Automation on the Menu: How Technology is Transforming Food Production Lines
The Future of Food: Trends, Tech, and Changing Tastes in 2025
The UK food and drink manufacturing industry is always moving and in 2025, the pace feels faster than ever. With new technology, shifting consumer demands and constant pressure to stay competitive, manufacturers are being asked to do more than just keep up. They need to be forward-thinking, agile and ready to adapt.
At True North Talent, we spend our time speaking to leaders, candidates, and businesses across the industry. That means we’ve got a front-row seat to the changes shaping the sector right now. In our second article, we look at the effect of AI on our industry.
Automation on the Menu: How Technology is Transforming Food Production Lines
Technology is stepping up in a big way across the UK food and drink industry. More and more manufacturers are investing in AI-driven production systems, robotics and automated quality checks to keep up with rising consumer expectations and tighter margins. What used to feel futuristic is now becoming part of everyday operations.
The benefits are evident: less waste, greater consistency and faster response to demand changes. For example, smart sensors and predictive analytics can spot potential production issues before they cause downtime, saving businesses both money and headaches. Automated quality checks also mean higher accuracy, with fewer errors slipping through the cracks, which helps protect both brand reputation and customer trust.
What is also important to note is that automation doesn’t necessarily remove the need for people, it just changes what people do. Instead of repetitive, manual tasks, there’s now growing demand for engineers, data analysts and managers who understand both the production environment and the new technology driving it. The skill set required today looks very different to what businesses needed even five years ago. We are seeing a number of our current clients seeking automation engineers and project managers who can drive this change in demand.
That’s where recruitment becomes critical. Food and drink manufacturers need to attract talent that’s not only technically skilled but also agile, adaptable and able to bridge the gap between traditional production processes and modern digital solutions.
At True North Talent, we specialise in connecting businesses with exactly this kind of expertise, whether through permanent hires or interim specialists, helping our clients stay competitive as the industry embraces AI and automation.
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Amy Griffith
Managing Director
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HelloFresh vs Gousto…
I’m a sucker for a good discount code, and I’ve seen numerous influencers posting codes lately about HelloFresh and Gousto so I thought I’d give them a try. Although recipe boxes have been around awhile now, I’m totally new to trying them. There’s a few pros and cons I’ve noticed so far.
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In the Food and Drink manufacturing industry, we're no strangers to disruption. From Brexit to Covid, global conflicts to raw material shortages, supply chains have taken a beating over the last few years. And while those headlines have dominated, there's a quieter, more dangerous challenge threatening the industry's long term stability: the talent shortage. Yes, a late shipment can throw off your production line. But a missing team leader, technical manager, or site director? That can derail your entire operation.
A Lens whilst Shopping
There was an article this week in the Food Manufacture by Bethan Grylls, titled "Reading food and drink labels with sight loss" - and how food manufacturing companies can make their packaging more inclusive and accessible for those with visual impairments. It is a really insightful article exploring the world of a VIP (Visually Impaired Person) and certainly made me think of scenarios I hadn't thought of before - how are VIPs expected to navigate their way around a supermarket and read food and drink labels. As a coeliac, I wear my glasses on my head in the supermarket as I am constantly trying to read the ever decreasing font size on food labelling to ensure the product I buy is safe for me! I cannot imagine how challenging it must be for VIPs. It will be interesting to see how the technologies currently available and those yet to be invented, can help VIPs and those of us whose eyesight is likely to deteriorate further.
HelloFresh vs Gousto…
I’m a sucker for a good discount code, and I’ve seen numerous influencers posting codes lately about HelloFresh and Gousto so I thought I’d give them a try. Although recipe boxes have been around awhile now, I’m totally new to trying them. There’s a few pros and cons I’ve noticed so far.
Why Talent Shortages are More Damaging Than Supply Chain Issues
In the Food and Drink manufacturing industry, we're no strangers to disruption. From Brexit to Covid, global conflicts to raw material shortages, supply chains have taken a beating over the last few years. And while those headlines have dominated, there's a quieter, more dangerous challenge threatening the industry's long term stability: the talent shortage. Yes, a late shipment can throw off your production line. But a missing team leader, technical manager, or site director? That can derail your entire operation.
A Lens whilst Shopping
There was an article this week in the Food Manufacture by Bethan Grylls, titled "Reading food and drink labels with sight loss" - and how food manufacturing companies can make their packaging more inclusive and accessible for those with visual impairments. It is a really insightful article exploring the world of a VIP (Visually Impaired Person) and certainly made me think of scenarios I hadn't thought of before - how are VIPs expected to navigate their way around a supermarket and read food and drink labels. As a coeliac, I wear my glasses on my head in the supermarket as I am constantly trying to read the ever decreasing font size on food labelling to ensure the product I buy is safe for me! I cannot imagine how challenging it must be for VIPs. It will be interesting to see how the technologies currently available and those yet to be invented, can help VIPs and those of us whose eyesight is likely to deteriorate further.
