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ERP Success Factors for the
Food & Drink Industry

Discover how organisations in the DACH region overcome challenges in traceability, compliance and forecasting — and achieve measurable results with Dreher Consulting.

Identify Your ERP Success Factors
"The food and drink industries are home to some of the most complex challenges for an ERP system..." - Dr. Harald Dreher.
Why Dreher Consulting

At Dreher Consulting, our mission is to empower mid-sized enterprises through independent, strategic consulting that drives digital transformation, operational excellence and long-term growth.

We combine deep industry expertise with cutting-edge technologies, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), ERP optimisation and smart digitalisation, to deliver tailored solutions that reduce complexity, accelerate innovation and create measurable business value.

By applying first-principles thinking and a client-first approach, we help organisations turn modern challenges into scalable, future-ready opportunities.

Analyse Your Growth Pain Points

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Common challenges within the Food & Drink Industry

Special requirements are placed on an ERP system:

Key Issues
  • Accurate recipe formulation and tracking
  • Precise costing and margin control
  • Efficient production planning and scheduling

 

Dreher Solutions
Process Mapping ERP Implementation: Centralises recipe data enabling real-time adjustments and consistent quality tracking across teams
ERP Implementation (1) Process Mapping: Creates scalable digital workflows for dynamic adjustments, reducing waste and improving efficiency
It Strategy Consulting Process Optimisation & Management: Enables real-time tracking of ingredient costs to protect margins
Key Issues
  • Inaccurate stock level tracking
  • High wastage from perishable goods
  • Inconsistent demand forecasting
  • Slow inventory replenishment process
Dreher Solutions
robot-automation Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Automates inventory updates, improving accuracy and reducing manual tracking errors
Process Optimisation Process Optimisation & Management: Optimises stock rotation workflows, ensuring timely use of perishable items
ERP Implementation (1) IT Strategy Consulting: Develops a data-driven strategy to improve forecast accuracy and align inventory with demand
ERP project management RP Project Management: Enhances coordination and speeds up restocking to maintain optimal inventory levels
Key Issues
  • Accurate allergen tracking
  • Consistent nutritional information updates
  • Clear labelling for regulatory compliance

 

Dreher Solutions
ERP project management ERP Selection: Ability to track and update nutritional data, streamlining compliance with changing regulations
Process Optimisation ERP Implementation: Centralises allergen data, ensuring accurate labelling and compliance with regulatory standards
ERP Implementation (1) Process Optimisation & Management: Standardises labelling processes, ensuring accurate, compliant product information across all packaging
Key Issues
  • Ease of use for staff
  • Support for new product variations
  • Handling co-production and waste

 

Dreher Solutions
icon-goal ERP Selection: Intuitive interface design, simplifies workflows, enabling quick staff training and easy day-to-day system usage
icon-goal ERP Implementation: Modular ERP architecture easily adapts to accommodate new product categories, sizes and variations
icon-goal Process Mapping: Advanced production planning optimises co-production and surplus management, reducing waste and maximising resource use
industry-detail-food-drink
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Why Industry
Context Matters

The food and beverage industry faces unique pressures ERP systems must handle these demands seamlessly. That's why Dreher Consulting ensures your ERP isn't just implemented — but fully aligned to your industry's compliance and growth requirements.

  • Strict compliance and traceability — from allergens to CSRD sustainability reporting.
  • Complex recipe & batch management to ensure consistent quality and safety.
  • Seasonal and supply chain challenges requiring accurate forecasting and agile operations.
Curious which KPIs matter most for your role? Try our Pain Point Analyser
Pain Point Analyser

Key KPIs and Challenges in Food & Drink

Food and drink companies in the DACH region face unique pressures — from allergen traceability to CSRD compliance and volatile supply chains. At Dreher Consulting, we help organisations focus on the KPIs that matter most, turning these challenges into measurable improvements.

Feature / Need

Key KPIs (measurable targets)

Typical Challenges (pain points)

Compliance & Regulation
Key KPIs (measurable targets)

KPI: 100% compliance with food safety and CSRD reporting

Typical Challenges (pain points)

Managing allergen traceability, sustainability audits

KPI: 100% compliance with food safety and CSRD reporting

Managing allergen traceability, sustainability audits

Process Fit
Key KPIs (measurable targets)

15% reduction in average order-to-delivery cycle time

Typical Challenges (pain points)

Balancing recipe/batch accuracy with efficiency in highly regulated environments

15% reduction in average order-to-delivery cycle time

Balancing recipe/batch accuracy with efficiency in highly regulated environments

Scalability
Key KPIs (measurable targets)

20% increase in production capacity without raising overhead costs

Typical Challenges (pain points)

Managing seasonal demand spikes and supply chain volatility

20% increase in production capacity without raising overhead costs

Managing seasonal demand spikes and supply chain volatility

Localisation
Key KPIs (measurable targets)

Full localisation for DACH-specific tax, labeling, and compliance requirements

Typical Challenges (pain points)

Adapting ERP to multiple countries’ reporting and language needs without fragmentation

Full localisation for DACH-specific tax, labeling, and compliance requirements

Adapting ERP to multiple countries’ reporting and language needs without fragmentation

Curious which KPIs matter most to your business?
Pain Point Analyser

Support from experts who understand the complexities of the food processing industry is important.

