As a food and beverage company, the challenges you've had to overcome to stay in business as supply shortages have loomed throughout the coronavirus crisis. Getting the raw foodstuffs you need to produce your product and ensuring it makes it into the hands of the masses while still fresh, given the flawed transportation infrastructure that's in place, has certainly made it where only the fittest have survived.
If you look online for stories about companies that have successfully weathered this pandemic, you'll find that those utilizing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems with material requirements planning (MRP) functionality have been the most successful. Why is that the case?
You probably have a firm grasp of what an MRP is as a food and beverage manufacturer. This software program aids you in tracking which and how much production materials you need and when you're expected to have to utilize them. This insight can minimize the chances of running out of inventory, which often causes food and beverage companies to:
MRP software can also help manufacturers keep track of their foodstuff's expiration dates to ensure their use before it perishes or can no longer be sold.
While MRPs originally focused on stock/inventory and supply chain management, and production scheduling, food and beverage companies increased their demands for more robust functionality, including financial tracking and accounting, quality assurance, and labor planning. Second-generation MRP systems emerged out of this.
Well-built ERPs can automate existing MRP system processes that food and beverage companies have and offer expanded functionality that allows you to use a single platform for a wide range of tasks, including:
Put quite simply, ERPs are a type of integrated software that allows you to bring your operational functionalities together, which can give you access to real-time data necessary to:
If your food and beverage company is still plagued by supply chain issues, staffing shortages, and similar concerns, then an MRP system can help. However, if you're looking for a more robust software program that can eliminate the need for disparate software programs and streamline communication, marketing efforts, sales planning, supply chain and staffing management, and financial tasks, an ERP may be best for your company.
Our Dotlogics development team can help you build an ERP from scratch or provide consultancy services or build customizations for an existing one. Contact us to schedule a call to discuss your needs so that we can discuss solutions for dealing with them.
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