Unifii in the Business Post: Delivering the Data Expertise to Best Serve Food and Beverage Supply Chains

A bespoke approach that recognises the complexity of supply chains in the food and beverage sector is the first step in simplifying operations for businesses

As we have all discovered in recent years, supply chains for even the apparently simplest of products can be surprisingly complex, but nowhere is this more true than in food and beverages, where issues such as traceability have come to the fore.

As a result, the needs of the sector are among the most pressing, said Andrea Wallace, director of Ireland at Unifii, a ServiceNow elite partner. ServiceNow is a platform that provides a range of services and solutions for streamlining and automating many aspects of business operations

“They really can benefit from a tailored approach to managing supply chains. We bring expertise of both the ServiceNow platform and industry knowledge,” she said.

Indeed, Unifii counts significant businesses in the sector among its client roster.

“One of our biggest clients is a global food and beverage producer, with over 22,000 staff in fifteen innovation and manufacturing centres across 30-plus counties,” she said.

“We have to help customers manage very complex supply chains. Using ServiceNow, there are several ways we can help them. We go in and identify where their pain points are and see how we can help them”.

Unifii works with its clients to set up workflow automation, data management, compliance management, which means they then can have real-time visibility into their supply chains. Traceability can be automated, plus tracking and reporting. It also removes the potential for errors and improves efficiency, Wallace said.

ServiceNow includes the ability to meet compliance standards, such as food safety standards, which is obviously very important

However, the ability to take control of data supports food and beverage manufacturers to go further and take control of every aspect of their business.

“ServiceNow includes the ability to meet compliance standards, such as food safety standards, which is obviously very important. It also provides a centralised platform for data management, and it allows for prediction, including demand for example,” Wallace said.

Indeed, the platform integrates deeply into business operations, being flexibly tailored so that it can be used in areas including asset management, human resources and supplier lifecycle management.

However, one of the key benefits is that it can be used to rationalise complex internal processes that have often been built-up on an ad hoc basis that causes information silos.

“A lot of it is replacing Excel spreadsheets. Excel, yes it is great: it is easy to use and powerful, but it is a very general tool, and can get out of control,” said Wallace.

Of course, taking the decision to migrate to a new IT platform is a major one. Wallace said that ServiceNow being cloud-based made the move easier, but it does not end there. In addition, she said, Unifii helps by beginning with consulting and assessment and then moving on to configuration, implementation services, training and change management, continuous support and maintenance, integration with external systems, the creation of performance monitoring processes and optimisation, and security and compliance.

The drive toward traceability in supply chains has often increased complexity, said Wallace but it is also necessary and valuable, she said.

“This includes identifying and documenting the origin, production, and distribution history of goods,” said Wallace. “What we can do is provide increased data management, help ensure they meet the most stringent regulatory requirements, and deal with any integration challenges that crop up”.

This also means that food and beverage producers, as well as retailers, can directly address consumer demands to know where their food comes from and what, exactly, it is composed of.

“We can help them deal with the complex supply networks that we have seen growing due to globalisation, ensuring they have supply chain transparency. After all, compliance is only one part of the picture: today, consumers also increasingly demand transparency in the supply chain, wanting to know the origin of what they are consuming,” she said.

Rapid changes

“We really are seeing rapid changes in consumer preferences, including dietary trends, and ethical considerations, and these can impact product demand”.

Ultimately, having a total view of their data is a means of de-risking for food and beverage producers who are, after all, faced with stringent regulations that govern food safety and quality.

“Non-compliance can lead to fines, recalls, and damage to brand reputation. Contamination of food products poses a significant risk, leading to recalls, loss of consumer trust, and damage to brand reputation.

“They need robust risk management strategies, including technology and adaptability. But while technology enhances efficiency, rapid technological changes may pose challenges in terms of integration, data security, and adaptation. Solving that problem is what we deliver,” Wallace said.

(This article was originally published by Business Post on 15th Decemebr 2023. You can refer to it here.)