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Food processing

Meat, dairy, bakery, beverages. Yields, catch-weight, lot traceability, seasonality – the industry where cost is decided in the process flow.

Industry specifics

In food processing, the biggest cost and the biggest opportunity lie in raw material yield. One percentage point of yield at cutting or processing is often worth more than all utility savings combined. Catch-weight, lots, shelf life and mandatory traceability mean that generic inventory and costing tools are not enough.

What we do

  • Cost models per recipe and stage, with mass balance, by-products and process losses – the real cost per finished product, not an average.
  • Yield analysis per supplier, lot, team, shift – where deviations come from and what they cost.
  • ERP/MES selection and configuration for food specifics: integrated scales, catch-weight, lot traceability, short-term planning.
  • The link raw material price → product mix → margin, with scenarios for seasonality and price volatility.
  • Integrated process and quality control in operations (HACCP, loss control, line checks).
  • Structured technological know-how: recipes, process parameters, deviation handling.

Who it’s for

Meat and cold cuts processors, dairies, bakeries and pastry, beverages, ready-meal producers with 30–500 employees who want to understand and control the real cost of every product.

Common challenges in this industry

Do you want software or hardware that fits your company but is also adopted and used by the team?

The best system, unused, is worth nothing. We design the implementation around people: roles, procedures, training – and we measure adoption, not just go-live.

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Do you want to implement an ERP, CRM or MES but aren't sure which one fits?

Every vendor shows you a perfect demo. We help you define what you really need, compare objectively and choose the solution that fits your processes and your people.

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You have pressure points, but want to see how they connect to other functional areas?

Costs rise, sales push on prices, stock swells – and each department sees only its own piece. We build the integrated picture, on your exact situation, so you decide where to intervene.

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Does your company's critical knowledge live in a few people's heads?

Recipes, machine settings, customer exceptions, "this is how we do it here" – all lost when the person leaves. We collect, structure and make internal know-how accessible, including with AI.

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Do you want to know the real cost, not just the purchase price?

The price on the supplier's invoice is only the beginning. Transport, handling, losses, tied-up capital and your team's time add up – and change the ranking of suppliers and products.

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Do you want to know what it really costs you to produce?

You know your revenue and overall margin, but not which products make money and which lose it. We build a cost model that reflects the reality of your plant.

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Do you want real control over quality and processes, not just passed audits?

Complaints appear, causes repeat and control happens after the fact. We build a QA and process control system that prevents, measures and improves – proportionate to the size of the company.

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Do you want to implement standard software but aren't sure the proposed best practices are applicable or sustainable for you?

"Everyone works this way" doesn't mean it works for you. We evaluate each standard practice against your processes and decide what to adopt, adapt or reject – with arguments.

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Describe your situation in a few sentences. Our assistant shows you within seconds which Smartbiz approaches would fit, then we talk specifics, with no commitment.