In this series, we have discussed the needs and opportunities for new technologies in various food sectors, using the baking industry as an example. We all know the marketplace is undergoing vast changes in all areas -- from globalization, to changing consumer needs, to technology impacting the processing and distribution of our foods. Quality, convenience and good taste still drive the ultimate consumers' buying decisions. The ability of the food companies to be flexible in design and manufacturing of food, in an efficient, low-cost manner, will determine who gains the most consumer dollars.

Consumer expectations are high, but they also want value for the money spent and at no sacrifice in quality. However, they continue to drive the boundaries for more and more convenience at the same time -- quality, homemade style, pre-prepared, quick-to-serve, fresh-like, and with a long shelf-life requirement. Quite a challenge!

For the food producer, this means searching out, testing and implementing constantly changing technologies. Whether it be ingredients, packaging, new recipes, automation or processing improvements -- they must ultimately all work together to produce the finished product requirements. This includes meeting all the manufacturing, distribution, store and consumer expectations. Quite a challenge for any food producer! So where does our product development / food technologist / engineer begin?

Identify, Investigate and Implement

In the past ten years or so, another method has come into active acceptance. With the advent of Total Quality and Certified Vendors Programs, food manufacturers have formed working partnerships with their various suppliers. Here the vendor assumes some of the cost and responsibility for testing and developing new applications for the product lines. In return, the food manufacturer gives a preferred buyers status to the vendor and guarantees a certain amount of purchasing from that vendor.

This has worked well where there are conventional processing systems involved. However, today, there are increasingly faster developments in the process area of food production, and often the ingredient supplier may not know the process implications if new production technology is also involved. For many food companies, this has meant going back after a new product launch, and "fixing" deficiencies caused by oversight or lack of understanding of how all the parts fit and must work together. New mixing and heating technologies can have a major impact on how new ingredients might affect the final product. And on top of all this, the packaging requirements may also have changed.

So which vendor has the responsibility to be sure all the pieces work correctly together? One would assume that the food manufacturer should play this role. In some cases they might have the technical talents available -- but in the past few years the downsizing syndrome has left companies with fewer and less-skilled technologists than the more-expensive and seasoned talents let go to save money.

In the global arena, this trend is making U.S. companies more vulnerable to foreign competition where they may operate with fewer, but more experienced, technical staffs. In the technology age we are rapidly moving toward, anything less than the very best technical talent, will not be good enough to compete. Some predictions have been made that the companies of tomorrow will be headed by technologists trained in business and marketing -- and not business people with technical advisors.

Technology Brokers

These people are emerging from the corporate ranks where they were on the technology cutting edge for larger companies, and now are choosing to serve the new small to medium size companies which will use technology as their competitive edge. These technology-driven smaller companies will be quicker to penetrate existing markets -- or quickly identify and develop new ones. They will use agile, empowered workforces, and the best Technology Brokers available.

In the short term, these emerging new companies -- some will be virtual in organization and structure -- will pose a threat to the older, larger, entrenched and inflexible organizations. But in the long run, these companies will help the United States regain markets once lost, and create other markets in quick response to the rapidly changing global arena. The Technology Broker will be a key player in forming the technology partnerships across multiple segments of an industry for unique new products and processes. In the very long term, the consumer will reap the benefits and America will become stronger, by maximizing the best talents in a world class marketplace.