FDBusiness.com

At the beginning of every year there is a flurry of industry forecasts with every brand, restaurant and manufacturer throwing its predictions into the ring. Just four months in, 2019 is looking to be a positive year for the industry; as major manufacturers and producers continue to plough forward to meet customer demand.

John Moxon, business development director at Clegg Food Projects, a national designer, constructor and engineer of food manufacturing facilities, shares his insight into how 2019 is shaping up so far.

John Moxon, business development director at Clegg Food Projects.

Capital investment into the food and drink industry has on the whole been performing well year on year and 2019 is set to stay that course.

The consumer is at the heart of the food and drink industry influencing every decision across the entire supply chain. Two sectors touted for growth were health and wellbeing and convenience food. Customers are growing increasingly well-informed regarding food choices but also live busy lifestyles, which makes convenience a top priority.

However, all sectors continue to perform well so looking more broadly at the food and drink industry, particularly regarding manufacturing decisions, 2019 is looking cautiously optimistic.

The focus will be on maximising existing sites

Industry capital investment is set to remain at a similarly high level as 2018 and we are definitely seeing customers choose to focus more on their existing sites as a continuing trend this year.

This shift in priorities from new build projects to utilising existing resources in order to increase capacity or efficiency is certainly an inclination that will continue further into 2019. Regardless of any economic uncertainty, producers and brands are looking to solidify and rejuvenate their current assets before investing in new ones.

Pressure on value for money

Value for money is of course key to any project but the pressure to keep costs low and pay attention to energy and resource efficiency for projects – both under construction and in operation – will continue to be a key focus for every level of the supply chain.

Food and beverage manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to improve their products but with a reduced quantity of energy and resource – as a result this is something we help manage with our clients when looking at a new project.

Increased international interest in UK experience

Attention from outside the UK has been gathering for a while as certain countries begin to recognise the experience and knowledge of UK food and beverage experts. As a result, international capital projects will continue to grow. This is certainly something we are experiencing as we’ve seen enquiries spike for a number of international food and drink facilities.

Overall, 2019 is set to be an interesting year and positivity remains high across the industry. Once the economic situation becomes clearer, I think we will see a number of projects receive decisions regarding funding and suddenly spring into life.

For further information visit www.cleggfoodprojects.co.uk or follow @CleggFoodP on Twitter.