In the highly competitive food and beverage (F&B) and consumer packaged goods (CPG) markets, manufacturers have learned to listen more to consumer needs and requirements. For example, consumers are more interested than ever in what goes into the food they eat, the packaging in which their food comes and even what their pets are eating. And with the convenience of the internet, they can conduct their own research on just about any brand at any time. This refined interest by consumers not only affects the buying process, it can also play a key role in brand loyalty. Evolving consumer requirements like these are forcing F&B and CPG manufacturers to rethink their business models and manufacturing processes.
How It’s Made
The documentary television series, “How It’s Made” debuted in 2001 with an episode on how aluminum foil is made. Each episode shows how common, everyday items are manufactured.
Obviously, not all manufacturers want their customers to know, step-by-step, what it takes to make our favorite products. Though it’s becoming increasingly important that companies add an extra layer of transparency when it comes to marketing the products they want people to buy.
We’ve covered a couple of episodes and highlighted a few of our very own customers that manufacture these products over the past couple years. Here they are in case you missed them:
Manufacturing Food: Do You Know How Frozen Fries Are Made?
Who doesn’t like French fries? Aside from making you hungry, people like this article because it’s a good question. We as consumers are increasingly interested in how the food we eat is made, so it’s not surprising to see it do so well, especially seeing that the average American consumes about 30 lbs of fries per year!
To watch the “How It’s Made” video and learn more, check out the full article.
Manufacturing Industrial Goods: Do You Know How Aluminum Cans Are Made?
Did you know that aluminum cans can always be recycled, no matter how many times they’re used? Similar to our growing interest in how our food is made, we are also interested in how our food is packaged. Seeing that the world uses about 200 billion aluminum cans every year – just from beer and soda – it makes sense that consumers want to know what it takes to get that ice cold drink in their hand.
To watch the “How It’s Made” video and learn more, check out the full article.
Manufacturing Food: Do You Know How Pet Food and Treats are Made?
As picky as we can be about what we eat and drink, our concern doesn’t end there…what about our pets? It’s up to us to know what’s going into the process of making their food too. Sometimes all they see is a bowl of chow; their bowl of chow. Other times, interest in that particular chow diminishes over time, which affects their desire to eat in the first place. Pet food manufacturers have taken note of scenarios like this as it can affect a brand’s ability to keep up in such a crowded market.
To watch the “How It’s Made” video and learn more, check out the full article.
Adapting to Changing Consumer Requirements
Consumer requirements can be difficult to track and utilize for competitive advantage. QAD Adaptive ERP enables manufacturers to better respond to industry disruptors, like changing consumer requirements, and make the necessary adjustments to their business so they can manufacture the products that people actually want to buy.
Are there any other ‘How It’s Made’ episodes you find interesting? Reply in the comments below to share your favorites!
