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FMCG food manufacturing: Tackling quality control, efficiency & environmental challenges
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Tuesday, 07 January, 2025, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
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Janardhan Swahar
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The Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) food manufacturing industry is pivotal in shaping and energising global supply chains today. From breakfast cereal to afternoon munchies, FMCG food products have become a major aspect of people's lives. But have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes to ensure these products meet the quality standards we expect? Behind this convenience lies a complex network of operations that ensure these food products meet certain quality standards and are produced sustainably. Food producers from all over the world try to maintain high-quality standards for their products. Any negligence in the quality of food products can adversely impact both consumers and companies.
Concurring to a WHO report, one out of every ten individuals globally fall sick after consuming contaminated food. Alarming, isn’t it? In order to reduce these rising figures, it has become the prime responsibility of food manufacturers to ensure food quality across the supply chain.
Additionally, businesses face increased pressure to simplify operations for cost savings while complying with environmental rules and implementing sustainable practices. The increasing emphasis on waste reduction, resource conservation and carbon emissions only add to the FMCG sector's complexity. Navigating these challenges—namely, quality control, operational efficiency and sustainability is critical for firms looking to remain competitive and relevant.
Quality Control and Operational Efficiency: Backbone of the FMCG Industry
When you pick up a food product from the shelves, what are you really trusting? Consistency, safety, and flavour, right? Consumers expect these with every purchase. But what happens when a product doesn't meet these expectations? Poor quality can damage a reputation, or worse, result in legal consequences. In the FMCG industry, quality control identifies risks in food products concerning their quality and safety. Even one food safety issue can cause permanent harm to a manufacturer’s reputation. This, in turn, necessitates having effective quality control procedures to reduce the risk of contamination and other safety hazards that can protect consumers.
And what about efficiency? In a world of evolving consumer needs and heightened competition, it’s not enough to just produce safe products. Efficiency in operations is just as essential for success. Imagine a factory running at peak efficiency: costs are reduced, production speeds increase, and quality remains top-notch. Isn’t that the ultimate goal? Since efficient operations can reduce costs, increase production speed and enhance overall product quality, manufacturers need to streamline operations and achieve efficiency to stay ahead. This necessitates a well-structured plan centred on optimising every aspect of the manufacturing and supply chain.
However, quality and efficiency should not be treated as separate objectives but should be seamlessly integrated into a company’s culture. Companies must internalise both principles in their daily actions, ranging from raw material handling to finished goods.
Key techniques and tools to enhance both quality control and operational efficiency in food manufacturing:
• Inspection and Testing
Why is inspection so important? It’s the first line of defence against substandard products. In general, testing and inspection are important strategies for ensuring food quality throughout processing. While inspection includes assessing the food product, ingredients and the entire manufacturing process to confirm that they meet the standards, testing analyses food samples using scientific methods for different criteria. Food manufacturers should thereby conduct rigorous inspections and testing at all phases of manufacturing, ranging from raw material acquisition to final product packaging and delivery.
• Sampling Plans
How do manufacturers know they’re testing enough of a product? Enter sampling plans. They are used to evaluate the quantity of samples to be collected from a batch or lot of food products for testing. A well-designed sampling strategy guarantees that adequate samples are collected and evaluated with reliable and accurate findings. Moreover, food manufacturers can utilise a variety of sample plans, including random sampling, systematic sampling and stratified sampling.
• Quality Control Software
Quality control software is an application that completely enables food producers to handle their quality control processes. Automating the sampling, recording of the test results and constant observation of industrial processes are among its features. This software generates reports and graphs and sends notifications of deviations from the standard in order to help organisations act accordingly without delay. The best part? The software is able to interact with other systems, such as stock and distribution systems, which streamline the entire production process and improve business efficiency.
• Lean Manufacturing
As an effective approach, lean manufacturing aids in waste reduction while increasing productivity. By focusing on removing superfluous stages and optimising processes, this method ensures that resources such as time, labour and materials are used as efficiently as possible. This strategy also increases speed and fosters higher product quality at lower costs.
• Integration of Technologies
Amid Industry 4.0, integration of automation and technology into FMCG food manufacturing has become vital. Automated systems, like robots, are capable of performing repetitive jobs more accurately and swiftly. Automation also simplifies procedures and guarantees consistency, which is critical for sustaining high production levels. Similarly, the Internet of Things (IoT) devices provide real-time data on production lines, fostering swift decision-making and downtime reduction. Isn’t technology the game changer for the FMCG industry?
• Demand Forecasting
Advanced analytics and AI-driven demand forecasting algorithms help FMCG firms achieve trending customer demands. The result is reduced overproduction and waste—a win for both the company and the environment.
While these approaches help organisations achieve operational efficiency, the integration of sustainable practices also contributes to streamlining operations.
Combating Environmental Challenges
From packaging waste to carbon emissions, the FMCG industry confronts a growing obligation to manage its environmental impact. With the spotlight on sustainability, food manufacturers now have a critical responsibility: manage their environmental footprint while still delivering quality products. So, how can they rise to the occasion? Here are a few strategies that are making a difference:
• Ethical Sourcing
What if the ingredients you use could make a difference for the planet? FMCG food manufacturers should promote using sustainable sourcing techniques. This includes using locally produced ingredients to reduce transportation emissions and assisting farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.
• Resource Efficiency
Nowadays, manufacturers are prioritising sustainable energy sources like solar and wind energy to drive their operations. But it doesn’t stop there. Energy-efficient technologies like heat recovery systems are key to reducing resource consumption. This, in turn, can decrease the reliance of manufacturers on non-renewable resources. Isn’t this an ideal time to rethink how we consume energy?
• Innovative Packaging
Another significant way by which manufacturers can achieve sustainability is to reinvent product packaging by using recyclable, biodegradable materials and designs. This can help in limiting the quantity of plastic and other non-renewable materials from getting dumped in landfills or water bodies. These strategies don’t just add to sustainability efforts but also improve operational efficiency.
By focusing on the aforementioned efficient quality control, operational efficiency and sustainable practices, FMCG companies are not just preparing for the future— they’re shaping it. Subsequently, Zion Research has anticipated that the Indian FMCG industry will reach USD 665.63 billion by 2032. As you chart your next steps, take a moment to reflect on your current choices. The time to act is now—together, we can transform the FMCG sector.
(The author is managing director & CEO at Y-Cook India Pvt. Ltd)
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