By Jeremy King
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November 20, 2024
Key Takeaways: The success of AI technology relies on a centralized data set. ERP solutions provide beverage companies with a unified platform to consolidate information across all operations and departments. In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a transformative force. Its potential to revolutionize the beverage industry hinges significantly on one critical factor: data. AI needs data—lots and lots of it. However, the true potency of AI can best be realized when data is not just abundant but also unified within a single system. Keep scrolling to learn more. The Importance of Data for AI AI algorithms thrive on information. The more data they process, the better they learn and make predictions. This is because AI, particularly machine learning models, relies on identifying patterns and correlations within data—the more comprehensive the data, the more accurate and nuanced the insights. The Challenge of Data Silos In many beverage companies, information is often dispersed across multiple systems and departments, creating data silos. These silos hinder the flow of information and lead to fragmented data landscapes – and often fragmented teams. Data silos leave beverage companies with: Incomplete insights: When data is scattered, AI models lack access to the full spectrum of information, leading to incomplete or biased insights. Redundancies and inconsistencies: Different systems may store duplicate or conflicting information, complicating data management and reducing reliability. Higher costs : Maintaining multiple systems is costly, both in terms of financial resources and operational efficiency. Complex data integrations: Integrating data from various sources is often a complex, time-consuming process that can delay AI initiatives. How HenHouse Brewing Solved Its Data Issue 2018 was a boom year for HenHouse Brewing Company . The company was rapidly growing both in its physical footprint and barrels produced per year. At the time, the brewery operated from multiple department-owned spreadsheets that stored various data sets. The process was disjointed, archaic and prone to error. Collin McDonnell, CEO and co-founder, shared how data silos affected teamwork and company culture. “I don’t think people understand how stressful it can be to run a really complicated manufacturing business, and that’s what a brewery is,” explained Collin. “There’re a lot of opportunities for people to feel like somebody else isn’t doing their job or that this thing isn’t happening the way I want it to. All of that stress can create a bad work environment.” Collin described how switching to a brewery ERP solution and creating a central repository of truth led to more collaboration, less blaming and less resentment. “It's weird to talk about an ERP as a way to get the team to get along better, but it's super true. Everybody is much happier not having the infinite spreadsheet sprawl that made us stressed out and mad at each other.” HenHouse now benefits from a single data set that integrates information across the entire company, helping teams be more agile and adaptable as the brewery continues to grow.