With margins tighter than ever, food and beverage manufacturers can’t afford downtime, inefficiency, or waste. Staying competitive depends on squeezing every drop of value your assets – without sacrificing quality or compliance. 

In this article, we look at how food and beverage manufacturers can improve asset performance and the role of digitisation in building a factory of the future. 

The current state of asset performance in the food and beverage manufacturing industry 

Research shows that many manufacturers are running below the healthy benchmark of 70% asset utilisation. In fact, some industry case studies show performance as low as 68% – a clear sign that critical equipment often isn’t being used to its full potential. For food and beverage manufacturers, that should raise a red flag. It means there’s a lot of opportunities for improvement sitting on the factory floor – and it’s costing time, money and competitive edge. 

Reactive maintenance is one of the common barriers to improving asset performance. Waiting until equipment breaks to fix it is not only disruptive, but it’s expensive, unpredictable, and damaging to your reputation. Compared to predictive approaches, reactive maintenance can cost 30–40% more, due to emergency repairs, last-minute part sourcing, and unplanned downtime. 

And in the food and beverage industry, it can cause serious problems. For example, a vacuum packer failure or a metal contaminant slipping through can lead to product recalls, lost revenue – and worse, lost consumer trust. That’s not just an operational issue. That’s brand damage. 

Having little or no proactive maintenance also puts equipment at regular risk of suddenly being unavailable and bringing a halt to production. On average, manufacturers lose around $260,000 per hour during downtime. That means lost revenue, supply chain disruption, and missed opportunities you don’t get back. 

Then there’s the volume of data generated today by food and beverage manufacturers and the challenge of trying to get meaningful information from it. The first hurdle to overcome is to make sure the data you’re using is actually valid. Without good data, even the best systems can lead you in the wrong direction. 

Increase asset performance with smarter digital tools 

If you’re looking to improve asset utilisation, digitising your maintenance program is a good place to start. This can help you move from constantly firefighting to proactively forward planning – and get more of your assets than you thought possible. Here’s how: 

• Process optimisation – by gathering data from various points in your manufacturing process, like production lines, equipment, and sensors, you can analyse and pinpoint inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas that need improvement. This makes it possible to refine processes, improve yields, and deliver more consistent production. 

• Quality control – AI-driven tools are raising the bar for inspection and accuracy. From visual checks to sensor-based measurements, smart systems can spot quality defects faster and more reliably – reducing waste and avoiding costly recalls. 

• Predictive maintenance – using data to spot early warning signs means you can schedule maintenance before potential failures happen. That means fewer breakdowns, lower repair costs, and far less unplanned downtime. It’s not just smarter – it’s more cost-effective. 

Technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things are making all of this possible – connecting machines, automating decisions, and creating a real-time flow of actionable data across your operation. And it’s working: Deloitte’s latest Smart Manufacturing survey found that 92% of manufacturers say smart manufacturing is set to be their main driver of competitiveness over the next three years. 

So, it’s no surprise that food and beverage manufacturers are prioritising digital transformation, given its significant impact on operational efficiency and supply chain resilience. Let’s look at the other benefits of digitising your equipment maintenance:   

Cut costs and boost asset value 

Digitising your equipment maintenance doesn’t just improve how often equipment is serviced — it makes sure it’s done at the right time, based on real need. That means no more over-inspecting or guessing — just smarter, more consistent maintenance that reduces unplanned downtime, cuts repair costs, and extends asset life. 

Digital technologies also give you real-time visibility into energy usage, helping you identify high-consumption equipment and take action. This leads to reduced operating costs and improved profit margins. 

Save time and streamline decision-making 

With the right food and beverage manufacturing software in place, all your maintenance data sits in one system, meaning no more manual data entry, duplicated effort, or digging through spreadsheets. Teams can instantly access real-time information on equipment status, work history, and performance, leading to faster, better decisions across the board. 

Enable cross-team collaboration   

Cloud-based maintenance solutions open the door to a more agile, connected way of working. With real-time access to data from anywhere, your teams can collaborate seamlessly — whether they’re on the factory floor, in the office, or on the move. 

Here’s what that looks like in action: 

• Create, schedule, and assign maintenance tasks to the right people — quickly and clearly 

• View, update, and complete tasks in real time — and automatically notify relevant teams 

• Track progress, resolve issues, and stay aligned — with full visibility over what’s been done, by who, and when 

Access actionable insights in real-time    

When you can see the full picture of your maintenance operations in real time, you can act faster, plan smarter, and reduce waste. From knowing the status of every task to understanding exactly which equipment is available (and when), digital technologies give you the insights you need to stay in control. 

And in food and beverage manufacturing, that control is non-negotiable. You’re relying on tightly managed conditions — like temperature, humidity, and contamination control. Alerts that flag a temperature drop or detect metal debris can be the difference between a quick fix and a costly product recall. 

Become a more sustainable business    

Sustainability is becoming a business imperative. Today’s consumers are making it clear: they expect ethical, responsible practices from the companies they buy from. In fact, a Deloitte survey found that one in three say they’ve stopped purchasing certain products or brands due to sustainability concerns. 

