Digitalization is the Key: 63% of F&B Leaders Prioritize Technology to Revolutionize Resource Efficiency

On the path to net zero, the food and beverage industry faces a variety of challenges. From a constantly growing population to limited resources, it’s difficult to make significant progress towards sustainability goals.

However, with the food and beverage industry responsible for nearly 30% of global energy consumption, there’s an urgent need for innovation and collaboration when it comes to reducing its carbon footprint.

At Siemens , we firmly believe in the power of technology to achieve decarbonization goals. Our research report Digital Transformation, Sustainable Returns, confirms that a majority of food and beverage professionals agree: 63% of those surveyed see huge potential in digital technologies to reduce resource consumption. Out of all emerging technologies, including virtual reality, and smart edge devices, they expect artificial intelligence (AI) to have the greatest positive impact on decarbonization over the next three years. Next to AI, we see digital twin and advanced simulations ranking second, and remote sensing and automation ranking third as top technologies.

Cutting-edge innovation

Emirates Bustanica , one of the world's largest vertical farms in Dubai, is a great example of how digital technologies are revolutionizing sustainable food production. Through integrated automation and smart infrastructure solutions, the facility optimizes growing conditions while drastically reducing resource consumption. Adopting SIMATIC automation and control systems has enabled them to precisely manage critical parameters like lighting and CO2 levels, while our building management system ensures optimal climate control throughout the facility.

The results have been impressive - through intelligent water management systems and automation, the facility is saving 250 million liters of water annually compared to traditional farming methods. Real-time monitoring and data-driven decision making enable the facility to produce over one million kilograms of pesticide-free food per year. This smart infrastructure not only supports current operations but also enables future scaling and implementation of advanced technologies like machine learning and AI, making it a model for sustainable agriculture worldwide.

And there’s another impressive innovation happening in the drinks arena. Colorado-based distillery Marble Distilling Co. used automation to boost energy efficiency across its entire operations. Working closely with us, they implemented our automation building controller to unlock efficiencies in the existing building automation system. As tighter controls and better monitoring of key functionalities allow the distillery to conserve more energy and resources, they now operate 75% more efficiently than before. What’s more, they tripled their production output while cutting costs by 20%.

A green and digital future

And those are just two examples of the amazing digital solutions the food and beverage industry can access now. The opportunities offered by digitalization are endless, and we must accelerate the pace at which we're digitally transforming to achieve net zero on time.

Our research shows that 52% of F&B professionals say their companies are at a mature or advanced stage of development in the data-driven management of systems, resources, or infrastructure. Given data plays a critical role in enabling transparent production, adopting intelligent power management and monitoring tools presents another clear area of opportunity.

With 2030 fast approaching, we must intensify our efforts to reach net zero goals by working together across the industry, from agriculture and processing to packaging and transportation. That’s why we offer a comprehensive ecosystem of solutions to help businesses accelerate their Digital Transformation across the entire value chain. From future-proof building management to automated recipe control, every step of the production process must be addressed if we want to drive real, long-lasting change.

© Copyright Siemens AG