Systems for food and beverage businesses
We set up batch tracking, expiry control, production and distribution for food and beverage businesses, where freshness and traceability decide profit.
What makes food and beverage different
Food businesses work with products that expire, recipes that must be consistent and customers who expect every batch to be traceable. Margins are thin, so waste and stock-outs both hurt quickly.
Shelf life
Stock that expires on the shelf is lost margin, so the oldest batch must leave first.
Traceability and recalls
A problem with one ingredient must be traceable to every affected batch and customer.
Recipe consistency
Each production run should use the same quantities, with yield and waste recorded.
Distribution
Orders from many outlets must be delivered on fixed routes and schedules.
What we set up
These are the parts of the system that matter most in this sector.
Batch and expiry tracking
Every batch recorded from receipt to sale, with first-expiry-first-out picking.
Recipes and production
Recipes held as bills of materials, with actual yield compared against expected.
Order and delivery management
Orders from distributors and outlets processed and dispatched by route.
Costing
Ingredient, packaging and production costs captured per batch.
Which platform fits
The right platform depends on the size and shape of your operation. This is how we usually see it.
Zoho
Suits distributors and brands that trade finished goods: Zoho Inventory with batch tracking, plus Zoho Books and CRM.
Odoo
Usually our recommendation for producers: manufacturing, lot tracking, quality checks and accounting in one system.
Microsoft
Business Central suits larger food businesses that need group finance and reporting on Microsoft.
Common questions
Can the system handle expiry dates?
Yes. Batches carry expiry dates, picking follows them, and alerts are raised before stock expires.
Can we trace a batch to the customers who received it?
Yes. Lot tracking links each batch from supplier to production to delivery.
Do you work with restaurants?
We work mainly with producers and distributors. For restaurant groups we help with purchasing, stock and accounts rather than point-of-sale systems.
Explore further
Manufacturing in this sector
Inventory and purchasing in this sector
Finance and accounting in this sector
Losing margin to waste and stock-outs? Talk to us.
Tell us what you produce or distribute. We will show you how batch tracking and planning would work for you.