And manufacturers are taking note. According to a recent Boston Consulting Group/CO₂ AI survey, companies that use AI in their climate strategies are 4.5 times more likely to see significant reductions in carbon emissions. 

In food and beverage manufacturing, precision matters. Tools like optical scanners and AI-powered cutting systems can dramatically reduce waste — slicing meat and fish clean to the bone, or removing only the damaged leaves from a salad. But for this to work at scale, those systems need to be properly calibrated and integrated — otherwise, you risk losing the very efficiencies you're aiming for. 

Addressing the challenges of technology adoption 

We all know the potential of digital transformation — but scaling it effectively is where many food and beverage manufacturers struggle. A recent IoT Analytics survey in partnership with Microsoft, found that industry leaders face similar challenges: 

• A shortage of in-house data and analytics skills 

• Poor or inconsistent change management 

• Disconnected IT and OT systems that don’t integrate properly 

• Limited visibility across devices, equipment, and operational systems 

I’ve seen these issues first-hand with many of our customers in food and beverage manufacturing. Digital initiatives often stall when systems don’t talk to each other, when teams aren’t supported, or when there’s no clear roadmap to guide the transition. 

In the next section, we’ll break down these challenges — and show how to move past them. 

Limited technological infrastructure  

 
Older or less technologically advanced companies often face the same challenge: outdated or disconnected infrastructure. Without the right foundations in place, strategies like predictive maintenance can be difficult to implement — let alone scale effectively. 

Cloud platforms such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Infor CloudSuite offer a practical way forward, bringing maintenance, production, and supply chain operations onto a single, integrated system. This unified view helps break down silos and makes it easier to prioritise digital initiatives based on real business value. 

If your digital platform needs modernising, knowing where to begin can be the hardest part. A practical starting point is to approach transformation in manageable phases. Breaking initiatives into smaller, prioritised projects reduces risk, delivers early wins, and helps accelerate ROI. 

Structured delivery methods can make a real difference. Approaches focused on early value creation, clear milestones, and continuous feedback help maintain momentum and make sure nothing important gets missed along the way. 

Managing organisational culture change  

We always advise our food and beverage manufacturing customers that successful transformation isn’t just about technology — it’s about people. Adoption only happens when teams trust the tools, understand the insights, and see the value for themselves. 

That’s why it's so important to prioritise initiatives by business value, anticipate where resistance might arise, and support teams through the change. When cultural alignment is overlooked, it doesn’t matter what technology is being introduced — it’s likely to fail. 

Your change strategy shouldn’t be static. It needs to evolve alongside your business, with room to respond to feedback and adjust course as needed. 

In industries like fish farming, for instance, digitising tools for maintaining vessels, managing feed, or monitoring sea pool conditions can significantly stabilise production. But it’s just as critical to help users adjust to these new systems and embedding those changes into everyday routines. 

Our advice is always the same: approach transformation with empathy, clarity, and consistent reinforcement — that’s how short-term adoption becomes long-term success. 

Complexity of data analysis  

Advanced data analysis requires more than just tools — it needs skilled people who can turn raw data into real insight. Expertise in analytics and machine learning is essential for spotting patterns, detecting anomalies, and predicting equipment failures before they happen. 

It’s no surprise, then, that nearly 65% of manufacturers say attracting and retaining talent is their primary business challenge, according to a Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute study. 

But it’s not just about technical capability. With so many digital platforms available, navigating what’s right for your organisation — and avoiding unnecessary complexity — can be just as challenging. 

That’s where working with experts who understand the specific demands of food and beverage manufacturing can make a real difference. They can help close skill gaps, accelerate progress, and keep internal teams focused on high-priority work. Whether it’s enabling yield and waste optimisation, batch traceability, cost-to-produce analysis, or linking process data across supply chain stages — deep sector knowledge helps you focus your efforts on where they’ll deliver the most value. 

Incomplete integration of IT—OT  

For many manufacturers, integrating IT and OT systems remains a major challenge. Without a connected enterprise architecture, it becomes hard to collect consistent data, monitor assets in real time, or roll out solutions like predictive maintenance at scale. 

That’s because these technologies rely on a steady flow of information — from connected sensors to the systems making decisions off the back of it. Yes, it requires upfront investment in infrastructure, sensors, and software. But if you're aiming to boost efficiency, reduce downtime, and stay competitive, this kind of integration is essential. 

By working with experts who understand how food and beverage operations work, and how to align industry best practice with your strategic goals, they can help you move faster without adding unnecessary complexity. 

When IT and OT come together, the benefits go beyond operations. You’re suddenly in a position to make smarter, faster decisions — based on a full picture of what’s happening across your business. From improving line performance to responding faster to customer needs, connected systems give you the agility today’s market demands. 

Your first step toward smarter operations 

Smarter operations start with better decisions — and that begins with visibility into how your assets are performing. 

By connecting data across systems, teams, and equipment, you can move beyond reactive thinking and start making proactive, insight-led improvements. It’s how food and beverage manufacturers are improving asset performance, increasing uptime, and getting more value from every part of their operation. 

If you're looking to get more from your existing systems or you're ready to kick off new transformation initiatives, it’s always worth a conversation. Feel free to get in touch below.