State of Food Manufacturing: Digital Transformation

Thank you for taking our 2025 Digital Transformation Survey!

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and all responses are anonymous.

Question Title

* 1. What vertical(s) does your company serve?
Select all that apply.

Bakery, snacks

Beverages

Cannabis products

Confectionery, sweets

Co-packers

Dairy

Fresh fruits, vegetables

Grains, nuts, seeds

Meat, poultry, seafood

Pet food and treats

Plant-based foods

Prepared foods

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. What best describes your role in your company?

Administration

Customer service

Engineering

Management

Marketing and sales

Production

Purchasing

Research and development

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. What best describes your job senority?

Frontline

Supervisor

Manager

Director

Vice president

C-level

Owner

Partner

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. How are the following processes in your facility primarily operated?

	Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Completely manual / paper-based
Food safety monitoring	Food safety monitoring Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Food safety monitoring Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Food safety monitoring Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Food safety monitoring Completely manual / paper-based
Inventory management	Inventory management Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Inventory management Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Inventory management Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Inventory management Completely manual / paper-based
Maintenance scheduling	Maintenance scheduling Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Maintenance scheduling Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Maintenance scheduling Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Maintenance scheduling Completely manual / paper-based
Production line control	Production line control Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Production line control Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Production line control Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Production line control Completely manual / paper-based
Production scheduling	Production scheduling Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Production scheduling Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Production scheduling Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Production scheduling Completely manual / paper-based
Quality testing and documentation	Quality testing and documentation Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Quality testing and documentation Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Quality testing and documentation Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Quality testing and documentation Completely manual / paper-based
Recipe / batch management	Recipe / batch management Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Recipe / batch management Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Recipe / batch management Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Recipe / batch management Completely manual / paper-based
Warehouse management	Warehouse management Fully automated (minimal manual intervention)	Warehouse management Partially automated (mix of digital and manual)	Warehouse management Mostly manual with digital record-keeping	Warehouse management Completely manual / paper-based

Question Title

* 5. What percentage of your facility's equipment and system investments in the past 12 months went towards digital / automation projects?
This includes investments in new hardware and software, integrations of existing systems, training and implementation, and consulting and technical services.

0-25% (A small portion of our investments)

26-50% (About half our investments)

51-75% (Most of our investments)

Over 75% (Nearly all our investments)

Not sure

Question Title

* 6. Do you currently use or plan to adopt (within the next 12 months) any of the following Industry 4.0 technologies?

Question Title

* 7. Which of the following Industry 4.0 technologies have delivered the highest ROI in your operations over the past 12 months?
Select up to three.

Advanced analytics / big data platforms

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning

Augmented reality (AR) for training / maintenance

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs)

Automated quality inspection / computer vision systems

Automated warehouse management systems

Blockchain for traceability

Cloud-based manufacturing execution systems (MES)

Cybersecurity solutions

Digital recipe management systems

Digital twin technology

Edge computing

Industrial 5G networks

Internet of Things (IoT) sensors / equipment monitoring

Predictive maintenance systems

Process simulation / modeling

Real-time production monitoring dashboards

Robotic systems / automation

Smart energy management systems

Question Title

* 8. Where have data analytics provided the most value?
Select up to three.

Automated inventory reorder point calculation

Batch quality deviation analysis

Energy consumption patterns and peak usage alerts

Equipment failure prediction and prevention

Product yield loss tracking and alerts

Production bottleneck identification

Quality defect detection and root cause analysis

Real-time production line performance tracking

None: We don't currently use data analytics

Question Title

* 9. What is your biggest challenge in implementing new digital technologies in your organization?

Budget constraints / cost justification

Lack of technical expertise

Legacy system integration

Maintenance requirements

Production disruptions

Regulatory compliance

Workforce resistance

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 10. How do you measure the success of your digital technology implementations?
Select all that apply.

Audit / compliance readiness

Cost reduction

Employee productivity rates

Energy efficiency

Equipment uptime

First-pass yield / quality metrics

Food safety incidents reduction

Inventory accuracy

Labor cost savings

Maintenance cost savings

On-time delivery rates

Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)

Production throughput

Return on investment (ROI)

Waste reduction

Question Title

* 11. How are you addressing the digital skills gaps in your workforce?
Select all that apply.

Automation of complex tasks

External training programs

Internal training programs

Hiring new talent

Partnerships with educational institutions

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 12. Which emerging technology do you believe will have the greatest positive impact on food manufacturing in the next three years?

Advanced robotics / cobotics

Advanced traceability solutions (including blockchain)

Alternative protein processing technologies

Artificial Intelligence (AI) / machine learning

Automated cleaning and sanitation systems

Automated quality inspection / computer vision

Digital twins for process optimization

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

Predictive analytics

Smart packaging

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 13. To be the first to receive the survey report, enter your information below.

