In a world where environmental sustainability challenges are increasingly complex, the need for collaboration has never been more crucial. Food and beverage brands and manufacturers face a wide range of interconnected issues, from sourcing raw materials and selecting packaging to managing downstream shipping and logistics—challenges that can be difficult to address in isolation.
To drive meaningful change, food and beverage brands should look beyond their own organisations for inspiration and innovation. By working together with like-minded equipment suppliers, supply chain partners, retailers, and even competitors, companies can establish shared goals, pool resources, and achieve a far greater impact than they could alone. A collaborative approach not only accelerates progress but also fosters innovation and motivation, driving positive change for a more sustainable future.
Designing for Sustainability
A crucial aspect of environmental sustainability in the food and beverage sector is product development and design. This includes everything from responsibly sourcing raw materials to selecting packaging that protects products, minimises food waste, and supports a circular economy.
As part of this journey, manufacturers may explore the use of new, environmentally friendly, ethical, and alternative raw materials—such as plant-based options—in product design and production. They may also focus on improving energy efficiency to reduce costs and waste during manufacturing, as well as designing packaging that facilitates reuse and recycling.
Choosing the right packaging materials presents a significant challenge for brands, with multiple factors to consider, including recyclability, reusability, compostability, overall weight, and energy and water consumption. While glass bottles might appear to be a more sustainable option due to their ease of recycling, their greater weight compared to PET can lead to increased carbon emissions from transportation—particularly if logistics still depend on carbon-based energy.
Any changes to products must be carefully evaluated to ensure they do not create unintended consequences. Adjustments should support efficient production processes, including product handling, packaging, and coding and marking, while also considering potential downstream effects.
Although collaboration with competitors on design and development may seem counterintuitive from a business standpoint, working together enables brands to pool resources, influence the supply chain, and ensure that new initiatives align with rather than compete against other sustainability efforts in the market.
Engaging with production suppliers and other stakeholders across the supply chain is equally vital. No single company holds the complete solution, and isolated changes—such as modifying packaging design—could have unintended negative effects if recycling facilities are unable to process the materials efficiently. By working with trusted partners throughout the supply chain, companies can develop effective sustainability solutions while mitigating potential risks.
Enhancing Production Performance
Food production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly given that a significant proportion of edible food never reaches the end consumer. In the UK, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates that 16% of all food waste occurs during manufacturing, with human error and inefficiencies—such as manual product changeovers—among the key causes.
When errors occur in food and beverage production, the best-case scenario is that products need to be repackaged. However, for highly perishable items like dairy, mistakes often lead to unavoidable food waste.
To mitigate this, food and beverage manufacturers should work closely with their machinery suppliers to identify sources of waste, implement solutions to minimise errors, and ensure that energy, time, and resources are directed towards producing the highest possible number of high-quality, sellable products. Ultimately, the most environmentally sustainable process is also the most efficient.
Automation, machine integration, and vision-based quality control are not just industry buzzwords—they are essential strategies for identifying and addressing issues caused by human error and manual processing. By reducing reliance on manual intervention, these technologies help cut food waste and lower operational costs.
Manufacturers can further optimise production by adopting real-time machine performance monitoring. Collaborating with machinery suppliers to implement sensor-based and cloud-driven solutions enables businesses to detect drops in efficiency and receive instant alerts, allowing swift corrective action before production is disrupted. Suppliers can also analyse data from connected machines to establish performance benchmarks and ensure operations run at peak efficiency.
Optimising Supply Chains
Sustainable manufacturing extends beyond production—optimising supply chains is a key factor in reducing environmental impact. To achieve this, brands should collaborate with upstream and downstream supply chain partners, enhancing transparency and enabling more effective data sharing.
During periods of high demand or supply chain disruptions, improved visibility can help manufacturers accurately forecast lead times, manage stock levels, and set realistic customer expectations.
One way to enhance supply chain visibility is by embedding variable product data—such as batch numbers and product information—within scannable 2D codes. This approach improves stock control and makes it easier to trace errors, reducing inefficiencies.
Scannable 2D codes also enable seamless data sharing across the supply chain, allowing brands and partners to track products, monitor status updates, and analyse lifecycle data for specific product batches. This increased flow of information can help identify inefficiencies, minimise waste, and strengthen supply chain resilience.
Additionally, data sharing will be essential for compliance with regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which requires manufacturers to monitor and report their full carbon footprint, including Scope 3 emissions. This highlights the critical role of collaboration in meeting regulatory requirements and advancing sustainable manufacturing practices.
Collaboration: The Key to a Sustainable Future
Achieving a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future for food and beverage production will require global cooperation across governments, industries, and supply chains.
For manufacturers, the most effective strategy is to collaborate with like-minded organisations and establish partnerships with suppliers who can support the implementation of sustainable practices at every stage of production.
This holistic approach not only benefits the environment but also helps brands reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, and enhance their reputation.
