PLM systems for the F&B market must be able to support the gamut of iterative innovation. This can range from incremental innovation such as brand extensions to disruptive innovation resulting in new to the world products. The system must therefore support entire finished products, and all of their unique components whether they might be a reformulation of a recipe, or the introduction of new packaging. So, finding innovative ways to managing customer needs and product portfolios, is critically important. To stay competitive, food and beverage manufacturers must be able to manage the influx of new product ideas against the churn of changing requests and requirements and filter those ideas into a portfolio of products that are profitable for the company.
To achieve not only speed, but speed with accuracy, F&B manufacturers need to be able to model manufacturing processes and simulate manufacturing lines to ensure that these new food and beverage products, or new packaging, can actually be made on the existing lines through existing capacity and equipment. And there is a constant right brain/left brain collaboration between creative (brand and product management) and technical (manufacturing) that needs to occur to ensure what is imagined and designed, can actually be made and delivered to market on time. ERP or MES systems do not enable this iterative collaboration. Only PLM, as many F&B manufacturers have come to realize, provides the bridge for solid decision making between the virtual (ideas, images, designs) and the physical (manufacturing process, plant, equipment).
There are three primary benefits that PLM provides F&B manufacturers:
• Smarter brand planning and consistency
• Better brand innovation and execution
• Consistent brand compliance and sustainability
These are really the three areas F&B manufacturers must focus on in developing new products from innovation, to management, to delivering the brand in a compliant and sustainable way.