Does hiring a consultant seem like an added expense you would rather avoid? After all, you can just tackle these production challenges internally, right? Before you dismiss the idea altogether, think about how expert food manufacturing consultants can elevate your operations. These professionals commit their entire careers to giving you exclusive industry knowledge and food manufacturing solutions, which can propel some impressive improvements in production performance, safety, and overall product quality. And the food and beverage sector knows all too well how important quality control already is. Just take a look at all these regulations they have to deal with on a daily basis.
In this blog, we go over:
- The what and the why of Virginia food manufacturing consultants
- The five phases of their consultancy
- Getting connected with one
What Do Food Manufacturing Consultants Do?
Food manufacturing consultants like our team at GENEDGE help businesses ideate, source, and materialize (and then track and manage) their ideal food products.
We partner with clients to identify the right ingredients that align with their quality standards while doubly monitoring production and packaging costs.
Our services extend beyond picking the typical ingredients for your products to conduct a complete audit of your production processes and elevate your products from first thought to checkout.
With our extensive network of ingredient distributors and industry connections, we can guide brands toward co-manufacturing opportunities, secure better pricing through group purchasing, and diversify their broker network for stronger brand visibility.
Our mission is to tackle the challenges in food production so that our clients can boost their profit margins and share their passion for delicious food with every customer.
The Advantage of Food Manufacturing Consulting
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership reports that the state’s food processing industry employs more than 35,000 individuals and generates approximately $25.9 billion in direct economic output. And the industry is constantly changing.
Wholesalers are merging, and group procurement is becoming more popular. We’ve noticed that grocery stores are starting to blur the lines with restaurants by offering in-house dining options. These changes may affect how consumers eat, but we are here to help our clients handle these developments with confidence.
Virginia food manufacturers ask for our behind-the-scenes help when they need to solve these kinds of problems:
- They struggle to find the right ingredients to make their product outstanding.
- While their product is decent, it’s missing that perfect quality or look.
- They need ingredients that meet specific certifications but can’t seem to track them down.
- Plus, finding an affordable and trustworthy supplier isn’t easy.
Food Manufacturing Consultants Help You Plan For Production
Phase 1: Your initial consultation, assessment, and analysis
After your free consultation, the first step supply chain optimization consultants take is conducting a thorough assessment of your current production processes. This involves reviewing existing documentation, observing operations, and interviewing key personnel. The consultant will identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas where quality control may be lacking. Analyzing food manufacturing data like:
- Production rates: Measuring output per hour or day for different products.
- Waste levels: Quantifying food waste at various stages of production.
- Downtime: Tracking periods when equipment is not operational and identifying causes.
- Quality control data: Reviewing records of product defects, contamination incidents, and compliance with food safety standards like HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act).
Phase 2: Developing a customized improvement plan
Based on the initial assessment, the consultant will develop a tailored improvement plan. This plan will outline specific strategies and actions to address the identified issues. This can include:
- Recommending new machinery that improves performance or lowers waste, like automated sorting systems or advanced packaging machines.
- Redesigning the production line to lessen cross-contamination risks and improve the flow of materials.
- Introducing software for real-time monitoring of production metrics and predictive maintenance to prevent equipment failures.
- Enacting water-saving techniques like drip irrigation, advocating for natural pest control solutions, and sourcing eco-friendly packaging like fiber-based or rPET.
Phase 3: Enacting those process changes
Once the improvement plan is finalized, the consultant will assist in implementing the recommended changes. This could involve:
- Conducting involved training programs on new procedures, food safety protocols, and lean manufacturing techniques like Six Sigma.
- Ensuring that new machinery is installed correctly and integrated smoothly into the existing workflow.
- Working closely with your team to minimize disruptions and ensure that new processes are adopted the right way.
Phase 4: Monitoring and adjusting
After the initial implementation, the consultant will continue to monitor the production processes to ensure that the changes are having the desired effect.
They will collect data on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:
- Yield rates (% of usable product vs total input).
- Energy consumption per unit.
- Compliance rates.
Phase 5: Continuous improvement and training
Finally, the consultant will help establish a culture of continuous improvement within your organization. This includes:
- Setting up ongoing training for staff on the latest food safety practices and production techniques.
- Implementing systems for continuous data collection and analysis to identify areas for further improvement.
- Encouraging a proactive approach to identifying and solving problems for long-term production success.
Chat With A Food Manufacturing Consultant
If you’re ready to elevate your food production, contact GENEDGE for your free assessment. We offer tailored food manufacturing solutions to help your business flourish.
