_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hospitality
Education around barriers
The current landscape is also making it more challenging for food businesses to thrive . Rising costs , soaring inflation and struggles around staff recruitment and retention have not made it easy for businesses . As a result , technology adoption is no longer an option but is becoming a necessity for the food industry . Of course , this means change , and change is always uncomfortable . It is also the reason why technology has faced its fair share of barriers to adoption over recent years . Interestingly , although technology has evolved significantly , some of the challenges the sector faced 20 years ago around technology implementation are the same today . On that basis , there is an onus on technology firms to educate the industry to ensure that past stigmas around perceived complexity , cost to implement and integration concerns are put to bed .
Right now , the catalyst for adoption of catering management technology is the immediate need to save money and maximize resource . Costs are rocketing and businesses are struggling to find staff , so it is critical they streamline processes , reduce margins , and regain control of their costs . There is also a growing emphasis on sustainability and supply chain traceability . Consumers are increasingly demanding transparency in the sourcing of ingredients , ethical production methods , and reduction in food waste . There is also a rising interest in nutritional trends , healthier food options , with a focus on organic , plant-based , and allergen-free alternatives . More businesses are looking towards advances in technology to help alleviate some of these demands .
As the foodservice industry becomes more complex and competitive , there will continue to be a growing need for technology solutions that are fit for purpose . Technology must support both the vision and values of the business in a way that can enhance efficiency as well as help to improve the customer experience . Catering management technology has gained significant traction here . Many solutions today offer features such as recipe management and menu planning , inventory management , order tracking , supplier relationships , allergens , compliance management and more .
One step back , five steps forward
Onboarding staff is always a key consideration when adopting any new technology and it has certainly been a barrier to adoption in the past , so user-friendly and intuitive technology platforms are becoming a priority in the food sector . The food industry often relies on a diverse workforce and staff will often have varying levels of technical expertise , therefore , solutions that are easy to learn and use will lead to a smoother transition .
However , despite the numerous benefits , there are still barriers to the adoption of
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