Due to upfront costs, many businesses resolve to custom PLM software compared to proven commercial solutions. However, homegrown solutions can risk the business in running over time and budget.
Faced with the classic build vs. buy dilemma, Australian food and beverage manufacturers, brands and retailers must carefully weigh their options when investing in product development systems such as product lifecycle management (PLM) platforms.
Is developing custom software smarter than purchasing a proven commercial solution?
When ‘build your own’ looks appealing
At first glance, developing an in-house solution appears to make sense. Once enterprise software quotes land on desks complete with vendor timelines, subscription fees and terms, the DIY route can seem more cost-effective.
Already stretched thin by rising costs, food and beverage businesses often view internal development as a way to use existing IT teams, avoid external fees and retain full control over their systems.
The pitfalls of going it alone
Convinced they know their business best, internal teams often dive straight into development. Upfront costs seem to disappear, and early prototypes can be tailored around existing workflows, usually within ERP systems.
However, six months in, reality sets in. According to Centric Software customers, it takes two years on average to gather requirements, develop and deploy a homegrown system. Developers are pulled from other priorities to address issues and budgets divert from innovation to maintenance.
As team members leave, institutional knowledge walks out the door. Updates are deprioritized and the resource debt builds. Gen Z talent, meanwhile, prefers workplaces using modern, efficient tools, not outdated systems filled with manual work.
Falling behind the market
During the period a company builds its system, commercially available solutions continue to evolve. The market moves faster than a single business can. Homegrown solutions miss the collective expertise vendors capture, from ingredient traceability to multi-jurisdictional compliance to supplier integrations.
Commercial solutions are built with security and compliance in mind from the start. Without vendor support, SLAs or warranties, manufacturers and brands take on the risk of data breaches and security flaws that could expose carefully guarded formulations.
The rigidity deepens, as systems built for today’s formulations and SKUs lack the flexibility to adjust to new requirements, cracking under the pressure of new product variants, additional suppliers and shifting compliance requirements.
Connecting to other systems for sustainability, compliance and supplier management becomes a technical drain, turning every integration into a custom coding exercise.
The risk of running over time and budget, only to launch something outdated, is very real.
Industry-tested solutions deliver measurable results
Success tends to favour vendors who’ve solved these challenges hundreds of times before. Centric Software has delivered over 800 PLM implementations, including replacements of legacy systems and homegrown software that took years of internal development effort.
Centric continually evolves its solutions through frequent releases, regulatory updates and customer feedback. A dedicated product team refines two-, three- and five-year roadmaps to align with shifting market and regulatory demands.
With Centric PLM, Australian food and beverage businesses can draw on years of industry experience and continuous product improvement rather than starting from scratch.
Learn more: Seamless Centric PLM Implementation for Food & Beverage