The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Ecommerce is thriving, especially for B2B companies, and Tetra Pak has seen growth in the utilisation and maturity of online platforms within the food and beverage industries. It was always growing, and the pandemic just accelerated this growth while also bringing certain trends to the forefront.

People are more used to making online purchases than ever before, so it makes sense that this also applies to the food and beverage sector. After all, it’s not the business making the purchases – it’s the people within the business. By staying on top of the trends, you can ensure that you’re in a position to make the most out of any ecommerce platform.

Do you recognise these challenges?

Food and beverage manufacturers are facing many challenges, and increased competition means there must be more focus on empowering staff and optimising overall productivity.

Time pressure is also increasing, so having better control of your ordering process and planning in advance is important, and 24/7 access to systems that facilitate this is essential. Ordering replacement parts can also be complicated, whether due to lost documentation of originals, or outdated technology, which means finding a system with a robust search functionality can make a real difference. In addition to all of this, keeping track of orders can be a challenge, especially if there are multiple orders from multiple people.

The right ecommerce solution can help manufacturers overcome these challenges, but what else is important in a digital platform?

Prioritising usability

According to the Future of Sales in 2025: A Gartner Trend Insight Report, almost half of all B2B customers buy online, and 80% of interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels by 2025, so it’s essential for any ecommerce platform to be intuitive and user-friendly. Many B2B platforms can seem complicated, especially if they’re offering a variety of different things for different audiences, so here, it’s important to look for a platform that includes in-store tutorials and guides.

The buying process for B2B companies often includes multiple stakeholders, so it’s also worth looking for features that make it easier for you and your colleagues to collaborate and communicate within the ecommerce platform. After all, the smoother the experience, the better it is for your business.

Making data-driven decisions

Many B2B operations choose ecommerce platforms based on experience and intuition, but with the increasing prevalence of online storefronts, businesses have access to more data than ever. There’s data from internal processes, from sales staff, from customers online, and from purchasers within the business. When all this is combined, it can help paint a very clear picture of what items and services are actually most popular and most relevant to you, which in turn can guide and inform both short and long-term strategies.

60% of B2B sales organisations will transition to data-driven selling in the coming years, and by using a data-driven ecommerce platform, you can make the most of this development.

Keeping it remote

Gartner's Trend Insight Report also shows that 70%-80% of all B2B decision-makers now prefer digital self-service and remote interactions, which is likely due to these features becoming even more common in the world of B2C. People now expect fast answers, immediate access to the information they need and ways to work autonomously to land on the products and services required.

A good self-service portal on an ecommerce platform allows you and your colleagues to do more independently, whether that’s through seamless collaboration within the system or placing full quotes and orders online, and it also frees up time within your business as more of the work is done before the communication begins.

Stay on trend

In a crowded market, innovation makes a big difference. If you can find the ecommerce platform of the future – one that’s convenient, easy to use and has a full range of products and services – you’re making life easier for yourself and your colleagues, wherever they are in the world.

Tetra Pak customers already have access to an easy-to-use ecommerce solution in Tetra Pak e-Business. The web shop for Tetra Pak customers features a personalised storefront, customisable access levels, a seamless and intuitive interface, a transparent ordering process that’s fast and simple and much more. Tetra Pak e-Business has everything from genuine parts and consumables to full maintenance kits, and it’s all available anytime, anywhere.

To find out more, click here.