Voices of Vision: Industrial Leadership Report
September 9, 2025Voices of Vision: Industrial Leadership Report
September 9, 2025PROJECTX
GrayMatter Teams with Smucker’s to Unlock Efficiency and Quality with AI, Digital Twins
Problem
The J.M. Smucker Company, a $10 billion consumer goods leader known for brands like Folgers, Meow Mix, Milk-Bone and Uncrustables faced a familiar challenge: how to unify performance insights across a diverse network of production facilities.
While Smucker’s had been collecting manufacturing data for nearly 20 years, the information was siloed and underutilized. Leaders knew they needed to do more than measure efficiency, quality scores and downtime.
They needed to mine historical data for actionable insights.
The company wanted to improve critical processes such as extrusion, waste reduction and overall product consistency.
At the same time, Smucker’s recognized the cultural and technical barriers: skepticism on the shop floor, inconsistent data quality, aging sensors and a lack of in-house expertise in AI and machine learning.
Solution
Smucker’s partnered with GrayMatter to pilot digital twin and machine learning solutions, beginning with a single plant and a carefully chosen use case.
GrayMatter worked closely with Smucker’s to:
- Establish a baseline data architecture using plant historians.
- Map critical process variables and integrate them into a digital twin environment.
- Develop proof-of-concept and proof-of-value pilots to validate outcomes before scaling.
- Provide hands-on expertise in data science and AI, bridging gaps in Smucker’s internal capabilities.
- Guide leadership buy-in and plant-level adoption, building trust in the technology.
Rather than automating closed-loop adjustments immediately, Smucker’s and GrayMatter implemented a recommendation model where operators received system insights and manually verified adjustments. This approach preserved operator confidence while proving AI-driven recommendations could stabilize production.
Kevin Briggs, IS Architect at Smucker’s, explained the approach during a talk at the AI & Manufacturing SCADA Technology Conference:
“We’ve been collecting data for almost 20 years — it’s a lot of data, a lot of historical data. But can it provide some insights? Can we get some correlations with this tool? That’s the key thing. If you change this temperature, how is it going to affect the finished product in this way. I think that’s the benefit we’re going to see.”
"We’ve been collecting data for almost 20 years — it’s a lot of data, a lot of historical data. But can it provide some insights? Can we get some correlations with this tool?"
KEVIN BRIGGS,
IS Architect, Smucker's
Big Wins
Smucker’s is now seeing tangible improvements from its partnership with GrayMatter.
PROCESS STABILIZATION
Extrusion lines achieve greater consistency with optimized temperature control, reducing downtime and waste.
QUALITY
GAINS
Early pilots demonstrated the potential to optimize products like Uncrustables, directly impacting sales and customer satisfaction.
SCALABLE
MODEL
By starting small, Smucker’s created a repeatable proof-of-value framework, paving the way for AI and digital twins to expand across plants.
GROWTH
ALIGNMENT
Insights support strategic initiatives to scale high-growth brands like Uncrustables, enabling faster, more reliable production at higher volumes.
CULTURAL
SHIFT
Skeptical operators and managers are now engaged, recognizing the value of data-driven decision-making in daily operations.
Alan Hinchman, Chief Revenue Officer at GrayMatter, reflected on Smucker’s digital journey:
“Everyone is in a different place on the journey, from just thinking about AI to implementing it. Smucker’s has taken the smart approach: start small, prove the value and build the momentum to scale.”
Smucker’s leadership views the initiative as a key part of its digital transformation journey, turning decades of underutilized data into actionable intelligence that powers both operational efficiency and brand growth.
"Smucker's has taken the smart approach: start small, prove the value and build momentum to scale."
ALAN HINCHMAN,
Chief Revenue Officer, GrayMatter
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