How AI Vision Is Looking To Transform Food Manufacturing

AI vision isn’t just for tech giants anymore. It’s on the processing floor, inspecting products, spotting safety risks, and even flagging maintenance issues before they lead to costly down-time.

In this episode of The Food and Beverage Processor Forum, FBO sits down with Jeff Hetherington, Head of Project Development at Maneva.ai, to explore how AI vision systems are being integrated directly into food and beverage manufacturing facilities— and what it means for safety, efficiency, and the future of food processing.

We cover:

• What AI vision actually is and how it works in a processing environment

• Real-world examples of how processors are using AI vision for quality control, equipment monitoring, and plant safety

• The surprising ways AI can reduce waste and improve sustainability

• How accessible is this new technology to small and mid-sized businesses

• What’s coming next — from augmented reality to real-time performance optimizations

The most surprising AI applications aren’t in the lab — they’re already on the line. Jeff Hetherington – Head of Project Development With over 30 years of leadership experience in the food and beverage industry across both retail and manufacturing, Jeff brings deep operational expertise and a proven track record of driving continuous improvement. His career spans key roles at JM Schneider, Maple Leaf Foods, and Sofina Foods, where he led initiatives in cost reduction, plant optimization, and Lean Six Sigma implementation—delivering over $2 million in savings. A seasoned plant manager and mentor, Jeff is passionate about tackling the labor and operational challenges facing the industry today. Now at Maneva, he leads innovative AI-driven projects aimed at transforming food manufacturing through technology. linkedin.com/in/jeff-hetherington-a7047a244

About Food and Beverage Ontario

Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.

To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/