< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net END OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIES showing that the issue of food security has moved beyond that of a purely business consideration. This has had knock-on effects both good and bad, as companies unable to offer assurances of food security have suffered, whereas those capable of guarantees have found themselves in stronger positions – which is a consideration going into 2024. Stability and affordability may be the two big themes driving demand in the coming year. One of the bigger successes of 2023 is how many food and drink companies have fully embraced and begun shifting their portfolios and attitude toward embracing sustainability. The aforementioned example in seafood saw Youngs, TESCO, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and ALDI condemn the collective failure of the UK, Norway and other states to reach an agreement for the sustainable fishing of mackerel in the North Atlantic. The industry is worth £1bn to the local region but is being over-fished to the point that the mackerel population may decline too much to even be fished in the future, and seeing such high-profile names speak out to demand action and to threaten actual action by refusing to purchase from those fisheries is promising. For too long have companies simply spoken of their environmental concerns without putting any action in. Across the rest of the industry, new innovations in sustainable packaging have taken off to the point that having non-recyclable packaging is now rarer than not, and the battle is now on to reduce packaging wherever possible. In France, for instance, the push for reduction of waste is so extreme that McDonalds have started removing not only plastic straws, but replacing entire meal sets and boxes with re-usable ones cleverly designed to be washable and sustainable. Similarly, a push to reduce or even remove single-use plastics has seen positive reception in many developed countries. What this all shows is not only that the food and drink industry is resilient – a fact we already know from the pandemic – but that the industry has become more adaptable, and quicker to pounce on new opportunities and initiatives. Whether this is a result of a “changing of the guard” or a “changing of attitudes” is uncertain, but where before the industry would dig in its heels and resist any changes, it now seems to be much more proactive about analysing the benefits of them and diving on in. This is a promising change in priorities and raises interest on how the sector will embrace fresh challenges coming in the year ahead. With any luck, there won’t be many, but it’s still incredible to see so many companies with long histories being unafraid to make big changes to their corporate culture. And corporate culture has and probably will remain a big deal for many in the future. We’ve seen culture wars across the political spectrum that we won’t go into, but if there’s anything to take from that sorry affair, it’s that culture and identities are in the limelight right now. That is being similarly reflected in the number of companies (across more sectors than FMCG) embracing their own corporate identities. Being a “sustainable company” is the most common one, but it’s often touted by banks and building societies and offices that do very little actual sustainable work. They can get away with it because the average consumer interacts with them very rarely, whereas food products are © stock.adobe.com/ Лилия Захарчукʹˢ˥ˢ˩˘˥ʦʣˬ˘˔˥˦ˀ˜˖˥ˢ˦˘˔˥˖˛ ˟˔˕ˢ˥˔˧ˢ˥˜˘˦ʿ˧˗˛˔˩˘˕˘˘ˡ ˣ˥ˢ˩˜˗˜ˡ˚ˈʾʴˆ˔˖˖˥˘˗˜˧˘˗ ˔ˡ˔˟ˬ˧˜˖˔˟˧˘˦˧˜ˡ˚˦˘˥˩˜˖˘˦˧ˢ˧˛˘ ˙ˢˢ˗ˠ˔ˡ˨˙˔˖˧˨˥˜ˡ˚˜ˡ˗˨˦˧˥ˬʡ˂˨˥ ˙ˢ˖˨˦˥˘ˠ˔˜ˡ˦˧ˢ˘ˡ˦˨˥˘ˣ˥ˢ˗˨˖˧ ˦˔˙˘˧ˬʟˤ˨˔˟˜˧ˬʟ˜ˡ˧˘˚˥˜˧ˬʟ˔ˡ˗ ˔˨˧˛˘ˡ˧˜˖˜˧ˬ˧˛˥ˢ˨˚˛˦˖˜˘ˡ˖˘˔ˡ˗ ˧˘˖˛ˡˢ˟ˢ˚ˬʡ ʼˡʥʣʥʥˀ˜˖˥ˢ˦˘˔˥˖˛˝ˢ˜ˡ˘˗ ˙ˢ˥˖˘˦˪˜˧˛˧˛˘ʼˡ˦˧˜˧˨˧˙͎˥ ˃˥ˢ˗˨˞˧ˤ˨˔˟˜˧̶˧˜ˡʵ˘˥˟˜ˡ˧ˢ ˖˥˘˔˧˘ʼʹ˃ʿ˔˕ˢ˥˔˧ˢ˥˜˘˦ʿ˧˗ʡ ʵ˘˜ˡ˚ˣ˔˥˧ˢ˙˧˛˘˚˥ˢ˨ˣ˛˔˦ ˔˟˟ˢ˪˘˗ˀ˜˖˥ˢ˦˘˔˥˖˛˧ˢ˥˘˔˖˛ ˠˢ˥˘˖˨˦˧ˢˠ˘˥˦ʟ˘˫ˣ˔ˡ˗˜ˡ˧ˢ ˢ˧˛˘˥˖ˢ˨ˡ˧˥˜˘˦ʟ˚˥ˢ˪˜˧˦˧˘˦˧˜ˡ˚ ˣˢ˥˧˙ˢ˟˜ˢʟ˔ˡ˗˜ˡ˖˥˘˔˦˘˗ˢ˩˘˥˔˟˟ ˦˔˟˘˦ˣ˘˥˙ˢ˥ˠ˔ˡ˖˘ʡ ˃ʴ˅ˇ˂ʹʼʹ˃ ʿʴʵ˂˅ʴˇ˂˅ʼʸˆ ©¾¾ËǐĬÙËƴÝÙ©ƣËƣé» ĔĕĘĖĖĘĔęĚěĜ õõõƣĬÙËƴÝÙ©ƣËƣé» Food & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net END OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIES regularly consumed, and any scandals are quick to be shared. As a result, food manufacturers wanting to portray a certain identity are going to have to take greater steps than those in other industries to prove it, and there are many that are doing so. Replanting of rainforests, committing to fair pay for workers in other countries, promising to only use ingredients sourced sustainably – and using traceability to prove that fact! There is a lot of effort being put in by food and drink companies of late to prove they are more than words and more than virtue signalling, and the creativity used in the marketing campaigns of brands across the spectrum is showing that. Advertisements on TV are eschewing “old values” for “big changes” and showing off the work that brands are doing to improve lives as well as make profit. How much of this is true or not is up to the individual company, but the fact that adverts like this continue to run show that they are working, and that people do care about identity and policy despite what a vocal minority may suggest. We are living in an era of inter-connected minds, with boycotts and drama being pulled up online at every moment, so it makes sense to protect your assets by proactively avoiding those issues and pushing outward evidence and stories of initiatives designed to help others. It’s been a challenging year, but