The Top 10 Food ERP Systems

Effective resource management is critical to achieving results in food and beverage manufacturing. Part of that is ensuring that all members of an organization have the tools they need to allocate resources smoothly and efficiently. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through the use of ERP software tailed for the food and beverage industry, including the fresh produce industry.

Implementing a top enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a critical investment for food and beverage manufacturers. An effective ERP manages everything from formula and recipe management to production scheduling, inventory control, quality assurance, and food safety compliance. Choosing the wrong solution can hamper efficiency and profitability. 

This article compares 10 top ERP systems purpose-built for the unique needs of food and beverage producers to help identify the best choice for your business.

Each of these 10 food and beverage manufacturing ERP software systems offers its own set of tools to address the unique needs of process manufacturers. This group of ERP systems includes ERP software for meat processors, food and beverage companies, and more. What they have in common is high performance, flexibility, and dedication to the needs of their customers.

Key Selection Criteria for a Food Manufacturing ERP

When evaluating ERP solutions for your food or beverage manufacturing operation, focus on these key factors:

• Food safety and compliance features to adhere to regulations, requirements, and certifications like FSMA, GFSI, and HACCP.
• Production planning and scheduling optimized for process, batch, and formula-based manufacturing.
• Inventory management with batch/lot tracking, FEFO/FIFO, and warehouse management.
• Quality control and testing with integrated lab management and data collection.
• Demand forecasting and sales and operations planning are tailored towards production processes that involve formulas and ingredients, rather than assembly.
• Formulation management for recipes, ingredients, packaging specs, and costing.
• Real-time data collection and reporting for analysis and insights into all plant floor activities and across the supply chain.

Prioritizing these criteria will help you select the right ERP to maximize productivity, compliance, and profitability.

Related: Read our food and beverage ERP selection guide

BatchMaster ERP software is an excellent choice for food manufacturers who are working to expand and grow their operations. Through BatchMaster’s embedded functionality, a food manufacturer can easily add powerful functions such as batch production, costing and inventory management to the software they already use. Their process manufacturing solutions are built for smooth and simple integration with SAP Business One, QuickBooks and other popular enterprise software.

For food manufacturers with complex and challenging requirements, Deacom has created an ERP system with these needs in mind. It’s a complete and self-contained system with built-in accounting and financial tools that offers fine-grained control of complex resource-management tasks. This integrated suite of tools gives mid- to large-sized process manufacturers everything they need to create the simplest solutions for the most complex manufacturing challenges. 

Aptean has become a major force in ERP technologies specifically built for the food industry, most recently by acquiring two major companies and their long-proven ERP products: Process Pro and Just Food ERP systems. Aptean Food and Beverage ERP now presents the best of these two legacy systems in one full spectrum system, perfect for mid-sized food manufacturers and food processing companies looking for a comprehensive ERP system they can grow with.

Plex Systems offers cloud-based ERP software built specifically for manufacturing. Their integrated cloud approach allows their software to update quickly and easily in real time and is ideal for manufacturers overhauling legacy systems. From C‑suite to shop floor to loading dock, Plex’s software is built to perform at every level and foster the cooperation that drives success.

No matter what level of ERP performance a business needs, Sage offers powerful and flexible software solutions. Whether it’s high-performance SME financial tools from Sage 300cloud or a full-scale enterprise business solution like Sage Business Cloud, their software excels at helping food manufacturers maximize productivity and minimize costs.

Since 1983, IFS has been refining their ERP software solutions in the North American business software market. Now they’ve released IFS Applications 10.0, the latest iteration of their flagship software that gives manufacturers a nimble, data-focused solution. Agility and international reach are highly in demand for manufacturers today, and IFS offers ERP software that’s strong in both. 

Enterprise IQ by DelmiaWorks is designed specifically for the comprehensive end-to-end visibility that a process manufacturer needs in order to grow and expand. The software’s integrated ERP and MES functionality offer numerous ways to track and fine-tune manufacturing and distribution processes while complying with stringent quality standards. 

SYSPRO creates simplified, ROI-driven solutions at every level of the manufacturing and distribution process. It’s designed as a people-first software, with extensive options available for each user to customize its functions to the needs of their position. That attention to the human side of ERP has made it exceptionally popular, with over 15,000 licensed businesses using the software and over 90% of SYSPRO clients continuing to use the system after three years. 

SME manufacturers face unique challenges that require flexible and reliable ERP solutions. TGI Ltd. has created its Enterprise 21 ERP suite as a complete manufacturing and distribution solution that tackles these challenges head-on. It’s optimized for full scalability so that businesses don’t need to constantly overhaul the software as they grow, and it’s sold and serviced exclusively by TGI for exceptionally responsive customer support. With free source code and free maintenance, TGI offers a great option for mid-sized food manufacturers.

Datacor (formerly Chempax) has been a leader in ERP systems for Process and Batch Manufacturers, including the food industry, and is designed to bring all your business processes under one single source of control. This ERP system makes it easy for Food Manufacturers to comply with industry regulations and requirements and allows both growth and efficiency in scheduling, materials management, and all processes unique to batch manufacturing.

To learn more about how the above Food ERP solutions are priced, please see our ERP pricing guide.