Why connected automation is the next frontier for UK food and beverage manufacturing
Food and beverage (F&B) manufacturers across the UK are operating in an increasingly complex and demanding environment. Rising costs, shifting consumer expectations and a tightening regulatory landscape are creating pressure on performance. In 2025, UK food manufacturers experienced an average production cost increase of 4.4 percent, climbing to 5.3 percent for smaller businesses. At the same time, 33 percent of companies identified changing consumer preferences as a major investment consideration, while over a quarter (30 percent) saying the same of regulatory and legislative change.
Against this backdrop, manufacturers are re-examining how they invest in their operations. While short-term cost control remains important, long-term competitiveness now depends on efficiency, resilience, compliance and resource optimization. Increasingly, automation is at the center of this shift, but its role is evolving.
Traditionally, automation has focused on improving discrete tasks or isolated processes. Today, the opportunity is far greater as manufacturers are moving beyond fragmented systems and reactive decision-making towards integrated, data-driven operations. This shift enables more consistent performance, reduces manual intervention and strengthens Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over time. Achieving these outcomes requires connected automation and digital solutions across the factory lifecycle, often supported by AI.
The connectivity challenge
Most F&B manufacturing facilities already generate vast volumes of data. Production lines, sensors and control systems continuously capture information ranging from temperature and flow rates to cleaning cycles, downtime events and quality parameters. However, this data is often siloed; it may be visible within individual systems or departments but disconnected across the wider operation.
This fragmentation limits its value. For example, a machine alert may flag a fault, but without context, it does not show how it affects product quality, downstream processes or operational decisions. In such cases, more data does not necessarily lead to better outcomes. In fact, it can increase complexity, as teams must navigate multiple systems, reconcile inconsistent information and rely on individual expertise to interpret what is happening.
By contrast, “connected” automation brings these disparate data streams together into a unified operational view. When machines, processes and people are connected, information becomes actionable. Rather than reporting on past events, systems can provide real-time insights that support faster interventions, reduce avoidable losses and improve asset utilization.
Turning insight into action
Effective F&B manufacturing depends on fast, confident decision-making at every level of the operation. Operators must decide when to adjust processes or escalate issues, and engineers need to identify patterns that could lead to downtime, which ultimately must balance throughput, efficiency and compliance. This is where digitalization and advanced automation deliver real value. By adding context to real-time data, these solutions enable teams to make more informed decisions. A change in product quality becomes far more meaningful when analyzed alongside the recipe, equipment condition, process stage and environment. Similarly, insights into energy consumption and cleaning performance are more valuable when viewed in operational context.
Contextualized data at the source reduces reliance on manual interpretation, which is often time-consuming and prone to error. When the right insights are available at the point of need, teams can respond more quickly and make better trade-offs, reducing waste, downtime and operational disruption.
There is also a critical workforce dimension. As experienced operators retire and skills gaps widen, manufacturers must find ways to make operational knowledge more accessible. Digital tools such as guided workflows and decision-support systems can embed expertise directly into production environments, helping teams maintain consistent, high-quality performance regardless of experience level.
Together, these improvements can have a significant impact. Earlier detection of process issues, reduced variability between shifts, improved uptime and more efficient use of energy, water and cleaning systems all help improve margins. In a sector where profitability is often under pressure, these incremental gains can deliver meaningful improvements in TCO and long-term resilience.
Building for the future
For automation to deliver sustained value, it must align with the realities of modern F&B manufacturing. Producers are constantly adapting by introducing new recipes, responding to changing consumer demands, managing shorter production runs and meeting evolving compliance requirements. Many are doing so within facilities that have developed over decades, resulting in a patchwork of legacy systems.
Rigid or inflexible technologies can hinder this adaptability, limiting the long-term return on investment. Instead, manufacturers are increasingly adopting scalable digital platforms that allow for phased modernization. This approach reduces risk, enables faster time to value and ensures that systems remain relevant as production needs evolve.
A strong example of this can be seen in Tetra Pak’s collaboration with Greek dairy producer Delta. Delta modernized its operations by replacing a 30-year-old automation system with an integrated solution spanning milk reception, pasteurization and cleaning-in-place and downstream yoghurt production. The project was delivered in stages, allowing production to continue without disruption. As a result, the process control improved, manual intervention was reduced and output became more consistent.
Such scalable systems also provide the foundation for future innovations, including predictive analytics, AI and digital twins. These technologies rely on connected, high-quality data, meaning the decisions manufacturers make today will shape their ability to capitalize on emerging capabilities tomorrow.
From visibility to compounded value
While greater visibility is an important first step, it is not the ultimate goal. The value of automation lies in its ability to drive better decisions, which compound over time. Whether preventing quality losses, reducing resource consumption or improving asset performance, connected automation enables manufacturers to operate more predictably and adapt more effectively to change.
In an increasingly competitive and uncertain landscape, the most successful F&B manufacturers will be those that view automation not as a standalone investment, but as a strategic foundation. By combining contextualized data, scalable systems and solutions tailored to the realities of food production, they can enhance performance across the entire factory lifecycle.
Connected automation is not just about efficiency; it also builds resilience. It helps manufacturers to protect margins, improve profitability and prepare for ongoing change.
Sean Sims
Sean Sims is Vice President, Automation & Solutions at Tetra Pak. Providing advanced food production systems, Tetra Pak makes food safe and available. In collaboration with customers and suppliers, driven by more than 24,000 dedicated employees worldwide, Tetra Pak protects food sustainably for hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries.