The 2015 Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends Survey found that optimism is high in the industry. Three-quarters of respondents plan to hire new staff in 2015 and over a third expect to increase capital spending. Food safety remains the top concern, though it is less prominent than in 2014. Companies are focused on automation, skills training, and sustainability initiatives to support growth in the coming year.

1. Upbeat growth
prospects energize
the food and
beverage industry
Optimism permeates the food and beverage industry, according to Food
Processing magazine’s 2015 Manufacturing Trends Survey. From confidence
about the future to increased capital spending, the outlook is bright and focused
on growth. Here are the key findings shaping the food and beverage industry
this year and the strategies you need to ride the optimism wave in a balanced,
effective way.
14th Annual Food and Beverage
Manufacturing Trends Survey
Bright outlook to boost spending, hiring plans
Food safety tops concerns
Food safety is still the No. 1 issue, but less salient than in 2014 (51% vs. 59%).
In 2015, food and beverage
companies are more likely to:
Plans to automate the entire production line have more than doubled compared with 2014 (29% vs. 12%).
Steady focus on sustainability, energy conservation
Eyes are back on automation, performance improvement
Companies gear up to find skilled talent
About the survey
The 2015 survey is based on responses from 177 Food Processing magazine readers collected in October–November 2014. Respondents represent a
wide spectrum of food processing sectors, with the greatest concentration (13%) in meat/poultry/seafood, followed by baked goods, further processed
and specialty foods, and confectionery and snack foods. About 80% of respondents represent companies with headcounts of less than 500.
are optimistic
about 2015
Top 5 safety and sanitation practices
Operations and
packaging automation
are also targeted in 2015
More companies are using total quality management
to improve performance than in 2014 (30% vs. 24%).
Compared with 2014, fewer
companies report relying on
Many companies
still rely on staff
suggestions for
improvement.
to improve quality and
performance in 2015
76%
are planning to
hire new staff
36%
are planning to
increase capital
spending
46%
Employee
training
Third-party
certification
HACCP
plan
Improved
pest control
program
Improved
sanitary
equipment
1 in 3 companies say green initiatives
are more important in 2015 than in 2014.
1 in 3 companies will partner with
community colleges and participate in
campus recruitment to boost hiring efforts.
up sharply from
67% in 2014
up from 31%
in 2014
up sharply from
37% in 2014
23%Operations
2015 2014
16% 44% increase
Packaging 14% increase40% 35%
OEE data 5 sigma
Lean
manufacturing
Value stream
mapping
6-year trends on 5 key indicators
Optimism brightens up food and beverage industry’s expectations for 2015
Optimism
Capital spending increase
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Percentage
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
“Companies are
reinventing themselves
and how they engage
consumers; they have
uncorked innovation that
they have kept bottled up
for the last several years.”
— Dexter Manning,
Food and Beverage
Practice Leader
“No one can be
sustainable on an
island. Education of
stakeholders is job one
for companies moving
toward sustainable
business practices.”
— Dexter Manning
73% 41% 40%
48%
38% 34%
“We see more and
more companies asking
their staff to weigh in on
product manufacturing and
innovation. That’s because
people want to work for a
company where they can
truly make a difference.”
— Jeff Pera, Partner
Expand
in-house
technical
training
Hire more line
operators for
semiautomated
tasks
Outsource
more job
functions
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Production growth
Planning for green initiatives
Hiring new staff
Reductions in
electricity usage
Efficient lighting Energy usage
monitoring
39% 18%29%
Least popular energy conservation strategies
Alternative fuels Long-term agreements
with renewable
energy providers
Holding back on
natural gas efficiencies
8% 9%6%
Top 3 energy management strategies
Compared with 2014,
more than twice as
many companies report
IFS food certification in
2015 (18% vs. 7%).