| |JULY 202219T oday, the rapid development and deployment of technology have accelerated the food systems and have led to various advancements in food tech. Amongst the plethora of technological advancements that are seen in today's businesses, semi-automation is one of the primary changes that is adopted by many companies, especially by the food sector. Various food ventures are now diving into tech solutions to automate or semi-automate their systems so as to make significant process improvements which lead to efficiencies in day-to-day operations, quality output and overall help in building a profitable business. There has been a notable increase in the new demographics of consumers who are looking for ready-to-eat, freshly cooked food. They prefer food safety and convenient delivery services from the comfort of wherever they are. The rising demands of such food services have affected the adoptability and pace at which automation, specifically semi-automation, is applied in the food industry.SEMI-AUTOMATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRYIn the present times, advanced semi-automation solutions are leveraged for diverse purposes and are being applied at multiple stages throughout the food production and delivery system. When systems and processes are automated, it can lead to a more productive labour force, product quality improvement, customer experiences, and better profitability for the business. A recent report by Meticulous Market Research highlights a similar trend and states that the global food automation market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.5 percent from 2020 to hit the $29.4 billion mark by the end of 2027. The changing lifestyles of consumers coupled with the rise in automated solutions adoption will boost the growth of the sector. It also shares that the APAC region, specifically India will be the emerging market for the segment. The report also points out based on the mode of automation, semi-automation occupied the largest share in the food industry in the year 2020 and will continue to pick up pace in the times ahead as well. The study also states that adopting this route enables the players to improve their operational processes along with retaining the human operator required for manual inspection. SEMI-AUTOMATION: NEED OF THE HOURNot that long ago, Semi-automation which was once considered an option for the manufacturers is now quickly emerging to be an essential part of the F&B sector, food delivery services as well as many virtual restaurants. Until a few years ago, home-cooked food was the primary choice of consumers, and eating outside or ordering in was reserved for only special occasions. The market size for the type of food which was consumed outside home was quite limited. The consumers' food needs were simpler and the restaurants and food service providers were able to provide a satisfactory experience for their customers with human assistance. However, as times progressed, SEMI-AUTOMATION IN FOOD TECHNOLOGYBy Kumar Setu, CCO, Sprink.OnlineINDUSTRY INSIGHTSKumar Setu,CCO
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