By considering these factors, you can find an ERP system that meets the unique needs of your business and helps you compete in today's market. If you have any questions about digitalisation or ERP systems for food processing companies, please use the contact button below or above. We will be happy to help you find the right solution for your company.

Schedule Consultation

ERP-systems-for-food-processing-companies
What we do

We develop solutions that shape the future of companies, increasing competitiveness & unleashing potential.

Integral first step:

Process optimisation should be considered before ERP implementation as it ensures the system operates on streamlined, efficient workflows. Without it, ERP systems risk magnifying inefficiencies instead of resolving them. Process optimisation

  • Prevents automating flawed processes
  • Identifies key inefficiencies to address early
  • Aligns system configuration with optimised workflows
  • Maximises ERP’s potential for improved performance
  • Sets the foundation for long-term operational success

Learn More

Future Focused:

Building regulatory compliance capabilities within ERP, especially for sustainability and CSDR, ensures the system is equipped to handle evolving regulations. Early integration minimizes future disruptions and enhances long-term sustainability efforts. The integration of regulatory compliance

  • Embeds compliance tracking into system functions
  • Ensures CSDR capabilities are built-in early
  • Supports automated compliance reporting
  • Reduces future costly system modifications
  • Strengthens sustainability and regulatory alignment from the start

Learn More

A Crucial Foundation:

The selection of an ERP system is fundamental to long-term success. The right system ensures operational efficiency, compliance, and scalability, reduces future costs, and enables sustainable growth. A structured and professional selection process:

  • Aligns system functions with business objectives
  • Reduces future costs for unplanned system changes
  • Supports scalability and future business expansion
  • Ensures the system's adaptability to evolving industry requirements
  • Supports scalability and growth by adapting 
  • Secures stakeholder buy-in

Learn More

Crucial Transformation:

ERP implementation is crucial for transforming business operations by integrating key processes into a unified system. It enhances efficiency, streamlines workflows, and provides real-time data insights, driving overall business success. The implementation of an ERP-system

  • Unifies business functions into a single platform
  • Enhances decision-making with accurate, real-time data
  • Streamlines processes, reducing manual tasks and errors
  • Increases efficiency by automating repetitive operations
  • Supports scalability and growth by adapting to evolving business needs

 

Learn More

Future Foundation:

The AI and Automation module focuses on leveraging technology to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance decision-making. Built on a foundation of standardised processes and clear data, this module helps businesses harness the full potential of AI and automation for sustainable growth. The integration of AI-technologies.

  • Automates repetitive tasks, increasing efficiency
  • Enhances decision-making with data-driven insights
  • Improves productivity by streamlining workflows
  • Scales easily to adapt to growing business needs
  • Personalises customer experiences

Learn More

stack layer one stack layer one Process Optimisation
stack layer two stack layer two Compliance
stack layer three stack layer three ERP Selection
stack layer four stack layer four ERP Implementation
stack layer five stack layer five Automation & AI

Process Optimisation

Integral first step:

Process optimisation should be considered before ERP implementation as it ensures the system operates on streamlined, efficient workflows. Without it, ERP systems risk magnifying inefficiencies instead of resolving them. Process optimisation

  • Prevents automating flawed processes
  • Identifies key inefficiencies to address early
  • Aligns system configuration with optimised workflows
  • Maximises ERP’s potential for improved performance
  • Sets the foundation for long-term operational success

Learn More

Compliance

Future Focused:

Building regulatory compliance capabilities within ERP, especially for sustainability and CSDR, ensures the system is equipped to handle evolving regulations. Early integration minimizes future disruptions and enhances long-term sustainability efforts. The integration of regulatory compliance

  • Embeds compliance tracking into system functions
  • Ensures CSDR capabilities are built-in early
  • Supports automated compliance reporting
  • Reduces future costly system modifications
  • Strengthens sustainability and regulatory alignment from the start

Learn More

ERP Selection

A Crucial Foundation:

The selection of an ERP system is fundamental to long-term success. The right system ensures operational efficiency, compliance, and scalability, reduces future costs, and enables sustainable growth. A structured and professional selection process:

  • Aligns system functions with business objectives
  • Reduces future costs for unplanned system changes
  • Supports scalability and future business expansion
  • Ensures the system's adaptability to evolving industry requirements
  • Supports scalability and growth by adapting 
  • Secures stakeholder buy-in

Learn More

ERP Implementation

Crucial Transformation:

ERP implementation is crucial for transforming business operations by integrating key processes into a unified system. It enhances efficiency, streamlines workflows, and provides real-time data insights, driving overall business success. The implementation of an ERP-system

  • Unifies business functions into a single platform
  • Enhances decision-making with accurate, real-time data
  • Streamlines processes, reducing manual tasks and errors
  • Increases efficiency by automating repetitive operations
  • Supports scalability and growth by adapting to evolving business needs

 

Learn More

Automation & AI

Future Foundation:

The AI and Automation module focuses on leveraging technology to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance decision-making. Built on a foundation of standardised processes and clear data, this module helps businesses harness the full potential of AI and automation for sustainable growth. The integration of AI-technologies.

  • Automates repetitive tasks, increasing efficiency
  • Enhances decision-making with data-driven insights
  • Improves productivity by streamlining workflows
  • Scales easily to adapt to growing business needs
  • Personalises customer experiences

Learn More

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