Local F&B Industry Must Modernise To Maintain Growth

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Bernama) -- The AssociatedChinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) said the foodand beverage (F&B) industry must modernise to maintain future growth.

"The F&B industry should look at ICTequipment and solutions to modernise their premises to reduce their dependencyon foreign labour and maintain low cost to remain profitable," saidExecutive Adviser Tan Sri Soong Siew Hoong.

He said in the past, ACCCIM noticed a gradual reluctance by locals to work andventure into the F&B industry, thus the need to rely heavily on foreignlabour.

"We are now urging the F&B industry to introduce mechanisation, automationand computerisation in their businesses, in line with the government's call toreduce the numbers of foreign workers in the country," he said at aseminar on "Continuous Improvement for Profitability & Efficieny inthe Food and Beverage Industry" here Monday.

However, he lamented there was still resistance for change among the operatorsin the F&B industry.

"People are too engrossed with their businesses and are reluctant toexpose themselves to new efficient systems and solutions that may improve theirbusiness processes.

"The use of ICT in the F&B industry is still extremely low and peoplestill think investments for ICT systems will be huge. This is a misconceptionwhere they do not take into the account the returns of the new ICTsystems," he said.

National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) Chairman Wei Chuan Beng said itwas important for the F&B industry to modernise itself as it can attractlocals to join the industry.

"Many chainstores that modernised are able to expand rapidly and at thesame time manage their businesses well.

"By introducing new gadgets and solutions to a business may attract thelocal workforce as the local workforce are IT literate and may feel comfortableto work in a more technological engaged environment.

"We at PIKOM are able to introduce our members in different parts of theICT supply chain in the F&B industry and help them modernise to generategreater business efficiency," he said.

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