this is one of the few times that the industry has faced so many challenges hitting all at once, and a surprising moment where we can say the industry has pretty much gotten on top of them all. By all metrics, the year has been more successful for the industry than it has any right to be. © stock.adobe.com/ Анна Костенко22 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION C ontrol and automation measures are implemented to prevent the contamination of food products by harmful elements like bacteria, foodborne illnesses, pesticides, or debris such as glass and metal. However, ensuring food is not only safe but also delicious involves navigating a complex web of factors. In the dynamic landscape of the food and drink industry, where consumer expectations and regulatory standards are continually evolving, achieving the right balance in control measures becomes a nuanced challenge. Not only is food safety a paramount concern for maintaining a loyal customer base, but it is also a legal imperative, underlining the critical role of control mechanisms in safeguarding the future of any business. Beyond averting external contaminants, maintaining a delicate balance in factors like flavour, texture, and aesthetic appearance is imperative for ensuring consistent quality. This quest for consistency extends beyond mere consumer satisfaction, directly tying into compliance with stringent control regulations. These regulations, encompassing everything from ingredient proportions to temperature control, serve as the bedrock for preserving product integrity. The ripple effects of control measures extend to critical aspects such as shelf life, spoilage prevention, waste reduction, and optimal resource utilisation. Automating safety and control Food safety isn’t just a top priority for businesses that value their customer base - future business success is on the line as well. Food & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net PROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION It’s a symbiotic relationship in which control processes ensure your compliance, while making food production more sufficient, and more sustainable through optimisation of resources like energy, water, and raw materials. The interconnectedness of these facets underscores the pivotal role that control and monitoring play in shaping a business’s reputation and, consequently, its ability to build trust with consumers. This prospect is often daunting, but it’s also where automation comes in to make controlling your processes and their outcomes easier. From here on out, let’s look at where machine efficiency and intelligence can make every job along the line quicker, safer, and more connected to customer satisfaction at the same time. Ensuring top-notch quality across your various processes, likely involving numerous team members and touchpoints within the food and beverage supply chain, is undeniably a complex task. The challenge becomes even more pronounced when attempting to consistently monitor and guarantee the quality of ingredients, particularly in the presence of outdated systems which aren’t integrated for fluidity. Here, automation emerges as a game-changer, offering a solution to enhance the efficiency of your production lines, optimise the utilisation of ingredients, and elevate overall food safety measures. Solutions like real-time data collection and analysis, automated inspection systems, and built-in supply chain traceability serve as safeguards against potential errors that may arise from human involvement, contributing to a more reliable and consistent production process. As your production lines diversify with an expanding array of ingredients, maintaining uniformity in taste, quality, and texture becomes increasingly vital, influencing the purchasing decisions of your customers. The incorporation of automated technology, even right down to the biochemical level with chromatographs and spectrometers, allows for comprehensive management of your entire food production process on multiple macro and micro scales. Beyond streamlining operations, this approach significantly reduces the risk of product recalls, thereby safeguarding your brand image and fostering consumer trust. Leveraging automation not only brings about heightened efficiency throughout your operations but also enables you to maintain consistently high output rates. The advantage lies in the ability of technology to operate around the clock, with intermittent breaks for maintenance, often surpassing human capabilities in terms of efficiency. Moreover, automation facilitates the acquisition of intelligent data insights from your production line. These insights prove invaluable in refining your maintenance response times, allowing you to swiftly address any 24 Á © stock.adobe.com/aicandy24 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION issues and prevent unnecessary energy wastage. Consider the example of a smart factory equipped with Internet of Things (IoT) devices. These devices seamlessly collect data on machinery performance, even as you receive analysis for the quality of your food, drinks and their ingredients. Real-time access to this data creates opportunities to enhance your response time by providing immediate alerts when maintenance is required. This proactive approach is instrumental in ensuring optimal operational efficiency and minimising downtime. Automation further revolutionises the nature of work by alleviating your workforce from monotonous tasks and tackling even the most hazardous jobs across your production