“Beverage companies must manage expanding portfolios, functional and temperature-sensitive products and seasonal promotions coupled with varied packaging formats and faster fulfillment expectations,” he says. “These trends increase SKU counts and order complexity, particularly as changes in consumer preference led to more mixed-case pallet configurations.

“At the same time, persistent labor constraints require operations to increase output without sacrificing accuracy, safety or service,” Blessing continues. “For these reasons, warehouse software is becoming essential for coordinating people, inventory and automation.”

Blessing adds that in less automated environments, voice-directed picking can support accurate, hands-free pallet building. For more complex facilities, he notes that software orchestrates automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and robotic palletizing so the right product reaches the right process at the right time. 

“This coordination helps beverage operations use space, labor and equipment more effectively across both local distribution centers and large regional hubs,” Blessing says.

Matthew Getman, vice president of supply chain advisory at Blue Yonder, Scottsdale, Ariz., notes that although warehouse operations have historically been based on directives from other departments, labor costs are leading beverage companies to coordinate their warehouses across execution areas to improve service levels and reduce overall costs. 

“In response, operators are prioritizing automation and breaking down the silos that exist between customer service, logistics and deployment planning,” he says. “Although robotic picking and assembly are not new technologies, the introduction of larger and more automated case picking, combined with agentic coordination between humans and robots, means warehouses can be redesigned to meet maximum outbound efficiency. 

“Segregating robotic pick walls from the main human pick lines allows for a steady stream of outbound deployments, particularly for high-volume items, by stocking and picking automatically,” Getman continues. “It also keeps pallets building along safe lift routes without the risk of pickers crossing them, with slower-moving or difficult-to-pick items then slotted based on volume or handling to ensure maximum space optimization and turn.”

As for how warehouse software solutions improve working conditions for warehouse personnel, Getman notes that wasted motion in the warehouse, such as long picking routes or repetitive manual tasks, can lead to inefficiencies, barriers and frustrations that hinder performance. 

“Warehouse software solutions equipped with agentic AI improve productivity and remove unnecessary motions to maximize personnel satisfaction and retention,” he says. “Agents designed specifically for warehouse environments can provide recommendations that keep activity balanced to avoid operational bottlenecks and congestion during shifts and deliver alerts focused on improving labor productivity.

“One important example of aware, fully agentic warehouses is the ability to manage the increasingly complex paths of heavy machinery, forklifts and robotics and inform workers of safe, healthy pathways in real time,” Getman continues. “Pick efficiency is only meaningful if pickers remain safe.”

Dematic’s Blessing echoes similar sentiments.

“Warehouse software can support safer, more ergonomic working conditions by reducing unnecessary travel and coordinating automation for repetitive or physically demanding tasks,” Blessing says. “This is especially valuable in beverage operations, where employees regularly handle heavy cases, bottles and kegs. 

“Software-directed goods-to-person systems bring products to ergonomically designed workstations, reducing walking, bending and reaching, while voice-directed picking allows employees to keep both hands free during manual picking,” he continues.

Blessing also notes that software can coordinate AS/RS, AMRs and robotic palletizing to reduce heavy lifting, forklift interaction and manual product movement. 

“Vision and perception technologies can help identify movement patterns or conditions associated with ergonomic risk, while AI-enabled tools can deliver consistent work instructions and on-the-job guidance,” he explains. “When implemented with appropriate privacy, safety and workforce safeguards, these capabilities can make the warehouse a safer, more productive workplace.”

When it comes to what to consider before updating current systems, Blessing suggests that beverage operations should begin by identifying where the current system falls short and defining what outcomes it wants an upgrade to deliver. 

“Those goals may include higher order accuracy, greater throughput, improved inventory visibility, lower cost per case or better space utilization,” he says. “When evaluating new software systems, it’s important that a platform can address current requirements while remaining adaptable as product portfolios, order profiles and automation strategies evolve.

Blessing adds that after the new software is selected, integration is critical. 

“Most facilities operate a mix of enterprise systems, warehouse applications, controls, automation and manual processes, so the new platform must exchange reliable data with existing technology and support future equipment such as AMRs,” he explains. “Companies should evaluate data quality, cybersecurity, access controls, system ownership, disaster recovery and business-continuity requirements. A phased implementation, supported by testing, training, change management and a detailed cutover plan, can reduce disruption and implementation risk.

“The evaluation should also consider total cost of ownership, including maintenance, updates, infrastructure, support and internal administration,” Blessing continues. “Providers should demonstrate a credible product roadmap, clearly defined service levels and the ability to expand system capabilities as business needs change. Establishing measurable success criteria before implementation will help the organization confirm that the investment delivers the expected operational value.”

Francis Said, senior vice president of integration and engineering at DMW&H, Fairfield, N.J., says that beverage-makers should take into consideration software functionality available by software companies rather than the software classification.

“Most beverage-makers need software that is capable of managing inventory within the four-walls of a warehouse including accepting order downloads, managing the downloaded data, managing the inventory, creating order waves, interfacing and managing sub-systems to track cases in a warehouse, tracking cases delivered to trucks, creating manifest reports, etc.,” Said explains. In most cases beverage-makers require WMS and WCS/WES software to handle these functions. indaGO is a WES software that can handle all these functions without requiring the need for a WMS. To be clear, a WMS might be required depending on what software functions the beverage-makers need, but it might be the case for many beverage-makers.”

Blue Yonder’s Getman notes that beverage-makers must understand how an updated warehouse software system will impact and improve collaboration across teams, including customer service, supply planning, transportation and yard management.

“While there are expected improvements to labor and warehouse efficiency, these improvements can also support cross-functionality across departments for a more unified response to disruptions in the supply chain and avoid impacts on customers,” Getman says. “As AI agents become part of these systems, they should also consider the move from reactive to proactive operations, with agents able to forecast disruptions, rebalance workloads and connect warehouses to broader supply chain data.”