Food Manufacturers -The Business of Feeding the World

There are only a few basic things that the human body needs in order to survive and these are food, water, shelter and clothing.  It makes no difference where you are in the world, the needs are fundamentally the same.  Does it make sense then that since there is a steady demand for commodities that fulfill those needs, is it a profitable industry to be a part of? The capacity to sustain life will not ensure success for a food manufacturer.  The food supply system is much more complicated than that. It involves science, technology, logistics and management disciplines and marketing strategies.  So anyone who is not passionate enough to be involved in the food industry is likely to have a business that is short lived.

The food manufacturer faces complexities in the science alone, from the source, to the processing, packaging and ultimately the disposal of each component of the end product.  The food and beverage industry includes everyone and everything involved in growing, processing, manufacturing and distribution of food including farmers, stores and restaurants, the greatest responsibility fall on the food manufacturer.  These are the companies that have producing clearly identified food products, are usually branded and packaged.

The connection between available resource, distribution channels and target market are the first things to be considered when thinking of profitability.  Simultaneously, product safety, nutrition, quality and value are considered for product marketability.

Fortunately, the food manufacturer is not alone in its all-important endeavor.  He works together with government branches, agencies or departments that has the capacity to monitor and provide useful information and has the duty to create policies beneficial to the industry and its consumers. There are also teams of food scientists, researchers, food engineers and health professionals who work alongside the food manufacturer to guarantee that only the best, healthiest and safest products are produced. 

Like all manufacturing enterprises, profitability is a factor in order to call it a success, but in the food industry, profits are factored in merely to fuel production and as an indication that the product has attained consumer satisfaction – a more definite measure of success.  Consumer satisfaction means that the company’s products have met over all costumer expectations which would then translate to continuous purchase of the same.

In Australia, where you can find the most diverse and most abundant resources is also home to most of the food industry’s well-known brands and suppliers.