n a bid to elevate its operations and drive growth, Perdue Farms, the 103-year-old poultry and agribusiness giant, is undergoing a remarkable transformation in both technology and business processes, according to a recent report.
Mark Booth, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Perdue, shared insights into the company’s ambitious journey. He revealed that Perdue Farms is systematically replacing legacy systems, some of which have been in use for over two decades. The overarching goal is to enhance efficiency and prepare for a future where they are no longer just in the business of selling chicken.
Booth emphasized that the integration of data is playing a pivotal role in this transformation. “We’re not just selling chicken anymore. We need the data to understand what additional new products we should produce,” Booth explained. He further highlighted that data-driven insights are aiding in the enrichment of their commodity products, which encompass grains, soybean meal, and oils, among others.
One illustrative example of Perdue’s data-driven efforts revolves around their chicken deboning machines. By analyzing data on the performance of these machines and assessing whether production lines were operating optimally, Perdue sought to find a balance. Booth elaborated on this, stating, “If we run it faster, will we have enough people at the end of the line to keep up with the machine, or if we run the machine too slow, will we have too many people? We got some real savings by moving operational data about the deboning machines into the data lake.”
Booth also emphasized that while technology is essential, the driving force behind this transformation is the collaborative effort between the technology teams and Perdue’s business partners. These partnerships have generated innovative business cases that are steering the company towards becoming a truly data-driven business.
Based in Salisbury, Maryland, Perdue Farms stands as the fourth-largest poultry producer in the United States. This strategic shift towards data-driven operations not only reflects Perdue’s commitment to innovation but also positions them for continued success and relevance in the evolving landscape of agribusiness.
