Defining AI’s Role in Food and Beverage Manufacturing

The future of food and beverage manufacturing is taking shape right before our eyes, and we’re seeing just how large AI’s role is becoming in 2022 (and beyond!) 

Ultimately, businesses are continuing to look for new ways to maintain relevancy and competitiveness among their peers. This results in an entirely new pressure to create the best product possible in the most consistent, appealing, and efficient way. If this sounds familiar, you’re in great company — and may benefit from the use of AI and AI-based tools in your business. 

Below, we’re digging into the variety of roles that AI holds in the food and beverage manufacturing process, and learning about how your business can benefit from relevant technological upgrades. 

What is AI and how does it work? 

AI stands for artificial intelligence, and it works with sophisticated algorithms and data-based inputs to offer analysis, processing, and results. This will then be used in a variety of ways, most commonly to improve or iterate on previously established systems or to take action on a tangible element of the customer purchase experience. 

The concepts of algorithmic use that are inherent in AI offer additional insight into its value as a tool, as it is constantly expanding, learning, and bettering itself to better align with organizational needs. 

What role does AI play in food and beverage manufacturing? 

In a continuously evolving world of food and beverage manufacturing and consumer novelty, AI is taking a larger stake in the game when it comes to the “bigger, better, faster” pressures of development and production. 

Below are just a few of the ways that AI is continuing to improve processes and products for some of the largest companies in the industry: 

1. Product quality assurance 

This has become especially important with processed foods, as customers are looking for a consistent brand experience to buy into and enjoy. Most notably, AI-based tools can be the automatic and continuously correct “eyes in the sky” and catch any risk of inaccuracy without the same margin for error of a human employee. Examples of this include: 

• Visual discrepancies with product appearance 
• Branding discrepancies during the manufacturing process, such as with off-placement of logos or misprinted labels 
• Management and visualization of employee manufacturing processes, and calculating relevant risk or reporting percentages needed to inform management and operational practices 

While these are not the only uses for AI in product quality assurance, these are among the most commonly seen throughout the industry. We look forward to seeing how else AI can be innovated to improve these processes. 

2. Forecasting and reporting 

The industry continues to move rapidly, and purchase patterns flow in and out in seconds. The use of AI empowers business owners to have timely, “down-to-the-minute” reporting capabilities due to its sets of predictive and complex algorithms, enabling businesses to enjoy more strategic and accurate data points to inform their operational strategy. 

As AI continues to learn and refine based on its input, you can enjoy a more tailored reporting system that is made for you, and that is designed to help you avoid excessive costly mistakes. You can use this reporting in various levels and areas of your business, but it is most commonly found along the food production line to avoid inefficiency and waste. 

3. Enforceable food safety standards 

Food safety and sanitation are becoming an increasingly important trend in the industry and are just one of many ways that AI can assist. Specifically, AI has been shown to be especially helpful in managing food sorting processes and providing your customers with a better overall customer experience. It acts preventatively to take a two-pronged approach to waste and illness: reducing it with a preventative strategy. 

4. Maintenance management 

Taking advantage of the preventative maintenance and insights can assist in mitigating downtime, and can give your leaders the information they need to approach management more effectively. In conjunction with machine learning, users can better anticipate when maintenance will be needed, and act in a way to mitigate the risk of further breakage and  complications. This can also tie into a more complex reporting procedure for further strategic insights and management. 

5. Employee engagement and training 

Rather than lean into manual training solutions, AI tools can support a more comprehensive training option that can engage, motivate, and inform employees on the most cutting edge processes and steps that they’ll need to take to do their jobs effectively. You can better avoid knowledge gaps, and instill a culture of engagement, transparency, and accountability. 

Automate your operations with a tailored ERP management tool 

Looking to upgrade your workflows and processes? Inecta provides tailored ERP software solutions to businesses in the food and beverage space. By using an ERP solution built for the industry, you can enjoy higher levels of efficiency, transparency, and flexibility you need to suit the needs of your consumers and stakeholders. Inecta’s software is powered by Microsoft, giving you the assurance that you need to confidently run and manage your business with 24/7 uptime and reliability. 

Ready to experience the difference? Visit our website today for more information.