Applying fuzzy AHP–TOPSIS technique in identifying the content strategy of sustainable manufacturing for food production

Food manufacturing is an important value-adding sector of both local economies and the global economy in terms of job creation, food security and participatory community development, among others. Along with highly relevant issues on energy consumption, unsustainable land-use patterns, waste generation associated with the industry, social issues in terms of health and safety of food products are part of the larger sustainability concerns. While maintaining economic stability at the firm level, there is a need to develop a sustainable manufacturing strategy that addresses competitiveness and sustainability. Emerging concerns for sustainable manufacturing are circulating, but focusing on a particular industry remains a gap. Thus, this paper attempts to formulate a sustainable manufacturing strategy and then to map this strategy to established best practices. The main departure of this work is: (1) identifying the content strategy of sustainable manufacturing strategy for food manufacturing firms, (2) determining the most relevant best practice that would largely address the content strategy and (3) providing guidelines for food manufacturing decision-makers and policy-makers in strategy formulation that aims to enhance the sustainability of their manufacturing firms. A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process–technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (AHP–TOPSIS) approach is used to formulate the strategy and then rank the best practices. A case study is carried out in the Philippines, and results show the content strategy and total quality management is the best practice that supports the sustainability of food manufacturing firms followed by resource and material efficiency approaches.