See how a tailored, industry-specific approach to automation and digital technologies can help food and beverage producers turn complexity into clarity – and make smarter decisions every day.
Food and beverage production is evolving fast. Rising costs, shifting regulations, and changing consumer demands are pushing producers to be more agile, efficient and resilient. The right A&D solutions simplify complexity and support smarter decisions every day.
But how do you make sure those solutions deliver where it matters most – on your factory floor? “It’s not enough to offer great technology,” says Alessandro Zardini, Director, Automation and Solutions, “It’s the solutions you build with that technology that really matter.”
Here are six ways a tailored, industry-specific approach to A&D can unlock real value.
Reducing TCO isn’t just about cutting expenses – it’s about understanding where value is created and lost across your entire operation. From raw material intake to finished goods leaving the warehouse, every step is an opportunity to improve efficiency. By connecting data across equipment, lines and systems, you gain a clearer view of performance, supporting smarter decisions and more predictable costs.
What makes a real difference is when these technologies are purpose-built for the food and beverage industry. “With decades of experience in food production, we’ve developed a portfolio that’s modular, scalable, and built to integrate with your existing setup, whether it’s Tetra Pak or third-party equipment. From intuitive operator interfaces to advanced analytics and AI-driven business apps, our solutions are designed to optimise performance across the full lifecycle of your operations,” says Zardini.
Mengniu, one of China’s leading dairy producers, achieved this at scale. The World Economic Forum recently recognised their Ningxia site as a Lighthouse factory, meaning they see it as a global industry leader driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) through digital transformation in manufacturing. Co-designed with Tetra Pak, the factory leverages more than 30 advanced 4IR use cases, including real-time performance monitoring and automated routing to the most suitable equipment. These innovations helped Mengniu reduce operational costs by 32%, cut delivery lead times by 55%, and lower quality defects by 60%.
Energy, water and product loss are among the biggest cost drivers in food and beverage production. Add to that, they’re under growing scrutiny from regulators, retailers and consumers. But, without the right visibility in your operations, it’s hard to know where to start when you want to address these issues.
A&D solutions help you take control. By monitoring resource use in real time and analysing cleaning and production processes, you can identify inefficiencies, reduce overuse, and make smarter decisions.
“When you can accurately analyse the data, you can pinpoint and understand where the issues are,” says Zardini. “That’s been our focus: make data meaningful, not just available. And that’s only possible when you know what to look for, and why it matters in a food production context.”
That clarity helped a Brazilian dairy producer uncover inefficiencies in their cleaning processes. With a clean-in-place (CIP) performance analysis tool installed, they could identify where water and energy were being overused. Within a year, they cut operational costs by 30% and reduced downtime. This, simply because they could see and understand the impact of everyday decisions regarding their CIP system.
As product lines grow more complex, maintaining consistent quality becomes more challenging. Manual routines can’t always keep up, and siloed data makes it difficult to spot issues before they escalate.
A digital quality management system brings structure and visibility to every step of the process. It centralises quality data, automates sampling and testing routines, and guides operators in real time. “Quality isn’t just about catching defects – it’s about preventing them,” says Zardini. “That means having the right data, in the right place, at the right moment.”
With flexible sampling modes, product-level customisation, and integration across all equipment, you gain the precision and control needed to meet both internal standards and customer expectations. And, with built-in KPIs, you can track performance, troubleshoot faster, and drive continuous improvement.
A European dairy producer saw the benefits firsthand after digitising their quality routines. By automating sampling and connecting it to their filling machines, they reduced test deviations, improved traceability, and cut operator workload, all without compromising quality.
From food safety to sustainability and cyber security, staying compliant is demanding.
“There’s no room for guesswork when it comes to compliance,” says Zardini. “Producers need systems that are reliable, secure and built to evolve with the regulations.”
That’s why our solutions are designed with built-in traceability, robust cyber security, and the flexibility to adapt. They connect operations across the factory floor and link them to business systems, letting information flows both ways – with nothing getting lost in translation.
And, because regulations vary by region, you get support from both global expertise centres and local teams. They work together to help you navigate requirements wherever you operate.
A Spanish producer of sauces and mayonnaise saw the impact of this approach when they automated their mixing area. By integrating production with their Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and Manufacturing execution system (MES), they gained full control over operations and materials. The result was not just improved efficiency, but a food safety process that was more secure and effective, with better traceability and fewer product losses – all with less reliance on manual oversight.
As roles on the factory floor become more complex and technology-driven, producers need to create environments where people can thrive regardless of their background or experience level.
By simplifying tasks, guiding operators through routines, and providing intuitive interfaces, A&D tools help teams work more confidently and efficiently while also reducing the risk of errors.
“People do their best work when they feel supported,” says Zardini. “Digital systems provide structure, clarity, and real-time feedback – so operators can focus on what matters.”
In a complex production environment, even small inefficiencies can add up. That’s why production visibility matters. When you know not just what’s happening, but when, where, and why, you can gain valuable connected insights. With these insights and the right data in the right context, producers can spot the root causes of issues, uncover hidden opportunities, and make confident decisions.
“We want to create set-ups where customers see small improvements every day,” Zardini. “When you find all those little things that aren’t major issues but still frustrating, they add up – and our customers start to see real change. You can only do that kind of work with a holistic view.”
And the more data you gather, the more powerful those insights become. As systems accumulate information over time – or expand to include new sources – the analytics grow more nuanced, revealing patterns that weren’t visible before.
“It’s a process that feeds into itself,” Zardini explains. “It continuously generates new ways to improve operations.”
What's your challenge? Let's solve it.
In a fast-changing industry, agility isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. That’s why our A&D solutions are designed to grow with you. They’re modular and scalable, so you can add capabilities as your needs evolve, instead of committing to a full-scale overhaul upfront.
“You may not be leading the market, but you need to be a fast follower. In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the ability to adapt quickly can be just as powerful as being first. That’s why agility matters, not just in strategy, but in the systems that support your operations,” says Zardini.
“What makes our solutions truly agile is their ability to integrate across the entire factory floor – including legacy systems and third-party equipment. That means any part of your process can adapt when needed,” he adds.
We know every producer’s journey is different. Market pressures, operational histories, and strategic goals vary widely. That’s why we always start with a conversation: we listen first, then build solutions together.
Because, lasting change doesn’t come from technology alone. It comes from combining the right tools with deep industry knowledge and a collaborative partnership.
Ready to start the conversation? Let’s explore your challenges – and prepare your factory floor for what’s next.
