The future food and beverage industry

A new PMMI market research report looks at the trends and technology advancements that will change the landscape of the food processing industry, highlighting the latest functionality requirements of equipment.

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The consumer megatrends shaping the future of the food industry range from local sourcing to on-the-go eating to a rise in organic foods and clean labels (understanding the ingredients on the food labels). While these things may seem extraneous to the manufacturing of food, they actually have a tremendous influence on the way products are made.

According to a new market research report from PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the move toward healthier and more convenient options is an opportunity for OEMs. The report, called 2017 Trends in Food Processing Operations, analyzes intelligence from 40 interviews and 150 references. The findings reveal that markets, channels and technology are changing the way consumers will purchase food over the next 15 years, which may bring significant change to manufacturing and sourcing.

To meet consumer demands, there is a need for food processors to reformulate products by using healthier sustainable ingredients, adding protein, vitamins and antioxidants to food, and labeling products as allergen free, gluten free, non-GMO, or organic and antibiotic free. Furthermore, sugar is increasingly being eliminated or reduced in foods, while steps are being taken to extend the shelf life of food. And top of mind for all is preventing counterfeit goods from infiltrating the supply chain. If there is a need for a recall, manufacturers need to act responsibly and proactively.

Taking all of these market dynamics into account, manufacturers predict increasing the use of automation and robotics to bring more flexible machinery in to efficiently run production lines. Four out of five companies have more than 100 product SKUs and over half predict SKUs will continue to increase, driving the need for faster changeover.

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