Client
Global Beverage Manufacturer
Industry
Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Engagement Type
PLM Strategy, Investment Analysis & Technology Roadmap
The Challenge
Product innovation is one of the most important drivers of growth within the food and beverage industry.
The organization relied on a mature Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform that had successfully supported innovation, specification management, quality processes, supplier collaboration, and commercialization activities for nearly two decades.
However, the technology landscape was rapidly evolving.
An aging platform, approaching vendor support limitations, increasing business complexity, and the emergence of AI-driven capabilities created a need to evaluate the future of the company’s product innovation ecosystem.
Leadership needed to answer several critical questions:
- What capabilities are required to support innovation over the next decade?
- How effectively does the current PLM landscape support business objectives?
- What technology gaps exist today?
- How should emerging technologies such as AI, automation, and advanced analytics be incorporated into future operations?
- Which technology investments should be prioritized?
Before launching a software selection process, the organization needed a strategic roadmap that aligned technology investments with long-term business objectives.
The Frame & Flight Approach
Frame & Flight partnered with the organization to conduct a comprehensive Strategic Investment Analysis focused on the future of Product Lifecycle Management and digital product innovation.
The engagement combined business strategy, operational analysis, technology assessment, and future-state visioning.
Enterprise-Wide Current State Assessment
Frame & Flight conducted a global assessment of product lifecycle processes, supporting technologies, and user experiences across the enterprise.
The team facilitated:
- 71 stakeholder interviews
- Process owner workshops
- Technology ecosystem reviews
- User experience assessments
- Capability evaluations
Stakeholders represented:
- Research & Development
- Quality & Regulatory
- Procurement
- Supplier Quality
- Packaging Development
- Commercialization
- Manufacturing
- Information Technology
This effort created a comprehensive understanding of how product information moved across the organization and where technology limitations impacted efficiency and innovation.
Technology Ecosystem & Process Mapping
Frame & Flight mapped the broader product innovation ecosystem, documenting the interactions between PLM and supporting business systems.
The analysis included:
- Data flow mapping
- Process mapping
- System integration assessments
- User journey analysis
- Governance reviews
The result was a technology-agnostic view of how people, processes, systems, and data interacted throughout the product lifecycle.
Future-State Vision Development
Recognizing that technology decisions should support future business needs—not current limitations—Frame & Flight facilitated visioning workshops focused on the next five to ten years of product innovation.
Key areas explored included:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Workflow Automation
- Advanced Analytics
- Supplier Collaboration
- Real-Time Decision Support
- Knowledge Management
- Regulatory Intelligence
- Digital Product Development
The workshops identified opportunities to improve innovation speed, compliance, collaboration, and operational efficiency through emerging technologies.
Capability Gap Analysis
Current-state capabilities were evaluated against future-state business objectives.
Frame & Flight identified strategic gaps related to:
- Data connectivity
- User experience
- Automation
- Reporting and analytics
- Supplier collaboration
- Workflow flexibility
- Product lifecycle visibility
- End-of-life management
The resulting capability model provided a structured framework for future investment decisions.
Investment Roadmap & Technology Strategy
The final phase of the engagement translated assessment findings into an actionable technology strategy.
Deliverables included:
- PLM vision and strategy
- Technology roadmap
- Capability prioritization
- Investment recommendations
- Vendor landscape considerations
- Budgetary planning guidance
- RFP preparation framework
The roadmap provided leadership with a clear path from current-state limitations to future-state innovation capabilities.
The Results
The organization established a strategic foundation for modernizing its global product innovation ecosystem.
Key outcomes included:
- 71 stakeholder interviews completed across the global enterprise
- Comprehensive current-state assessment delivered
- Product innovation ecosystem mapped
- Future-state PLM vision established
- Capability gaps identified and prioritized
- Emerging technology opportunities defined
- Technology investment roadmap created
- Vendor evaluation and RFP preparation strategy developed
Most importantly, leadership gained alignment around the future role of PLM as a strategic enabler of innovation, efficiency, and business growth.
Business Impact
Many technology modernization programs begin with software selection.
This engagement focused on a more fundamental question:
What capabilities must the organization develop to support innovation over the next decade?
By aligning business strategy, operational needs, and emerging technology opportunities before initiating vendor selection, the organization significantly reduced investment risk and improved decision-making confidence.
The result was a business-led technology strategy designed to support long-term innovation and competitive advantage.
Key Takeaway
Successful PLM transformations begin long before software is selected.
Organizations that first understand their processes, technology landscape, future-state vision, and capability requirements make better investment decisions and achieve stronger business outcomes.
Frame & Flight helped a global beverage manufacturer establish the strategic foundation, investment roadmap, and future-state vision required to modernize its product innovation ecosystem and prepare for the next generation of Product Lifecycle Management.