Food and beverage manufacturers are under growing pressure to move faster, reduce costs, and keep up with changing customer expectations. At the same time, managing products across multiple teams, suppliers, and business systems is becoming increasingly complex.
Labor and ingredient costs are rising, putting pressure on teams to work more efficiently, closely, and avoid costly mistakes. Many manufacturers are looking to product lifecycle management (PLM) software to help them improve spec management, reduce errors, keep product development on track, and confidently launch products faster.
To keep up, companies are investing in automation, new machines, and software. But the new tools’ success hinges on how they are used because even the best tech can create more problems than it solves if it’s not thoughtfully implemented. In food manufacturing, delays and errors cost time and lead to inventory issues, lost revenue, and compliance risks. For teams juggling specs, suppliers, and changing regulations, the wrong tool can bring everything to a halt.
According to our latest research, food manufacturers aren’t just investing in new equipment—they’re also prioritizing smarter systems that can support real growth. To improve production without causing new problems, PLM professionals are adopting new tech (36%), improving product development (29%), and reinforcing security and data protection (26%) with new software solutions. This push for innovation has led 64% of organizations to spend more on PLM to better manage product complexity, meet compliance demands, and improve collaboration across teams.
The focus isn’t just on speed, it’s on control. Manufacturers are prioritizing tools that help them build better products, protect data, and prevent disruptions.
The right PLM software uses AI selectively to solve these challenges. Food manufacturers concerned with product innovation and processing speeds can reduce costs and improve product quality.
The right solution should come with key features, including:
Our SpecPage PLM platform is designed specifically for the food and beverage industry. It centralizes critical product data—from formulations and labels to supplier specs and compliance outputs—so teams can move faster with fewer risks.
SpecPage enables manufacturers to:
These features help food manufacturing businesses transition without losing production time. Manufacturers have already seen benefits, including:
SpecPage gives R&D, QA, and regulatory teams the tools they need to innovate, scale, and stay compliant, all without sacrificing speed.
Modernizing PLM is crucial to the evolution of food manufacturing. By 2050, 40% of organizations believe advanced analytics will have the biggest impact, while 39% say cloud-based solutions will. Research shows that cloud-based tools and advanced analytics will be key drivers of long-term success, helping teams scale without constant reinvention. Companies that partner with the right vendor can accommodate growth without overhauling their infrastructure every time the industry changes.
With a unified platform, manufacturers can make real-time adjustments, improve product quality, and reduce compliance risks with less downtime and more confidence. Modern manufacturing success relies on the right combination of tools and software management.
