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Agrifood Efficiency and Digital Operations for Resilient Growth

Photo of Alan Dickson
Alan Dickson

EY Ireland Consulting Partner; Procurement and Supply Chain

Contributors

  • Jamie Costello
Related topics
Sustainability
Consulting
Supply-chain

Data, disciplined processes and connected operations lift efficiency, strengthen flow and build agrifood performance at a time of rising pressure. 

In brief

  • Better daily processes cut waste, steady the work and lift output across agrifood plants. 

  • Digital tools give teams clear, live information that supports quicker action on the line. 

  • AI tools read patterns in equipment data and support smoother, more reliable production.

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AgriFood in 2026: why discipline and better data are the future

 

Operational excellence, data-driven decision making and digital enablement are the most secure path to a stronger future for Agrifood in Ireland. Embracing and embedding these best practices will lead to greater efficiency, better quality, enhanced competitiveness and improved overall resilience.

 

Recent, and now regular, global instability means more pressure on industries that are highly energy dependent. When oil and gas prices fluctuate, Agrifood is impacted. As this challenge continues, a response strategy with future-ready processes will be essential. Like a sports team that wants to win, do the training. For the Irish Agrifood industry to stay competitive, get ready.

 

The Daily Work That Lifts Performance

 

When it comes to high volume, low margin food production environments, waste reduction is one of the quickest ways to improve cost competitiveness.

  1. Material Waste Reduction
    Raw materials make up a large share of costs in agrifood processing. Small gains in how much usable product comes through the line add value, and reductions in rework add more value again. These steady improvements build stronger margins and support better profitability at scale.

  2. Energy Efficiency 
    Production sites use a lot of power because equipment like chillers, pasteurisers and refrigeration units run constantly. Lean actions including shorter, smarter cleaning cycles and cutting back on unnecessary idle time will support steady reductions in electricity and water use. These improvements matter even more as global conflict pushes oil and gas prices upward and adds pressure on operating budgets.  There is a clear financial incentive and reward to lowering consumption and keeping it low. 

  3. Labour Flow
    Much like the message with energy, the same rule applies. Be efficient. Minimise unnecessary movement, make the work environment optimal, and get rid of any labour that takes up time but doesn’t add value. Standardised work is the goal because it maintains consistency, limits overtime and keeps the focus on what’s important in terms of enhancing product quality.  

  4. Equipment stability: limiting loss and rework
    In keeping with common sense, equipment in good condition supports steadier production. Simple checks, preventative maintenance and finding the root cause of recurring issues help machines run reliably and reduce unexpected stoppages. This creates a smoother flow on the line and supports better quality, because products are made correctly the first time and records stay clear and accurate for food safety and regulatory needs.

Data & Digital Enablement

Like industries across the board, Agrifood manufactures are replacing dated, fragmented, isolated systems that don’t talk to each other with connected digital platforms that are interoperable. Manufacturing control systems such as LIMS, MES and Enterprise Historians are now embedded industry standards. Combined, these tools deliver a unified digital ecosystem across production quality, maintenance, and environmental monitoring. They deliver real time visibility and greater automation.

This foundation creates the base for real time shopfloor insights, proactive data driven operations, and long term trend analysis across the plant.

  1. Real Time Shop floor Insights
    Sensors, PLCs, and equipment connections collect live data from machines and processes. Dashboards show this information immediately, including equipment status, output, throughput, and quality measures. Teams gain faster access to what is happening on the line and can make quicker, better decisions. 

  2. Proactive, DataDriven Operations
    Live data helps teams act quickly when yield, quality, or equipment performance changes. Automated alerts and visual tools guide teams toward earlier action and support focused problem solving. This approach reduces losses and keeps attention on improvements that matter. 

  3. Historized Data for Trend Analysis
    Enterprise Historians and MES platforms store large volumes of detailed production data over long periods. This creates a strong base for trend analysis and root cause investigation. Teams can use these insights for better forecasting, clearer prioritisation of improvement work, and stronger decisions about future investment.

AI enabled Agents for Live and Historized Manufacturing Data  

AI enabled agents are changing how manufacturers work with production data. These tools sit inside the flow of information coming from sensors, PLCs, MES, and long term historian stores, and they read the entire environment as a single field of signals. They monitor equipment behaviour continuously, interpret patterns as they form, and surface actions that matter for throughput, quality, and asset performance. They work as always on digital operators that strengthen the judgement of the human team.

AI enabled agents add value in several ways:

  • They spot unusual patterns earlier and with more precision. 
  • They forecast equipment issues before they interrupt production. 
  • They present corrective actions that pull from real operating conditions. 
  • They reveal insights that manual reviews would miss. 
  • They sit across systems and act as an intelligent coordination layer.

This steady use of live and historized data builds a stronger decision base. It reduces unplanned stoppages, and supports faster improvement cycles, giving manufacturers more capacity to respond to pressure from energy costs, input variability, and operational risk.

Conclusion

Operational Excellence and digital enablement give Irish agrifood manufacturers a clear path forward. Lean practices cut waste and strengthen flow, and digital tools supply live and historized information to support quicker decisions and steadier operations. These capabilities matter even more at a time when global conflict has jeopardised the stability of energy costs and supply.

The future-proofing effects of capable processes and connected data cannot be understated. Operations will run smoother, teams will be more resilient, and plants will run at levels that deliver a clear competitive edge.

Summary

Irish agrifood plants gain strength through steady daily improvements, better use of materials and smoother production flow. Digital tools give teams clear, live information that supports faster decisions. AI adds another layer by reading patterns, guiding early action and reducing stoppages. These combined practices build resilience and help producers manage rising energy pressure and variable inputs.

About this article

Photo of Alan Dickson
Alan Dickson
EY Ireland Consulting Partner; Procurement and Supply Chain
Head of Supply Chain in Ireland. Sports fanatic. Father of 3 children

Contributors

  • Jamie Costello
Related topics
Sustainability
Consulting
Supply-chain

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