TraceGains has launched a Europe-wide research initiative aimed at measuring the digital maturity of food and beverage manufacturers as the industry faces mounting regulatory requirements, increasingly complex supply chains and growing pressure to improve operational efficiency.
The European Food & Beverage Digitalization Benchmark 2026 will gather input from manufacturers across the region to assess how companies are digitizing processes such as ingredient sourcing, supplier collaboration, traceability, regulatory compliance and new product development. The independent study is intended to provide a clearer picture of how prepared the sector is to meet evolving operational and regulatory demands while identifying areas where digital technologies can help close existing gaps.
The initiative comes as food and beverage manufacturers contend with rising expectations to accelerate product launches, manage growing volumes of supplier and ingredient data, respond more quickly to customer requirements and demonstrate compliance across increasingly complex supply chains. At the same time, new European regulations—including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirements and the Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)—are placing greater emphasis on data quality, transparency and operational agility.
According to TraceGains, many manufacturers continue to rely on fragmented systems, manual processes and disconnected data despite the industry’s accelerating digital transformation. The company said the new benchmark is designed to address the absence of an independent assessment focused specifically on the digital maturity of Europe’s food and beverage manufacturing sector, covering functions including quality, compliance, procurement, regulatory affairs, operations and product development.
“Food and beverage manufacturers are being asked to do more, faster, and with greater evidence behind every decision, from sourcing and compliance through to product development and customer response,” said Bal Chand, European Marketing Manager with TraceGains. “But many teams are still working across disconnected processes, manual data requests and systems that make it harder to keep pace. By contributing to this benchmark, organizations are helping establish a shared understanding of where European food and beverage manufacturing is today, and what needs to change if the sector is to keep pace with the demands ahead.”
Companies participating in the study will receive a personalized Digital Maturity Assessment evaluating their capabilities across five dimensions of digital transformation, together with recommendations for improvement.
“Once the survey concludes, participants will also receive a second, personalized report comparing their organization anonymously against peer businesses within the wider European benchmark,” said Bal. “All published findings will be presented in aggregated, anonymous form, and of course individual company data will remain confidential and will never be disclosed.”
Beyond providing participants with individual assessments, TraceGains expects the study to establish a broader evidence base for the industry by identifying emerging trends, common operational challenges and investment priorities.
“The resulting report will identify emerging trends, highlight areas of common challenge, explore investment priorities, and provide policymakers, manufacturers, technology providers and industry bodies with a clearer understanding of how digital transformation is progressing across Europe’s F&B sector,” added Bal. “We hope the benchmark will become an annual measure of industry progress, enabling year-on-year comparisons as manufacturers adapt to evolving market demands, regulatory requirements and technological innovation.
“The future of the industry is dependent on better data, stronger collaboration and informed decision-making,” said Bal. “By contributing to this benchmark, organizations are helping establish a shared understanding of where European food and beverage manufacturing is today, and what it will take to thrive in the ever-evolving world of tomorrow and beyond.”
TraceGains, a Veralto company, provides AI-powered software for food and beverage manufacturers covering compliance, quality, labeling, product development, packaging and environmental, social and governance (ESG) processes. The company says its platform is used by more than 1,500 food and beverage brands, including half of the world’s 100 largest manufacturers, and connects a network of more than 100,000 supplier locations and nearly 700,000 ingredients.
Find out more at: https://tracegains.com/