Simplifying Ingredients, Not the Process: Why Food Manufacturers Need to Rethink Skills

It sounds straightforward: fewer ingredients, cleaner labels, happier customers. But as many food and drink businesses are discovering, responding to the push for simpler, less processed products is anything but simple.

Retailers like M&S have embraced the shift with ranges such as ‘Only’, which promises products made with just six ingredients or fewer. The move has been welcomed by shoppers with allergies and dietary needs, as well as those looking to avoid ultra-processed foods. According to a BBC News report (June 2025), early adopters like M&S and emerging brands like 3Bears are tapping into a clear consumer demand, even if the price point is higher.

But the push for simplicity on the label can create real complexity behind the scenes.

What fewer ingredients really means for operations

According to a recent feature in Food Manufacture (May 2025), food companies working to shorten ingredient lists are facing knock-on effects across the supply chain. With fewer inputs to fall back on, there's less flexibility in sourcing and more pressure on formulation, traceability and production continuity.

In the same piece, a procurement expert warned that ‘resilience becomes key’ when supply chain risks are concentrated around just a handful of components. If one critical ingredient is unavailable or fails quality checks, entire lines can grind to a halt.

And it’s not just operational leaders feeling the pressure. Technical teams, quality assurance, and production staff are all being asked to work differently, and often faster, to maintain standards while dealing with tighter tolerances.

Why skills matter more than ever

These changes highlight a skills gap that many manufacturers are now confronting. In short, having the right processes in place isn’t enough. Teams also need the confidence and capability to adapt when those processes are disrupted.

That’s where practical, real-world training comes in.

At Click2Learn, we support food and drink manufacturers across the UK to build internal capability, particularly at the supervisory and team leader level. Our programmes help employees develop core skills in problem-solving, process improvement, and confident decision-making.

This matters because simplification isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s also a people challenge. When sourcing routes change, when recipes are adjusted, when compliance requirements evolve, it’s the people on the ground who keep things moving.

The reality of reformulation

For some brands, the pressure to simplify has already changed how they innovate. In the BBC article, the founders of 3Bears, a premium cereal brand backed by footballer Harry Kane, describe the technical difficulty of using fewer ingredients. Getting the right texture with just oats and natural sweeteners was harder and more expensive than developing a standard cereal with 20 or more ingredients.

Meanwhile, others like plant-based brand THIS acknowledge the challenge of being labelled as ‘ultra-processed’, despite offering high nutritional value. The debate around UPFs is ongoing. But the need for operational resilience is immediate.

This is where training can make a tangible difference. Not just in boosting performance, but in reducing the risk that comes with doing more with less.

Looking ahead

The demand for cleaner labels isn’t going away. But if businesses want to keep up, they’ll need to invest in more than reformulation. They’ll need to invest in their people.

Training that supports leadership, responsiveness and everyday decision-making isn’t just a nice-to-have. In the context of shifting consumer expectations and tighter operational margins, it’s essential.

Because simplifying your ingredients shouldn’t mean oversimplifying the skills needed to make your business work.

References:

BBC News (4 June 2025). Why food firms are scrambling to cut down on ingredients. Read article

Food Manufacture (May 2025). Supply chains and simple ingredients lists. Read article