The FAFH industry faces a distinct challenge today. The issue is not a lack of data; it’s the complexity of managing and gaining value from it.
This topic anchored the 2025 IFMA Presidents Conference. The official theme, “Clarity Among the Chaos,” resonated through the general sessions and the conversations at the Solutions Center. It highlighted a shared reality for many organizations. Teams manage disconnected reports and varying metrics daily.
The consensus at the conference was clear. Profitable growth requires a new strategy. Success now depends on finding the clarity necessary to understand your customers, navigate an ever-changing market, pinpoint your best opportunities, and act with confidence.
How Do You Know Your Next Action Is Your Best Action?
This is the central question every Away from Home manufacturer needs to answer. When your teams are making decisions based on disconnected or incomplete data, every decision is a guess at best. The industry needs to shift from data collection to data curation and collaboration to gain clarity on the next best action.
Here are some of the takeaways our team gained from the sessions and discussions at the conference.
1. Curation Creates a Single Source of Truth
Curation is the process of transforming raw, disconnected FAFH data into a standardized and trusted unified resource that everyone in the organization can act upon.
When data is curated, it becomes possible to answer critical business questions in seconds. Teams can move from analysis to action, confident they are all looking at the same, accurate information.
“’Clarity in Chaos’ translated through almost every general session. It was about having confidence in your data, knowing it’s accurate, clean, and in the same language, and being able to collaborate across all your data sources as your one source of truth,” shared Cameron Irvine, Business Development Representative
2. Collaboration is the New Competitive Differentiator in FAFH
Collaboration emerged as one of the strongest themes at the IFMA Presidents Conference, surfacing in multiple sessions and conversations. Across the board, leaders emphasized that meaningful industry progress requires not just basic data exchanges but true data-driven partnerships.
It’s about using shared data to solve shared problems. One compelling example highlighted at the conference was collaborative, insight-led product innovation between manufacturers and operators that address urgent, on-the-ground challenges such throughput bottlenecks and menu profitability pressures. Yet despite the potential, technical and structural barriers to deeper collaboration remain very real.
“True collaboration, like bundling products across manufacturers and sharing non-competing data, may be the fastest path to new market wins,” shared Angela Cummings, Client Success Manager
This is where the OPTRADE Data Collaborative plays a vital role. To solve operator-level problems, manufacturers need operator location-level data. By bringing together fragmented manufacturer, distributor, and operator data, OPTRADE creates a community where leading AFH manufacturers gain perspective from shared insights. This data clarity allows manufacturers to identify specific operator challenges, innovate solutions, and track the results of those initiatives.
This collaborative spirit also extends to sharing best practices, which Tibersoft facilitates through groups like our Audit Users Circle and participation in cross-company cohorts like IFMA’s Next Gen Execs, ensuring best practices, insights, and innovative ideas circulate rather than stay siloed.
3. The Data Landscape Is Accelerating Faster Than Ever
The push for clarity is being driven by the rapid acceleration of data capabilities across the industry. At the IFMA Presidents Conference, one theme stood out clearly: organizations are moving quickly toward faster, real-time data. Technology advancements in collecting, cleansing, and mastering data are evolving at a pace that’s reshaping expectations.
AI is part of the story, but its value still depends on the quality and speed of the data behind it. The real opportunity lies in solutions that deliver clean, trusted, and readily accessible insights that teams can act on with confidence.
“What really struck me was how quickly the industry is moving toward faster data availability. We still have a long way to go, but recent progress is encouraging. The advancements in collecting, cleansing, and mastering data are accelerating, and it’s a powerful reminder of how important it is to stay ahead,”shares Suzanne Cwik, VP Commercial & Client Services
4. It’s Time to Focus on Clarity
Moving from chaos to clarity requires more than cleaning up spreadsheets. It demands a strategic advantage. Prioritizing data curation and fostering better collaboration through a data collaborative ecosystem like OPTRADE allows manufacturers to position themselves for success.
This approach helps teams stop guessing and start acting. It is how you find clarity in the chaos and ensure your next action is your best action.
The Path Forward
The message from the 2025 IFMA Presidents Conference is undeniable: the era of data hoarding is over. The future belongs to those who can extract signal from noise. By embracing data clarity and collaborative ecosystems, manufacturers can stop reacting to market shifts and start shaping them.
Your next action determines your future growth. If you are ready to turn your data into your competitive advantage, Tibersoft is here to help you navigate the path forward.
