Appetite for Change: Key Food and Beverage Industry and Technology Trends for North America in 2025

Appetite for Change: Key Food and Beverage Industry and Technology Trends for North America in 2025

Your food and beverage business is likely still grappling with the same persistent but no less significant challenges, including evolving regulations, workforce shortages, limitations of current technology and pressure to adopt the latest advancements.

So as we approach 2025, how can your business rise above these pressures and make progress?

To help you form strategies to stay competitive and fuel growth, we commissioned B2B International to conduct comprehensive research, including a survey of more than 200 senior business leaders. Below, we’ve summarized the key trends identified to whet your palate.

But this is just a taste of our full Food and Beverage Industry Trends and Technology Report. Download the full asset for free when you’re ready.

Trend No. 1: Regulatory Changes Are a Significant External Pressure

When it comes to the external influences shaping business strategies, our research revealed that regulatory and legislative changes are the most pressing external pressure for food and beverage companies. After all, non-compliance can have catastrophic consequences for your business.

More than a third (36%) of organizations say legislation will be a significant concern in 2025—a notable increase from 19% the previous year. This rise reflects a growing awareness of the complexities involved in adhering to new food safety regulations, particularly the impending Food Traceability Final Rule set to take effect on January 20, 2026.

For your food and beverage business, responding to evolving legislative frameworks requires proactive adjustments and comprehensive research and planning to ensure compliance.

Thankfully, it’s far easier to achieve that agility with the right food and beverage software in your corner. Companies that invest in technology to facilitate traceability and establish standard operating procedures based on best practices can mitigate risks while capitalizing on the opportunity to build consumer trust through transparent operations.

Trend No. 2: Overcoming Staffing and Skills Shortages Is a Focus Area for Improvement

With talent shortages still looming large throughout 2024, it's unsurprising that overcoming staffing issues topped the list of internal focuses from our research. That's a notable jump from second place last year.

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel though, with 54% of respondents already investing 54% of respondents are already investing in technology as a proactive measure to address workforce limitations. In particular, automation can help improve employee productivity and job satisfaction while maximizing the value of existing staff.

This trend underscores the importance of strategically implementing technology for enhanced operational efficiency. Through automation, your company can alleviate the pressure of labor shortages while empowering your teams to focus on higher-value activities that drive innovation and growth.

Trend No. 3: Cloud Migration and Automation Are the Next Steps in Digital Transformation

While digital transformation has been a trending food industry topic for several years, 2025 will see an increasing number of businesses “leveling up” their strategies through cloud migration and automation.

To wit, 74% of companies in our survey reported they are either in the process of migrating to the cloud or have already completed this transition, compared to 57% the previous year. And 58% of respondents indicated that their business operations are mostly or completely automated.

Fully embracing cloud-based solutions will offer your business greater operational flexibility and resilience, ensuring you don't get left behind as your competitors innovate.. Additionally, the secure remote access that cloud software offers will enable you to increase workforce agility.

Meanwhile, automation not only helps your food and beverage business mitigate labor shortages, but also improves accuracy and efficiency in all of your processes—from inventory management and forecasting to supply chain management and financial reporting. This directly correlates with higher revenue and profit growth, making it a no-brainer for your food business.

Trend No. 4: Industry-Specific Functionalities and Software Create a Crucial Competitive Advantage

In a sector as specialized as food and beverage, the advantages of industry-specific software solutions can’t be understated. While there is room for greater adoption of specialist solutions—only 41% of our survey participants indicated they use food industry ERP software, for example—organizations that have adopted such systems have seen clear financial benefits, with higher revenue projections than peers still relying on generic software.

The same holds true for product lifecycle management (PLM), business intelligence (BI), customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise asset management (EAM) systems that are built specifically for food and beverage organizations. Each has capabilities tailored to the unique challenges of the sector, making them worthwhile investments that positively impact both the bottom line and day-to-day operations.

This trend highlights the need for senior leaders to prioritize investments in specialized technology that addresses unique industry challenges. By adopting food and beverage-specific solutions, your company can better meet customer demands, scale operations smoothly and more readily comply with new regulations.

Trend No. 5: Adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Is Increasing and Producing Good Results

In 2024, AI has moved beyond the hype and is already delivering tangible business value to early adopters in the food and beverage industry. 2025 promises even deeper exploration of AI technologies, with organizations considering how it can improve core operations and strategic decision-making.

77% of our survey respondents are now implementing or exploring AI solutions. More significantly, companies utilizing AI have reported enhanced innovation, improved efficiency and better decision-making capabilities driven by data analysis—not to mention higher revenue and profit growth compared to AI laggards.

As AI continues to evolve, your organization can harness its capabilities to drive significant advancements in financial performance and overall competitiveness.

For example, you may consider leveraging AI in data analysis and supply chain optimization, where its automated and unguided nature allows for time-savings and enhanced decision-making. However, bear in mind that AI tools will only prove most effective if they are underpinned by a robust and effective digital infrastructure—highlighting the importance of trends three and four on this list.

Develop Your Food and Beverage Technology Strategy for 2025

Thriving in the food and beverage industry in 2025 and beyond will hinge on your ability to navigate complex challenges like those enumerated above.

Taking decisive action now to address operational constraints and invest in purpose-built technology solutions will ensure you’re best equipped to capitalize on the opportunities ahead.

Now that you’ve had a taste of the future, don’t forget to explore the full 2025 Food and Beverage Industry Trends and Technology Report. To learn more about Aptean and our cutting-edge food and beverage software, contact us or request a personalized demo.