lines. This transformative technology not only enhances efficiency but also liberates your team to concentrate on mission- critical responsibilities. Remember that a significant proportion of manufacturing accidents in 2022 were attributed to falls or injuries during tasks involving heavy lifting, such as machinery. By automating tasks like packing and cutting in production areas, you not only mitigate the risk of injury to your workforce but also expedite overall output. As well as fully robotic automation of tasks, collaborative robots or ‘cobots’ can be brought in to work alongside humans. They can be intuitively Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk www.welwyntoolgroup.co.uk Hot Air delivered direct to the point of application HOTWINDMISTRALVULCANFood & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net PROCESS, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION assigned any potentially risky jobs, while also handling a wide range of repetitive tasks that could weigh on the energy or focus of human workers. Protecting employee health and happiness is in your interests here, as many slower and more tiresome objectives get a speed boost with robot help, taking efficiency that much further. The safety dividend extends to long- term benefits, notably reducing maintenance costs. Navigating new regulations often involves additional training for your workforce or acquiring new equipment, both of which are time-consuming and may necessitate investment in costly safety gear. Here’s where automation shines. It facilitates a swift adaptation to new industry norms, simply requiring updates to existing hardware and software to meet compliance standards. This streamlined approach not only ensures safety but also spares you the complexities associated with compliance changes, ultimately contributing to a safer, more efficient, and cost-effective work environment. By embracing automation, your business ensures seamless and efficient processes with quick, reliable management and deep data-enabled insights. But an automated production line also positions itself to deliver high- quality products consistently, reinforcing your commitment to excellence in the eyes of your valued customers. Our extensive product range includes: Innovative, system-compatible air heaters Powerful, robust blowers Compact, flexible hot-air blowers Comprehensive range of accessories 3 Heat output & air volume steplessly adjustable with potentiometers 3 Integrated temperature controls 3 Integrated temperature probes 3 Protection against heating elements or devices overheating 3 Brushless power motors 3 Integrated power electronics © stock.adobe.com/chokniti © stock.adobe.com/Bussarin © stock.adobe.com/Itsanan26 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net TRACEABILITY Safety, quality, and transparency Traceability – it’s complicated, time-consuming, and costly. Increasingly, the ability to trace not just the finished product, but the ingredients that go into it, is an eminent cornerstone of food manufacturing. Food & Drink International 27 www.fdiforum.net TRACEABILITY W hile often overlooked by consumers navigating supermarket aisles, they will certainly notice in the event of a recall or issue with their product. The intricate system, spanning the journey from farm to fork, meticulously tracks product trajectories, cultivating accountability, reducing risks, and upholding the paramount benchmarks for safety and quality. Its role is pivotal in safeguarding the authenticity and reliability of consumables at every stage of their journey through the production cycle. In an era where consumers demand more information about the products they consume, traceability emerges as a key factor in bolstering consumer confidence. Knowing the origin of ingredients, how far they have travelled, and the processes they underwent instils a sense of trust in not just the product, but the company they’re purchasing from. This transparency reassures consumers about the safety and authenticity of what they’re purchasing. One must consider the globalized nature of our modern food supply: a bag of coffee beans might navigate multiple continents, undergoing various treatments, and passing through numerous hands before reaching the consumer. Traceability enables the tracking of each step, thereby minimizing the risks associated with contamination, fraudulent practices, or unforeseen issues such as mistakes in processing or packaging. In the event of a foodborne illness outbreak or a quality concern, swift and precise traceability mechanisms facilitate targeted recalls, limiting the impact on consumers and preventing widespread health crises. Due to the confidence this gives consumers, many manufacturers are choosing to describe the origin of their products. In 2021, 40% of consumers reported that knowing where their food comes from is important for them. Therefore, advertising the traceability of food and beverage products can directly lead to sales. Furthermore, traceability plays a crucial role in ethical sourcing and sustainability. Consumers are increasingly conscious of the environmental and social impact of their purchases. Traceability systems enable companies to verify the sustainability credentials of their suppliers, ensuring that products are sourced responsibly, promoting fair labour practices, and reducing environmental harm. For example, 61% of © stock.adobe.com/metamorworks © stock.adobe.com/siripimon2525 28 ÁApply Now… 0044 (0) 20 8446 7127 info@halalfoodauthority.com www.halalfoodauthority.com London - Ireland - Belgium EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES Get Halal Certified Halal Food Authority is an industry leading Halal Food Certification Company. We specialise in Halal Certification of Food and Non-Food items including cosmetics, logistics, chemicals, additives & aromas, cleaning substances, packaging, pharmaceutical, ingredients and much more. Our certification is globally recognised including GCC countries and other developing markets such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Turkiye, Pakistan and rest of the world. 