Today’s food manufacturers face extremely complex challenges in planning and logistics. There are the predictable fluctuations brought about by the change of seasons and holidays—from frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving to spikes in ice cream demand around the Fourth of July. Add to that the fluctuations that manufacturers cannot predict—an early freeze in the orange groves disrupting supply or a new competitive offering suddenly arriving in the marketplace. Finally, there are shifts in consumer preferences that can have significant strategic implications, such as an increasing emphasis on healthier choices.
How can manufacturers prepare for these challenges, both predictable and unpredictable? It requires careful contingency planning and proactive management of critical production assets. Today’s emerging Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies can play a valuable role in a number of key areas.