Bespoke Build vs. Industry-Specific Solution: What’s Best for Your Food Manufacturing Business?

For food manufacturers, efficient B2B customer ordering isn’t just a convenience — it’s a necessity. Errors in manual order processing lead to dissatisfied customers, wasted inventory and lost revenue. That’s why forward-thinking businesses are turning to ordering software to take control of this critical process.

So, what are your options in 2025?

Building an entire ordering platform from scratch isn’t just expensive — it’s a massive drain on time and resources. A more common approach is to hire an agency to customise an eCommerce platform like Shopify, Magento or WooCommerce to fit the needs of a food manufacturing business. But while this bespoke build might seem like a flexible option, it often comes with hidden costs, complex workarounds and ongoing maintenance headaches.

On the other hand, an industry-specific solution is purpose-built for the complexities of food manufacturing. Designed with your unique business rules in mind, it’s an out-of-the-box platform that seamlessly integrates with your ERP, ensuring a smooth and efficient ordering process from day one.

So, which route should you take? While customising a platform like Shopify might seem appealing, it can quickly become a costly and time-consuming endeavour. Here’s why an industry-specific ordering solution could be the smarter choice.

The Pitfalls of Bespoke Build

A bespoke reconfiguration of an eCommerce platform might seem like a cost-effective and tailored solution at first. After all, your business has unique needs, and a tech team could, in theory, customise a system that fits them perfectly. But in reality, the process is often far more complex and costly than it appears:

High Development Costs: Custom software requires a significant upfront investment, from hiring developers (either in-house or outsourced) to maintaining infrastructure and security. Costs can quickly spiral beyond initial estimates.

Time-Consuming Process: Refining a platform like Shopify to meet your exact needs can take months, even years, delaying operational efficiencies and return on investment.

Ongoing Maintenance: Once built, bespoke software demands continuous updates, security patches and feature enhancements. Do you hire a dedicated team to handle this, or pay an agency on an ad hoc basis? Either way, the long-term costs and workload add up.

Scalability Challenges: As your business grows, a heavily customised system may struggle to keep pace, requiring further expensive redevelopment and upgrades.

Complex Integrations: Ensuring seamless integration with your ERP, payment systems and accounting software is another challenge — one that adds both time and cost. And what happens if you need to switch ERPs in the future? Will your bespoke system limit your choices?

What seems like a tailored solution at first can quickly become a long-term liability. Before committing to a bespoke build, it’s worth considering whether an industry-specific solution could offer a smarter, more scalable alternative.

The Industry-Specific Advantage

An industry-specific solution like Mezze is purpose-built for food manufacturers, offering an out-of-the-box platform designed to streamline ordering and provide customers with a seamless, grocery-style shopping experience. Here’s why it’s the smart choice for your business:

Cost-Effective: With no heavy upfront investment, industry-specific solutions operate on a subscription basis, providing predictable costs while eliminating the need for costly IT infrastructure.

Rapid Implementation: Unlike bespoke development, which can take months or years, an industry-specific solution is ready to use immediately. You can start processing orders and tracking inventory within days.

Automatic Updates and Support: Regular updates and dedicated support ensure your platform stays secure, feature-rich and up-to-date — without the burden of internal maintenance. You’ll always have the latest innovations without lifting a finger or opening the chequebook.

Scalability and Flexibility: A best-in-class industry solution grows with your business, adapting to increased demand and evolving requirements. Whether you're handling hundreds or thousands of orders per day, the software ensures smooth, uninterrupted operations.

Integrate with Ease: A cloud-based platform like Mezze connects effortlessly with your existing software, even if you’re working with outdated or complex ERP systems. No costly workarounds — just straightforward, reliable integration.

With an industry-specific solution, you get a tailored, battle-tested system designed to meet the unique needs of food manufacturing — ensuring efficiency, scalability and seamless integration without unnecessary complexity.

Making the Right Choice

While a bespoke build might seem appealing for the control it offers, the costs, complexities and ongoing maintenance can quickly outweigh any potential benefits. Even if you’re familiar with platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, that doesn’t mean they’re the right fit for the unique challenges of food manufacturing.

For businesses seeking a reliable, scalable and purpose-built ordering solution, an industry-specific platform like Mezze provides a hassle-free way to optimise operations — without the headaches of custom development.

If you'd like to discuss how your food manufacturing business could optimise resources and boost revenue, contact us today.