Digitalisation as key competence for any resilient food company

Resilience, that quality virtually all companies threw into the fray during the successive corona waves. Digitally resilient companies succeeded a lot better than their peers that had not yet jumped on the digitisation train. Even now that corona no longer sticks in the wheels, digitisation remains a must for any self-respecting food company. There are three big reasons for this.

Digitisation increases efficiency

In a just-in-time market like the food industry, maximum efficiency is essential. Surely food companies do not want their already small margins 'eaten up' by inefficiencies? After all, these can crop up in many places: in production, labelling, packaging, stock management or transport.

Integrated IT and ERP systems can address inefficiencies in a structured and effective manner. For example, they ensure the digitalisation of the entire supply chain. That way, as a food company, you get much more control over your business processes and can intervene faster in case of unexpected situations or delays. The result is, yep, greater efficiency.

Digitalisation creates flexibility

"The greatest enemy of science is not error, but mental inertia". Henry Thomas Buckle knew that back in the 19th century. And so it still is today. During the corona crisis, it became more apparent than ever that standing still is going backwards.

Instead, companies that were able to adapt quickly to the unexpected were the big winners. As often happens in difficult times, the key lay with technology. Cloud-based solutions that offer real-time information are today proving to be of golden value to improve operational efficiency, make forecasts, respond quickly to changes in the market and adjust production accordingly.

Digitisation offers transparency

"Knowledge is power". The English philosopher Francis Bacon knew that at the end of the 16th century. It ensures that you do the right things at the right time. For the food industry, a sophisticated KPI system and digital monitoring provide the transparency needed to make appropriate decisions.

That transparency ensures, for example, that a product with a negative margin can be removed from the range, that the cause of a problem can be precisely traced or that stock levels can be closely monitored.

Looking to the future

Today, an ERP system has become an absolute must for any food company looking for transparency, flexibility, efficiency and traceability. However, technological innovations follow each other in rapid succession.