28 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net TRACEABILITY consumers report choosing fairtrade products over other offerings. Whilst location is the foremost thought when discussing traceability, consumers demonstrably appreciate the additional information about the products they purchase. Beyond safety, traceability is instrumental in ensuring top-notch quality across the entire supply chain. By meticulously documenting each stage of production, manufacturers can identify potential bottlenecks or inefficiencies, allowing for continuous improvement. This level of oversight empowers producers to make data-driven decisions, optimize processes, and maintain consistent quality standards. Moreover, traceability promotes accountability among suppliers and stakeholders. With clear records of every component involved, it becomes easier to pinpoint the source of issues or inconsistencies. This, in turn, encourages greater responsibility and adherence to stringent quality benchmarks throughout the supply chain. So how can this quality and accountability be best achieved? Traceability systems are ever evolving to become more comprehensive, efficient, and sustainable. Whilst this does require regular research from manufacturers and investment in the latest tech, it can be seen as insurance should something go wrong. Blockchain, for instance, has emerged as a game-changer in ensuring data immutability and transparency. By leveraging blockchain technology, companies can create an unalterable record of every transaction and movement within the supply chain, enhancing traceability and authenticity. A blockchain operates via a sequential link of digital information blocks forming a locked database. Rather than relying on multiple bodies within the supply chain to share information and documents through a centralized database or ledger, a distributed ledger system allows each participant access to a comprehensive database. This ledger assigns a unique identifier to every product and automatically registers its origin and the complete roster of activities it undergoes— encompassing alterations, transactions, and quality assessments—within the blockchain. In the event of an issue, pinpointing the exact source becomes significantly more manageable due to this complete record-keeping capability. Its immutability ensures that altering one block necessitates changing all preceding blocks, thereby fostering unparalleled accountability and precision. Blockchain is widely adopted but considered an important starting point for high-level traceability. To go one step further, equipping delivery vehicles with RFID (Radio- Frequency Identification) devices, and top-of-the-range satnav’s make a huge difference to tracking capabilities. These technologies enable real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, location, and other vital parameters, ensuring the integrity of perishable goods and Food & Drink International 29 www.fdiforum.net TRACEABILITY enhancing overall supply chain visibility. If a product arrives in a less than ideal condition, the manufacturer can recall it before it hits the shelves. Furthermore, the use of tracing technology has become pivotal in driving product innovation and raising consumer expectations. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into traceability systems holds the promise of predictive analytics, allowing for proactive risk management and quality control. Moreover, the concept of ‘smart packaging’ embedded with sensors and QR codes linking to detailed product information is gaining traction. This innovation provides consumers with instant access to comprehensive data about the product’s journey, fostering a deeper connection between producers and consumers. In essence, traceability within food and drink manufacturing is not merely a technicality but a linchpin for ensuring safety, quality, and transparency. Manufacturers should see the efficiency of their tracing system as a testament to their commitment to meeting the highest standards while adapting to ever-changing consumer preferences and global challenges. As consumers continue to prioritize health, sustainability, and ethical practices, the importance of robust traceability systems will only amplify. By embracing technological innovations and fostering collaboration across the supply chain, the food and beverage industry can pave the way for a future where every product’s journey from farm to table is transparent, safe, and of the utmost quality. Food Care Solutions aims to help our clients achieve their aims. We have helped food businesses throughout the UK since 2003 with our services, including: • Food Safety and Food Quality • BRC and FSSC 22000 certification • Supplier Auditing • Training • Hygiene Inspections & Internal Audits • Complaints & Incidents Management Tel: 01933 276 400 • Mob: 07811 192545 • Email: victor@foodsafeconsult.co.uk • Web: www.food-care.co.uk FOOD CARE SOLUTIONS FOOD CARE SOLUTIONS © stock.adobe.com/progressmanNext >