Name

Company

Email Address

	Currently using	Plan to implement in next 12 months	Do not plan to use	Not applicable to our operations
Advanced analytics / big data platforms	Advanced analytics / big data platforms Currently using	Advanced analytics / big data platforms Plan to implement in next 12 months	Advanced analytics / big data platforms Do not plan to use	Advanced analytics / big data platforms Not applicable to our operations
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning	Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning Currently using	Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning Plan to implement in next 12 months	Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning Do not plan to use	Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning Not applicable to our operations
Augmented reality (AR) for training / maintenance	Augmented reality (AR) for training / maintenance Currently using	Augmented reality (AR) for training / maintenance Plan to implement in next 12 months	Augmented reality (AR) for training / maintenance Do not plan to use	Augmented reality (AR) for training / maintenance Not applicable to our operations
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs)	Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) Currently using	Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) Plan to implement in next 12 months	Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) Do not plan to use	Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) Not applicable to our operations
Automated quality inspection / computer vision systems	Automated quality inspection / computer vision systems Currently using	Automated quality inspection / computer vision systems Plan to implement in next 12 months	Automated quality inspection / computer vision systems Do not plan to use	Automated quality inspection / computer vision systems Not applicable to our operations
Automated warehouse management systems	Automated warehouse management systems Currently using	Automated warehouse management systems Plan to implement in next 12 months	Automated warehouse management systems Do not plan to use	Automated warehouse management systems Not applicable to our operations
Blockchain for traceability	Blockchain for traceability Currently using	Blockchain for traceability Plan to implement in next 12 months	Blockchain for traceability Do not plan to use	Blockchain for traceability Not applicable to our operations
Cloud-based manufacturing execution systems (MES)	Cloud-based manufacturing execution systems (MES) Currently using	Cloud-based manufacturing execution systems (MES) Plan to implement in next 12 months	Cloud-based manufacturing execution systems (MES) Do not plan to use	Cloud-based manufacturing execution systems (MES) Not applicable to our operations
Cybersecurity solutions	Cybersecurity solutions Currently using	Cybersecurity solutions Plan to implement in next 12 months	Cybersecurity solutions Do not plan to use	Cybersecurity solutions Not applicable to our operations
Digital recipe management systems	Digital recipe management systems Currently using	Digital recipe management systems Plan to implement in next 12 months	Digital recipe management systems Do not plan to use	Digital recipe management systems Not applicable to our operations
Digital twin technology	Digital twin technology Currently using	Digital twin technology Plan to implement in next 12 months	Digital twin technology Do not plan to use	Digital twin technology Not applicable to our operations
Edge computing	Edge computing Currently using	Edge computing Plan to implement in next 12 months	Edge computing Do not plan to use	Edge computing Not applicable to our operations
Industrial 5G networks	Industrial 5G networks Currently using	Industrial 5G networks Plan to implement in next 12 months	Industrial 5G networks Do not plan to use	Industrial 5G networks Not applicable to our operations
Internet of Things (IoT) sensors / equipment monitoring	Internet of Things (IoT) sensors / equipment monitoring Currently using	Internet of Things (IoT) sensors / equipment monitoring Plan to implement in next 12 months	Internet of Things (IoT) sensors / equipment monitoring Do not plan to use	Internet of Things (IoT) sensors / equipment monitoring Not applicable to our operations
Predictive maintenance systems	Predictive maintenance systems Currently using	Predictive maintenance systems Plan to implement in next 12 months	Predictive maintenance systems Do not plan to use	Predictive maintenance systems Not applicable to our operations
Process simulation / modeling	Process simulation / modeling Currently using	Process simulation / modeling Plan to implement in next 12 months	Process simulation / modeling Do not plan to use	Process simulation / modeling Not applicable to our operations
Real-time production monitoring dashboards	Real-time production monitoring dashboards Currently using	Real-time production monitoring dashboards Plan to implement in next 12 months	Real-time production monitoring dashboards Do not plan to use	Real-time production monitoring dashboards Not applicable to our operations
Robotic systems / automation	Robotic systems / automation Currently using	Robotic systems / automation Plan to implement in next 12 months	Robotic systems / automation Do not plan to use	Robotic systems / automation Not applicable to our operations
Smart energy management systems	Smart energy management systems Currently using	Smart energy management systems Plan to implement in next 12 months	Smart energy management systems Do not plan to use	Smart energy management systems Not applicable to our operations

Question Title

* 1. What vertical(s) does your company serve? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 2. What best describes your role in your company?

Question Title

* 3. What best describes your job senority?

Question Title

* 4. How are the following processes in your facility primarily operated?

Question Title

* 5. What percentage of your facility's equipment and system investments in the past 12 months went towards digital / automation projects? This includes investments in new hardware and software, integrations of existing systems, training and implementation, and consulting and technical services.

Question Title

* 6. Do you currently use or plan to adopt (within the next 12 months) any of the following Industry 4.0 technologies?

Question Title

* 7. Which of the following Industry 4.0 technologies have delivered the highest ROI in your operations over the past 12 months? Select up to three.

Question Title

* 8. Where have data analytics provided the most value? Select up to three.

Question Title

* 9. What is your biggest challenge in implementing new digital technologies in your organization?

Question Title

* 10. How do you measure the success of your digital technology implementations? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 11. How are you addressing the digital skills gaps in your workforce? Select all that apply.

Question Title

* 12. Which emerging technology do you believe will have the greatest positive impact on food manufacturing in the next three years?

Question Title

* 13. To be the first to receive the survey report, enter your information below.

* 1. What vertical(s) does your company serve?
Select all that apply.

* 5. What percentage of your facility's equipment and system investments in the past 12 months went towards digital / automation projects?
This includes investments in new hardware and software, integrations of existing systems, training and implementation, and consulting and technical services.

* 7. Which of the following Industry 4.0 technologies have delivered the highest ROI in your operations over the past 12 months?
Select up to three.

* 8. Where have data analytics provided the most value?
Select up to three.

* 10. How do you measure the success of your digital technology implementations?
Select all that apply.

* 11. How are you addressing the digital skills gaps in your workforce?
Select all that apply.