Artificial intelligence, robotics, data analysis, and other forms of high-tech innovation continue to affect every aspect of the produce industry. This Blueprints series examines how these and other advances can transform your business and its bottom line—now and in the future.
SMART TECHNOLOGIES FOR SMART BUSINESSES
An old saying tells us that time and tide wait for no one. As we near the end of the twenty-first century’s second decade, we might as well add a third “T” for technology.
Simply keeping up with new advances in everyday life is practically a full-time job. In the produce industry, as technology continues to transform the way business is done, it’s not just a necessity but a matter of survival.
A survey by Brother International supports this supposition, finding small businesses have increased new technology spending by over 18 percent since 2010, while an enterprise resource planning (ERP) report by Columbus Global indicates much of the growth in the fresh-cut fruit and vegetable market, as it becomes a $27 billion industry, has been driven by “disruptive technologies”—including the integration of physical and digital infrastructure, supply chain traceability, and data collection and management.
Business literature is littered with cautionary tales of companies that failed to keep pace with technology and suffered the consequences. But the lesson isn’t “adapt or die”—the most successful companies don’t adapt, they prepare.
Knowing what’s coming before it arrives and using existing information to anticipate the next great market need is crucial. From robotics in warehouses and plucking strawberries in the field to self-scanning groceries, high-tech innovations are infusing every facet of the fresh food supply chain.
Sources throughout the industry affirm that the knowledge and application of these emerging tech catalysts are critical to maintaining an edge and can have a significant impact on ROI and profitability.
This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full version.
