimizing the processes that prevail there. For example, similar tools are used in the digitalization of medical technology, but the potential and application scenarios are completely different.
All this sounds promising and the possibilities are many. Food companies should not be ignored. But how do you get the most out of it? With software. The trick lies in the right solution: Enterprise Resource Planning creates the ideal basis for taking the digital possibilities in the manufacturing industry to the next, digital level. If you want to be among the winners, rely on ERP that fits your industry.
Our solution offers functions that meet the specific challenges of the food industry and give you security, smooth processes and time:
Use your digital potential and become a digital pioneer in the food industry!
Digital processes are established and have become an integral part of everyday life. So what does the future look like? The food industry is undergoing a development that is just as likely to be digital - only at a higher level. Digitalization in the food industry is a process. Some trends that can be foreseen are:
Innovations and enhancements are gradually enriching the market. The new processes offer opportunities for manufacturing companies in particular - and also represent a bridge to a successful tomorrow. Those who want to be at the forefront of the future must not hesitate. Digital progress is the name of the game. Deterrent? Don't worry, you have much more to rely on than you think. Because digitalization is already in full swing - you just need to nurture the roots you have laid down. If you do this sustainably, you will be rewarded with a blooming splendor that will surely be the envy of the competition.
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