Column: Getting started with data

This column, written by Sandra van den Poll, partnership manager at JADS, was published before in the Food+Agribusiness magazine.

Data is the new gold, it is widely claimed. But how do you find those (golden) truffles of the best quality? More importantly, how do you turn them into tasty meals? In the food sector, where margins are small and competition is fierce, data can make all the difference, but you have to ask the right questions.

In my work at the university, I regularly speak to entrepreneurs of all sizes in the agri-food sector who are struggling with their data. They have massive amounts of data, but don’t know what to do with it. They lack the knowledge, resources or time to analyze the data and translate it into actionable insights.

Meanwhile, digitization thunders on. Large companies, with their armies of data analysts and advanced technologies, are leading the way, but are also far from having all the answers. SMEs are lagging further and further behind. Yet it is for them, in particular, that digitization offers a golden opportunity to innovate, to become more sustainable and to waste less.

The key to success? Asking the right questions. Not, “I have data, what should I do with it?”, but, “ which problems do I want to solve with data?”. One of our scientists always says, “If data is the answer, then what is your question?”

By asking the right questions, data becomes useful. Data help make better decisions, reduce risk and exploit new opportunities.

For example, consider, “How can I make my processes more efficient, eliminate waste and reduce my carbon footprint? Or “How can I better understand my customers, predict their needs and offer them personalized products and services?”

The possibilities of data in the food sector are enormous. The key to success lies with the entrepreneur. Ask the right questions, invest in knowledge and dare to experiment. Then data will take your business to the next level.

And remember: ‘data’ is not an end in itself. It is a means to strengthen and grow your business. The real value is in the insights you get from the data and the actions you link to it. So what are you waiting for? Get started with data and turn it into a tasty meal!