Ch.5: Challenges of F&B Operations

Challenges of F&B Operations

1. Competitive Situation

• Producing quality food at the lowest possible cost is a major concern. Manufacturers are responding by identifying opportunities to improve production efficiency by using information systems that monitor operations and provide the capability to analyze results and determine the root cause of problems. The performance of assets is being improved as maintenance regimes are stepped up with improved support and better management of spare parts. And, the operations are reducing utility costs by installing information systems to monitor utility usage and identify opportunities to reduce costs.

2. Multiple and Varied Food

• We live in a mass-customized society – one where consumers want it their way, with the quality and cost levels that they have come to expect. This creates significant pressure on food and beverage manufacturers who have the difficult task of meeting the ongoing evolution of consumer demand. Today’s consumers run the gamut – from those who want healthier choices to others who want more convenient packaging and unique flavors. This increased volume and diversity of products is causing plants to design their lines based on shorter production runs with more changeovers.
• Meeting these demands requires operational flexibility. Restaurants must be able to easily add new products to the mix, change recipes on the fly and quickly implement new operational procedures. In addition, they must execute these changeovers while meeting high sanitation and environmental requirements. All of this has to be done smoothly to reduce time-to-market and limit the impact on operations.

3. Customer Satisfaction

While speed and flexibility are important, plants must also take the steps needed to ensure the highest quality possible. The key to maintaining brand loyalty, which is paramount in this industry, is product consistency — not only batch-to-batch, but facility-to-facility. To meet these consistency requirements, companies need advanced automation and information technology. This technology will help ensure that each batch and each operation is performed the same as the previous one, while simultaneously allowing operators to compensate for process changes and raw material variability that can impact the finished product.

4. Food Safety and Security

As concerns over food safety and transparency continue to grow in the minds of consumers, the restaurants are required to improve the processes that monitor quality and track material through the facility. At each critical control point of the production process, systems are being installed to monitor operations in order to verify that operations have been properly executed. Systems are being implemented to track all raw and in-process material through the entire facility to meet regulations and provide information if a product recall is required. Managers should constantly check the vulnerability of the networks, automation and information systems and implementing changes to protect your systems from intruders. Moreover, they should ensure the food is from the proper sources and up to standards.