In a sector where margins are under pressure and regulatory constraints are becoming more and more complex, the question often comes up among managers of SMEs and ETI agri-food companies: Are we spending too much (or not enough) on our computer system?

‍Digitalization is everywhere. But in agriculture, we are not there to do “tech for tech”. What we want is to gain efficiency, reduce errors, manage compliance, and serve our customers without friction. So how do you know if your IT budget is well calibrated? What are the right guidelines? And how do you distinguish a real investment from a simple expense?

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What the numbers say:

According to several sector studies and specialized firms:

• Food companies devote 1% to 2% of their turnover to information technology (IT)
• In these expenses, software (licenses, SaaS, SaaS, ERP, ERP, CRM, business tools) represent 25% to 40% of the IT budget
• This amounts to around 0.4% to 0.8% of sales only for software

Concrete example: A company that makes 20 M€ in turnover will have an IT budget “in the nails” between 200,000€ and 400,000€ per year, including 80,000€ to 160,000€ for software.

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Underinvesting = losing ground

Not investing in IT means saving in the short term... but taking risks in the long term:

• Delays in order processing
• Input errors (on products, lots, DLUO...)
• Unpleasant surprises during quality audits
• Time lost chasing information in Excel files, emails, or on shared servers

This always ends up being expensive: in internal stress, in customer image, or in lack of commercial reactivity.

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What to do: invest smartly

The objective is not to digitize everything at all costs, but to choose tools adapted to your business challenges, such as:

• Specialized agri-food ERP (traceability, batch management, IFS/BRC compliance, etc.)
• CRM or integrated customer relationship tools
• Technical platforms to manage product and supplier data

Example: Tracklab is a platform for technical product and supplier data dedicated to the food industry. It makes it possible to centralize critical information, manage document compliance, and drastically reduce input errors.

Result?

• Less stress in audits
• Fewer human errors
• More time for your quality, purchasing, supply teams

And above all: a quick return on investment without technical complexity.

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5 best practices to properly manage your IT expenses:

1. Evaluate your IT budget as a% of turnover

> 1% to 2% of turnover is the norm. If you are well below, ask yourself questions.

2. Take an inventory of your tools

> What software do you use? What are they for? Who uses it? Are they redundant or under-exploited?

3. Remove what doesn't create value

> A tool that is too generic, poorly integrated or rarely used has nothing to do with your budget.

4. Choose expert business solutions

> Better a tool designed for agriculture than ten general tools that can't be talked to each other.

Agro ERP, platform like Tracklab, production software with batch management...

5. Measure the gains

> Time saved, errors avoided, compliance under control, improved customer satisfaction: that's the real IT ROI.

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In summary:

• Your IT expenses should represent 1 to 2% of your turnover
• It is not a burden, it is a lever for competitiveness
• Tracklab, like other expert agro solutions, is part of this logic of targeted investment
• The right software is not the one that costs the least, but the one that saves you time, security, and peace of mind

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Are you in doubt about the relevance of your current IT budget? Do a simple audit: what you pay for, what you actually use, and what you get paid for. And above all, don't hesitate to surround yourself with tools designed for you, like Tracklab.

Tracklab | Supply Chain Compliance Suite

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Charlotte Picard

Quality Engineer | Tracklab

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