Finnebrogue uses RELEX AI planning to reduce food waste
To maximise supply chain planning across its four production facilities, Finnebrogue has chosen RELEX Solutions to increase production efficiency and maintain ideal inventory levels.
Through demand sensing and planning, master planning, and production scheduling, the family-owned company hopes Supply Chain Company, a RELEX partner, will provide implementation services to assist the project.
Renowned for its premium sausages and revolutionary Naked Bacon and ham, made without nitrites, as well as its cutting-edge plant-based production facility, Finnebrogue is a leader in crafting tasty and sustainable food from its operations in County Down, Northern Ireland.
Finnebrogue’s goal is to create a unified, data-driven planning platform that reduces food waste, increases efficiency, and enables smarter decision-making across its operations in County Down. With over 500 SKUs and a diverse product portfolio, will support planning across Finnebrogue’s four sites – including its sausage and burger factory, bacon facility, cooked mushrooms and value-added, and its dedicated plant-based site.
“As a business driven by innovation and a passion for creating better food, we wanted a partner that could match our ambition,” said Dermot Hawkins, operations director, Finnebrogue. “With RELEX, we’re moving away from the limitations of complex spreadsheets and bringing demand, production, and materials planning together onto one integrated platform. This will improve efficiency, reduce risk and waste, and give us the insights we need to make faster, smarter decisions. RELEX’s proven expertise in food manufacturing made them the clear choice to support our journey toward more sustainable, streamlined operations.”
By adopting a machine learning-based demand planning solution with integrated demand sensing, Finnebrogue will gain a more accurate and real-time understanding of shifting demand patterns and consumer behaviour. This improved visibility will enable quicker responses to fluctuations, resulting in fewer lost sales due to improved product availability, better inventory turnover, and reduced waste, an especially critical benefit given the company’s focus on fresh products.
Advanced master planning and scheduling will allow Finnebrogue to optimise production across all four sites, ensuring efficient resource allocation and tighter alignment with actual demand. Together, these capabilities will enable the organisation to transition from spreadsheet-driven planning to a single, streamlined, and optimised planning environment, significantly improving overall operational efficiency.
“Supply Chain Company is delighted to bring our expertise to this project and support Finnebrogue in achieving their goals. Together with RELEX, we’re confident this collaboration will set a new standard for supply chain planning in the meat industry,” said Henk Jan Rijkse, director, Supply Chain Company.
“We’re proud to welcome Finnebrogue, a company that shares our commitment to innovation and sustainability to the RELEX family,” said Stefano Scandelli, general manager, manufacturing business unit, RELEX Solutions. “Our unified platform will provide Finnebrogue with the visibility and control needed to optimise their entire value chain and also strengthen their position as a leader in sustainable food production.”
