F&B Manufacturers Turn To Technology As Business Challenges Mount

In November 2018, over 400 people in Singapore suffered food poisoning in three separate incidents.

- Swaminathan Vangal Ramamurthy

Among the cases, one involved kindergarten-age children, and in another, sadly, a 38-year-old man died from his illness. All the cases were related to people having consumed food supplied by caterers. Understandably, hygiene and food safety are serious business for companies in the food and beverage (F&B) industry. F&B businesses face tremendous pressure ensuring that they are running a profitable and tight ship. Some of the challenges F&B manufacturers face today are:

STRICT REGULATIONS –

Regulations can be imposed by external agencies, government authorities, or regulatory boards within the F&B industry itself. F&B manufacturers and product handlers need to ensure that they comply with environmental legislation, factory audits, etc.

EXPANSION AND GLOBALISATION –

Manufacturers face the challenge to standardise production in terms of cost, productivity and quality control when manufacturing under different circumstances or at different locations as their business grow.

POPULATION AND SOCIETY –

An ageing, more health conscious and diversified population creates means fast changing consumption patterns, which leads to requirements for new material and labelling and so on.

ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLINESS AND SUSTAINABILITY –

Numerous drivers exist in this area, from adoption of eco-friendly material to new packaging designs. Manufacturers are always in a constant drive to reduce wastage to be cost-effective.

WHAT CAN F&B MANUFACTURERS DO IN VIEW OF THESE CHALLENGES?