Disruptions are a Reality: Plan Ahead

There are many who believe Murphy is a constant companion of food processors around the world. This is the Murphy as in Murphy’s Law and, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” This may seem rather pessimistic, but it is a fact of life especially for those who are long-time members of the industry. So, how does a processor address the ever-present Murphy? The operators need to develop, document, implement and maintain programs that ensure operations are well managed and properly documented. It is also imperative that processors have contingency plans for events that may disrupt operations.

I have worked in food processing operations on six continents, and one common thread for well-managed plants has been the existence of what most call a crisis management program that targets what needs to be done if there is a problem. What is defined as crisis in the crisis management program varies by plant and where it located. As an example, many years ago during an audit of a facility in Indonesia, I asked if the company had a program that addressed the possibility of an earthquake or volcanic eruption sinceIndonesia is part of the Pacific ”Ring of Fire” and has significant seismic and volcanic activity. The suggestion was ignored and, several months later, a mud volcano erupted that completely isolated the plant for several months. The bottom line is that they were simply not prepared, and the length of the operating disruption was longer than it should have been. COVID has underscored the importance of identifying and planning for potential disruptions. The pandemic has forced food processors to add global health issues to their crisis management programs, which also means that supply chain disruptions had to be added to the list of potential disruptions if the operation had not already done so.