Food & Beverage

FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

According to United Nations forecasts, the global population is expected to grow from around 8 billion today to nearly 10 billion by 2050. This growth will significantly increase food demand—requiring at least a 25% rise in production just to meet basic consumption needs. In this context, the food industry must improve productivity, optimize supply chains, and operate in a more sustainable manner, while still complying with increasingly stringent food safety standards.

To achieve these goals, intralogistics automation—covering internal storage, transportation, sorting, packaging, and traceability—has become a key enabler for food and beverage companies seeking to enhance overall operational efficiency.

INDUSTRY REQUIREMENTS

The food processing industry has unique characteristics that require production and intralogistics systems to meet strict standards, including:

  • Hygiene and food safety: Equipment must comply with food-grade standards and be designed for easy cleaning to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Temperature and humidity control: Many food products require chilled, frozen, or controlled environments to maintain quality
  • Handling diverse product types: From raw materials and semi-finished goods to finished products, with varying sizes, weights, and packaging formats.
  • High processing speed: Ensuring packaging and distribution processes run continuously and accurately within tight timeframes.
  • Traceability: Systems must support detailed tracking of raw materials, batch numbers, expiry dates, and other critical data to ensure quality and regulatory compliance.

BENEFITS OF AUTOMATION

Applying automation in the food and beverage industry delivers tangible benefits:

  • Increased productivity and reduced labor dependency: Conveyor systems, lifts, automated sorting, and storage solutions shorten processing time and minimize manual errors.
  • Consistent hygiene throughout internal operations: Equipment designed specifically for food applications is easy to clean and limits the spread of dust and bacteria.
  • Space and energy savings: Smart storage solutions optimize floor space utilization and reduce energy consumption during operation.
  • Accurate, real-time data management: WMS software synchronizes the entire intralogistics chain—from inbound raw materials to outbound finished goods.
  • Reduced waste and excess inventory: Precise inventory control enables faster decision-making, minimizes spoilage, and reduces unnecessary stock levels.

ETEK SOLUTIONS

As a pioneer in warehouse automation and production operations, ETEK provides comprehensive and optimized intralogistics solutions tailored to the specific needs of food processing and distribution:

  • Automated storage systems: Including Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) and advanced AS/RS solutions to optimize space and ensure fast, accurate retrieval.
  • Intelligent material handling systems: Food-grade conveyor systems and AGV/AMR vehicles for efficient movement of raw materials and finished products.
  • Automated sorting and packaging solutions: Enhancing throughput while ensuring accuracy and hygiene at the final stages of the supply chain.
  • Warehouse Management Software (WMS): Real-time inventory control with integrated traceability and expiry date management, seamlessly connected to ERP/MES systems.