The best of SIGNALS in 2019

From smarter factories and sustainable packaging to changing tastes and more, we take a look back at some of the top industry trends and developments this year
As the year comes to a close, it’s time to shine the spotlight on some of the big industry trends and developments to come out of 2019. What kind of food and drink products have consumers been seeking out? What impact did environmental and societal concerns have on their purchases? And which new digital developments have industries been talking about the most? To round up the year, we’ve shortlisted five of our trending stories in 2019.
The taste of tomorrow
With a soaring population, changing demographics and growing environmental concerns, we looked ahead to what we’ll be consuming in tomorrow’s world. Research shows that in recent years purchasing power has shifted from Millennials to Gen Zers, driving a demand for healthier food formulations, internationally diverse ingredients and flavours, and heightened creativity in the kitchen. See what this means for the food and beverage industry in part two of The Big Questions series.

Supporting a sustainable future
Sustainability has become a defining issue of our time. In every industry – especially food and beverage – businesses are under pressure to consider their environmental and social impact, with much of the demand coming from consumers. In this series, we took a look at how connected packaging can help supply chains become more sustainable and efficient, and ultimately, help brands make sustainability their competitive advantage.

A golden age for brands
With the global population ageing, a new era of opportunities is opening up for health-driven food and drink products that help combat the ageing process and make people feel young and healthy. To capture this market, brands are increasingly creating products with healthy, natural and fortifying ingredients. From vegetable wellness drinks infused with antioxidant-dense aloe vera to protein-packed whey drinks with whole fruit pieces. See how SIG can help you meet the healthy ageing trend with our innovative drinksplus solution.

Keeping pace with digital
The digital transformation of industry is well underway, and we’re seeing a complete reinvention in how products, solutions and services are developed. In our Digital Discovery series, we’ve explored some of the new technologies driving smarter, more integrated factories and seen how they could radically transform food and beverage production in the coming years.

The next generation network
5G is coming – and all signs are pointing to a huge market impact. It’s only a question of time before every machine, application, factory and supply chain could be 5G. With this in mind, we took a look at the new 5G standard to see just how much it could revolutionise industries. Find our take on the next generation network and what it will mean for your business.

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