A collaboration between the UK government and the F&B industry dubbed the Made Smarter adoption program is expanding to help small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) food and drink manufacturers adopt digital technology. 

The program has already supported hundreds of businesses in the UK’s North West to deliver an additional £176 million (US$242 million) in gross value added through “demystifying digitalization.”

The program aims to help F&B businesses most vulnerable to the challenges facing “the perfect storm” of the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit and the drive toward net-zero emissions.

“While the North West is home to some of the food industry’s biggest names such as Nestlé, Heinz, and Kellogg’s, it is also brimming with innovative SMEs working hard to ensure we continue to enjoy our favorite food and drink from farm to fork,” says Alain Dilworth, North West adoption program manager at Made Smarter. 

“Despite the pressures many SMEs face, these businesses have shown resilience and determination to keep up with the fast-moving industry and are working with Made Smarter on their digital transformation,” adds Dilworth. 

The program aims to help SME F&B businesses most hit by the pandemic.Installing technology 
The program has worked with dozens of SMEs across the entire supply chain to capitalize on a multitude of digitalization benefits.

Technologies are not only helping producers overcome challenges but also to unlock a whole host of opportunities, according to Made Smarter. These include using robotics and process control technologies to improve sustainability and automating data collection points to create a line of traceability.

Through impartial expert technology advice and match funding on technology projects, digital transformation workshops help manufacturers take their first steps. The leadership program offers digital technology internships and skills development, helping businesses in the sector increase productivity, achieve sustainable growth and create new high-value jobs.

The Made Smarter program has produced “crucial guidance” on digital technologies, infrastructure management, increasing control, reducing waste, boosting environmental sustainability, enhancing traceability and how to hit new trends.

Partnerships abound
Industry partners include producers of salad, fruit, potatoes, cheese, yogurt, baby food, flavorings, and pet food, as well as bakers, confectioners, breweries and health and nutrition specialists. 

One manufacturer of vegan and free-from protein bars, Nutree Life, based in Burscough, experienced a sudden upsurge of orders at the beginning of the first pandemic lockdown. 

But having adopted a bespoke solution to upgrade their production line earlier in the year, with support from Made Smarter, they were primed to fulfill this demand through high volume, high speed and more precise production. 

Program guidance includes the use of robotics and process control technologies.The success accelerated Nutree Life’s digitalization plans to upgrade a second production line with the same advanced technology and linking the entire system to harness more data to improve performance.

The business is now on target to almost quadruple its turnover and has doubled its workforce.

Patrick Mroczak, co-founder and CEO, says: “With other food producers cutting ranges to focus on volume, customers are looking for alternatives, which has created an opportunity for us. There is no doubt that without investing when we did, in the way that we did, with the help from Made Smarter, we would not be able to cope with this unprecedented increase in demand.”

“The program made us think bigger and smarter, encouraging us to capture manufacturing data as a way of improving the accuracy and consistency of the product. It has given us the platform and the confidence to take that next step.” 

Capitalizing on choco-tech
Made Smarter also worked with Friars, a chocolatier based in Keswick, to identify technology to overcome its challenges in a fast-moving industry.

Michael Webster, managing director, says: “Our ambition is to become one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of quality chocolates. In order to do this, we need to look to technology to enable us to scale up our operation while producing the highest quality possible.”

“Made Smarter’s advice through the digital transformation workshop gave us a digital roadmap, which helps us grow progressively and sustainably, avoiding the wasted time, effort and money that comes from adopting technologies in a disparate way.”  

“The further support from the program has accelerated and de-risked our investment in process automation technology which will take the brakes off our growth plans and transform our business. The retail sector is going through an uncertain time, so we need to secure our future,” concludes Webster.