Every few years, a new technology comes along that promises to change everything.

Some live up to the hype. Others quietly disappear.

Artificial intelligence feels different.

Not because it will replace people, but because it will help people make better decisions.

After spending more than 30 years working with food manufacturers, finance, SQL, ERP systems, and analytics, I’ve learned one thing:

Most manufacturers don’t struggle because they lack data.

They struggle because they can’t turn that data into useful information.

A manufacturer may know what left the plant.

A distributor knows what sold to its customers.

A broker knows what accounts they’re working on.

An operator knows what’s happening in the kitchen.

Each group sees only part of the picture.

Very few people can see the entire journey from manufacturer to menu.

That’s where I believe AI becomes transformational.

AI Isn’t the Strategy

One of the biggest misconceptions about AI is that companies need to “use AI.”

I don’t think that’s the right goal.

The goal is to make better business decisions.

AI is simply another tool to help us get there.

Food manufacturing has always been a relationship business.

Relationships between manufacturers, brokers, distributors, chefs, operators, and customers drive long-term success.

AI won’t replace those relationships.

It can strengthen them by helping people ask better questions, identify opportunities sooner, and spend more time solving problems instead of searching through spreadsheets.

Where AI Can Make an Immediate Difference

The opportunities are surprisingly practical.

Imagine asking questions like:

• Which distributors are growing the fastest this quarter?
• Which products have the highest profit but receive the least sales attention?
• Which customers are buying fewer cases than they did last year?
• Which broker territories have the greatest growth opportunity?
• Where are we losing distribution?
• Which products are succeeding in one region but struggling in another?

Many companies already have the data needed to answer these questions.

The challenge is that the information is spread across ERP systems, spreadsheets, distributor reports, CRM systems, and emails.

AI can help connect those pieces together much faster than traditional reporting alone.

Better Decisions, Not More Reports

I’ve spent much of my career building reports and dashboards.

Those reports are valuable.

But I’ve come to believe that reports are not the goal.

Better decisions are.

The best dashboard in the world has little value if it doesn’t change someone’s next decision.

AI has the potential to shorten the time between:

• finding information,
• understanding what it means,
• and taking action.

That’s where the real value lies.

The Human Advantage

Some people worry that AI will replace analysts, accountants, salespeople, or managers.

I don’t see it that way.

The people who understand both the business and the technology will become even more valuable.

Someone still needs to understand why sales declined.

Someone still needs to interpret the numbers.

Someone still needs to build trust with distributors and customers.

AI can provide insight.

People provide judgment.

Looking Ahead

I don’t believe the future belongs to the companies with the biggest AI budgets.

I believe it belongs to the manufacturers that combine strong relationships with better information.

Companies that understand their customers.

Companies that understand their distributors.

Companies that understand their products.

And companies that can see the entire journey from manufacturer to menu.

Technology will continue to evolve.

Relationships will continue to matter.

The manufacturers that bring those two together will be the ones that lead the industry.

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What do you think?

Where do you see AI creating the biggest opportunity—or the biggest challenge—for food manufacturers over the next five years?