F&B skills crisis: Overview
- Food and drink is facing a growing skills crisis as demand for engineers, technicians and data specialists outpaces supply
- An ageing workforce is accelerating concerns over lost expertise and succession gaps
- Manufacturers are competing with sectors like aerospace and automotive for scarce technical talent
- Automation and AI are increasing demand for workers with robotics, data and problem-solving skills
- Industry leaders warn the skills gap is constraining growth, innovation and future investment in food manufacturing
The food and beverage industry’s long-running recruitment battle has historically been defined by a straightforward shortage of workers.
Manufacturers struggled to fill vacancies across production lines, warehouses and supply chains, leading to an increased reliance on temporary labour, higher recruitment costs and persistent concerns about workforce availability.
Now, however, the problem is shifting towards something far more serious – a skills crisis that threatens competitive edge, future growth and investment, and the ability to feed a growing population.
Industry leaders are warning that, while attracting workers remains difficult, the bigger concern is securing people with the technical skills needed to support an increasingly automated and technology-driven manufacturing environment.
As investment in AI, robotics and advanced manufacturing accelerates, the sector is facing growing demand for engineers, maintenance technicians, food scientists and data specialists at a time when competition for such talent is intensifying across multiple industries.
“These shortages are no longer simply a workforce challenge,” agrees Dame Fiona Kendrick, board member of Skills England and former Chair and CEO of Nestlé UK & Ireland. ”They’re constraining growth and investment, technology adoption and affecting manufacturers’ ability to expand and compete internationally."
The problem, she explains, is particularly acute in manufacturing, engineering, production and supply chain roles, where demand for skilled workers continues to outstrip supply.
An ageing workforce
One of the biggest contributing factors to the growing skills crisis is the demographic shift reshaping the industry’s workforce.
According to Dame Kendrick, more than a third of the sector’s workers are aged 50 or older, creating a significant succession challenge as experienced employees approach retirement.
And concerns extend beyond filling vacancies alone.
As older employees leave the workforce, companies risk losing decades of technical and manufacturing expertise as well as operational knowledge.
As a result, many manufacturers are increasingly focused on developing talent internally rather than relying on an already constrained external labour market.
Technical experts wanted
Among the most difficult positions to fill are engineers, says Dame Kendrick, as well as maintenance technicians and production operatives.
And that problem’s not unique to food and beverage. Engineering skills are in demand across almost every industrial sector, creating fierce competition for talent.
Food and drink manufacturers are therefore competing with industries such as aerospace, automotive and advanced manufacturing, all of which are seeking many of the same skills and can often pay higher salaries.
The result is a talent war that many food and beverage businesses are increasingly struggling to win.
Closing the skills gap
Despite widespread concerns about workforce availability, Dame Kendrick argues the problem is not necessarily a lack of people.
Instead, it’s a disparity between worker abilities and the skills employers need.
Modern food and drink manufacturing, says Dame Kendrick, has become increasingly technical, requiring workers with specialised knowledge, experience and training.
As production environments become more sophisticated, finding individuals with the appropriate skill sets is becoming increasingly difficult.
In other words, better alignment between education, training and industry requirements will be essential to closing the skills gap.
At the same time, technological advances are redefining what it means to work in food and beverage manufacturing, increasing demand for more technically capable employees.
“As routine tasks are automated by AI, there will be a need for workers who are able to manage automated systems, analyse data, and troubleshoot equipment,” says Dame Kendrick.
Technical expertise in areas such as robotics maintenance, automation and programming is expected to become increasingly valuable.
Yet technology alone is not the answer. Dame Kendrick also highlights the growing importance of problem-solving and leadership capabilities as businesses navigate increasingly complex technological change.
Put simply, manufacturers will need employees who can not only operate advanced systems, but help organisations adapt to them.
The industry’s image problem
For many manufacturers, the first hurdle is simply getting food and beverage manufacturing onto young people’s career radar.
Despite major investments in automation and advanced manufacturing, perceptions of the sector have often failed to keep pace with reality.
“Many young people aren’t aware of the opportunities in food and drink manufacturing and haven’t seen the modern factories that exist today,” says Dame Kendrick.
Food manufacturing sites are frequently located away from population centres and industrial estates, limiting public visibility. Career choices are also heavily influenced by parents, teachers and peers, many of whom have little direct experience of the industry.
As a result, says Dame Kendrick, many young people continue to overlook a sector that offers opportunities spanning engineering, data analytics, sustainability, food science and product innovation.
And, unless the industry can change those perceptions and attract the next generation of talent, manufacturers risk facing even greater workforce pressures in the years ahead.
The cost of inaction
The business implications of failing to address the skills gap could be significant, says Dame Kendrick.
Companies that are unable to access the talent they need may struggle to increase production, implement new technologies and remain competitive.
“Skills shortages can lead to lower productivity, increased operational costs, and reduced investment in innovation,” she warns.
This challenge comes at a particularly sensitive moment for manufacturing. Investment in the food and drink sector remains below pre-pandemic levels, while concerns about planning delays, energy costs and wider economic uncertainty continue to weigh on business confidence.
Without the skilled workforce necessary to support future technologies, manufacturers risk delaying automation projects and other productivity-enhancing investments, potentially widening the competitive gap with rivals.
The workforce of the future
Dame Kendrick believes the industry workforce will undergo fundamental changes over the next decade.
The factories of the future will require fewer employees performing repetitive manual tasks and more workers capable of overseeing automated production systems, analysing complex datasets and solving technical challenges.
