Improving productivity top priority for food companies

B2B International, commissioned by Aptean, conducted a 2024 trend survey of 100 producers in Belgium (31) and the Netherlands (69) from all segments of the food and beverage industry. They were asked about what they see as their main challenges, needs and desires. Two notable trends that came to light? Declining consumer demand creates the greatest external pressure and improving productivity is top priority.

The survey found that 35% of those surveyed are most concerned about whether they can continue to meet changing consumer demands. It concerns them even more than cyber threats, sustainability and workforce availability. Although companies of all sizes feel these pressures, it is mid-sized businesses that are most affected. 56% of them fear a drop in demand, compared with 31% of large firms and 24% of small firms. The main causes of this decline are the impact of inflation and rising commodity prices. In addition, food companies are seeing changes in consumer attitudes. For example, alcoholic beverages are losing popularity, due to new regulations.

How to stimulate demand?

Food companies can respond to current challenges in three ways: by streamlining their product assortment based on the most profitable products, by reformulating their product composition to better respond to consumer trends or by increasing their internal efficiency. For each of these strategies, flexibility and data are essential, but the main barrier is the presence of outdated technology. As many as 62% of companies therefore plan to update outdated software and/or integrate new ones by 2025. Among small companies, that percentage even rises to 76%. Those who then choose industry-specific software achieve the most benefit. On average, the revenue of food companies that choose this increases by 6.9% per year compared to 5.3% for users of horizontal software and 4.9% for users of custom or in-house systems.

Maximizing productivity

Digital tools must play a central role in maximizing productivity. This is the top priority for 2025 - 2026 for food companies. The goal is to secure the knowledge of experienced team members before they retire, while also making jobs more attractive to the new generations who have grown up in the digital age. Process automation is the answer. After all, it can take over time-consuming and error-prone tasks, increasing speed and efficiency in a manufacturing environment. 40% of food companies surveyed plan to automate more by 2025. This all starts with a solid foundation of industry-specific software to generate high-quality data. Only then can food companies also start looking at integrating more advanced techniques such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Partner for maximum ROI

Success begins with choosing a partner with expertise. Aptean understands the food and beverage industry. "We are more than a supplier ready to sell a product right off the shelf; we are driven to achieve mutual success and help maximize your ROI. We pride ourselves on being a long-term partner. So get to know our unique industry-specific technology and built-in AI capabilities and discover how Aptean can support your business in achieving your ambitions."  

Full trend report

Wondering what the other insights from Aptean's trend research were? You can find the full report on the website.