62% of food safety, quality and innovation leaders worry about economic uncertainty, which has led to increased pressure to modernize operations. New research by Tracegains. Beyond economic concerns, regulatory compliance remains a key driver for faster digital transformation. Almost a quarter (24%) of respondents surveyed said missions that require new technology will lead to accelerated purchases within the 90-day time frame.
Despite this urgency, 60% of companies have not exceeded the implementation stage, making their journey of digital transformation complete. Only 6% have achieved full digitalization, while 69% rely on manual processes such as paper documents, spreadsheets, faxes and emails to manage daily operations and document exchanges. A significant 29% of food and beverage companies acknowledge that existing operational management practices are inadequate and counterproductive, leading to considerable internal difficulties.
Complexity slows down the implementation of a technology
The report outperforms cost considerations by identifying perceived complexity and implementation challenges as key hurdles and 40% of respondents cite these as the main reasons for delayed implementation.
So, when considering new technology investments, F&B companies are not beyond looking for speed and simplicity. Prioritize solutions that can be implemented quickly and provide immediate operational improvements.
- Process efficiency and Ease of implementation/speed According to 57% of respondents, it is the main factor that influences technology adoption decisions within the food and beverage industry.
- Operational improvements It is a major driver of technology investment in the food and beverage industry, indicating that 52% of businesses are likely to invest, indicating that if such improvements are immediate, they are likely to invest.
- There are six companies out of ten companies It’s significantly or even somewhat likely Faster implementation processIt takes weeks rather than months.
These priorities outweighed traditional considerations such as return on investment (34%) and total cost (22%).
As food and beverage manufacturers navigate economic uncertainty, the challenges of ingredient availability, and evolving regulatory requirements, it becomes increasingly important to bridge the gap between the goals of digital transformation and the realities of implementation. Solutions that offer simplicity, speed of implementation, and immediate operational improvements are most likely to succeed in this environment.
