Most people associate ecological or carbon footprints with lifestyle factors, like carbon dioxide emissions from transportation and the consumption of electricity, water, oil and coal.
Food engineers and recipe-based manufacturers who understand the buying habits of consumers know that their consideration of our natural resources and the size of their footprint is a decisive factor for most customers.
Food manufactures under fire
A recent study produced by NGO Global chastised three of the largest and most popular agribusiness food manufacturers in the U.S. for producing a carbon footprint larger than the Netherlands, Vietnam or Columbia.
Another study, by Oklahoma State University, focused on processes and procedures for BBQ sauce and marinades. It detailed the costs and energy emissions associated with manufacturing recipe-based food products.
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This study is particularly informative as it considers both the upstream and downstream (farming, research and development, manufacturing, distribution, retail, consumer use and disposal) components of the process.
Nearly 80 percent of all CO2 emissions in the food and beverage industry are due to production – less than 10 percent are attributable to transportation and warehousing.
This is good news for recipe-based manufacturers as these processes are often within their control.
Global Footprint Network experts are vigorously addressing the subject of finite resources and carbon footprints to accurately quantify human resource consumption.
As they become more aware, global food engineers, producers and manufacturing organizations are adjusting their environmental management to leave smaller carbon footprints.
Data: manual or digital
The manual capture, entry, and processing of data is often rife with human error. With manual data management, proper environmental supervision is virtually impossible, as are traceability and comprehensive analysis of products and ingredients.
Organizations that employ PLM systems to achieve automatization and advanced essential processes have a substantial advantage in the marketplace.
Innovative solution – PLM
Innovation for ecological awareness and the reduction of carbon footprints begins with the efficient and effective adjustment of processes and workflows.
Recipe-based manufacturing and food engineering involve massive amounts of data that must be managed in an environmentally friendly – yet efficient, effective and transparent way.
This information includes proprietary designs and recipes and consumer data that is crucial for customer retention and long-term success. It is the foundation of your business and provides the blueprint for most daily tasks.
Transparency is imperative – but there is no transparency without traceability. Product lifecycle management solutions are designed to accurately integrate and provide cross-functional support for the most complex aspects of recipe-based product development.
Seamless, connected, data-driven solution
Global food and beverage markets take no prisoners; they demand that manufacturers be nimble, proactive, rapidly reactive, light on their feet and able to respond to the whims of consumers in seconds – not minutes.
In order to keep up with customer and consumer needs – while simultaneously increasing environmental awareness and reducing ecological and carbon footprints – manufacturers must have seamless, connected, data-driven solutions.
PLM software establishes and improves processes and makes your business more flexible.
Recipe-based manufacturing organizations can become more efficient and effective from end-to end, accurately integrate and provide cross-functional support with a trusted, agile product development system that minimizes risk and allows for the use of data as a strategic asset – and provides the information necessary to manage and reduce ecological and carbon footprints.
Featured Image © shutterstuck / Hywit Dimyadi