In the food industry, digitalization is radically transforming current practices, with a major impact on improving efficiency, quality and product traceability throughout the production chain. The health crisis has accelerated this digitization process, now offering opportunities to optimize production, logistics and waste management. In this article, Alcimed explores three opportunities linked to the digitization of processes that can boost the competitiveness of the food industry.
The digitalization of agri-food plants marks a major shift in production. Digital technology is making it possible to manage manufacturing processes more intelligently, thanks in particular to computer-aided production management systems. These computerized systems optimize the planning, monitoring and control of production operations. They integrate real-time data from a variety of sources – such as IoT sensors implemented on production lines, enabling managers to maximize operational efficiency.
Computer-aided production management provides a comprehensive, multi-level view of manufacturing activities, from the establishment of a production plan to the calculation of theoretical costs. This overall view maximizes operational efficiency, by facilitating coordination between the various departments in the factory.
Today, a wide range of software is available from a number of suppliers, including Vif Software, Alta Concept and Sphinx Manager. These integrate the specific features of the agri-food industry, inherent in the management of live, perishable products.
At the same time, many processes are becoming automated. Robots and automated systems are used for repetitive tasks, improving the precision and speed of production.
Intelligent sensors monitor critical parameters such as temperature, humidity and pressure in real time. The aim is to ensure optimum conditions throughout the manufacturing process.
Automation not only increases precision, but also quality, with automated quality control technologies that detect anomalies quickly and accurately, reducing the risk of marketing a faulty product.
However, the benefits of digitalization are not limited to optimizing operational efficiency. In fact, it can also be applied to logistics.
Digitization is revolutionizing the agri-food sector, transforming supply chain management and traceability. Technological advances are making it possible to significantly improve transparency, safety and efficiency throughout the supply chain.
In the same way as Computer-Aided Production Management, we are seeing the emergence of Computer-Aided Supply Chain Management systems. These optimize operations planning, reduce lead times and minimize the risks associated with stock-outs.
As in production, IoT sensors are used to monitor storage, transport and distribution conditions in real time.
More broadly, these technologies enhance traceability. The ability to trace a product’s origin has become essential to meet regulatory quality and safety requirements. The use of QR codes and databases gives consumers access to detailed information on a product’s history and the origin of its ingredients.
What’s more, over and above the regulatory requirements it meets, transparency strengthens consumer trust in brands and contributes to the adoption of more sustainable practices, such as the consumption of local products.
It also reinforces trust between the different players in the supply chain, and is a step towards a safer, more sustainable food industry.
In this context, blockchain is emerging as a revolutionary solution for product traceability. It is a decentralized, secure database that records every stage in the production and supply cycle, creating a transparent, reliable history.
One of the first blockchains to emerge in the food industry is Block Bird’s, a chicken supply chain in the USA, which traces the origin of chicken from the egg to the grocery store. The product packaging shows all the stages the chicken has gone through, including its health and handling history.
In this way, digitalization is helping to reduce the frontier between the food industry and consumers, thanks to increased transparency. This phenomenon is being reinforced by the arrival of digital applications and online services, which are now shaping the relationship between industry and consumers.
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Technological advances are also helping to improve waste management, as digitization enables more efficient management of resources, limits surpluses, optimizes production processes and facilitates the management of unsold products.
Computer-aided production management systems use algorithms to anticipate consumer demand, thus optimizing stock levels and minimizing losses associated with overproduction. At the same time, inventory tracking systems provide real-time visibility of stock levels, enabling better planning of product purchases.
In addition, new technologies provide a means of rapidly identifying batches of non-compliant products, preventing them from reaching the distribution circuit and leading to massive recalls which often cause significant wastage.
Last but not least, digitalization facilitates the management of unsold produce by creating more efficient connections between producers, distributors and charitable organizations.
Online applications and platforms, for example, enable restaurants to sell surplus produce at lower cost, thereby limiting food waste.
A well-known example is the TooGoodToGo app, which first appeared in Denmark in 2016 and is now present in over 15 countries worldwide.
In conclusion, digitalization in agri-food offers innovative solutions for the entire product lifecycle. Digital technologies are redefining industry standards, opening up new prospects for the sustainability, efficiency and transparency of existing systems. However, this evolution is not without its challenges. Companies are faced with major investments in technological infrastructure, staff training and cybersecurity risk management.
Digitization is paving the way for a more agile and competitive industry, although challenges remain. Alcimed is ready to support you, so don’t hesitate to contact our team!
About the author,
Agnès, Consultant with the Life Science team in Lyon
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