Adapting Digital Technologies to Reduce Food Waste and Improve Operational Efficiency of a Frozen Food Company—The Case of Yumchop Foods in the UK

Abstract

Cold storage is an essential operation for many food products in cold supply chains. The main objective of this kind of storage is to preserve the food products for a certain period of time. However, often due to a lack of accurate technology, humidity and temperature in food storge are not monitored in real-time, which will affect the food quality. At present, the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a very popular choice for businesses in food supply chains. This is mainly because of the easy availability of internet, which helps monitor and control the quality of food in storage and transport. In this paper, the experiences of adapting and testing IoT sensors and Big Data technology for reducing food waste in a frozen food manufacturer in the UK are presented. The temperature and humidity monitoring within the operations of this ready-to-eat frozen meal company are also expected to maintain food quality and adhere to legal food safety requirements. Our reflection of experience gained in the installation of the sensors, collecting the data to a cloud server, and conducting data analytics with the data are also described. During the implementation of the technology, the company was able to identify optimal and non-optimal storage conditions for their food products and pre-processed ingredients. This allowed the further development of an alert system and corrective action protocol assisted using the technology installed. Results of the case study evidenced and reported a thorough real-time monitoring system that was able to reduce food waste and assure product quality, which could be applied in different stages of the food supply chain. This case can influence several food businesses to start adapting technology in their routine operations to ensure food quality and safety.