ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the European Union food industry by modeling different logistic network scenarios and outlines a competitiveness strategy based on the Industry 4.0 concept and lean philosophy. It aims to conduct a logistic network model in the European Union and identify the possibility to optimize the supply chain by using lean principles and the Industry 4.0 concept. In the European Union 49.6% of the whole food demand is being fulfilled by small and medium farmers. The partial freight distribution problem is also related to the European Union small and medium farmers. A specialist interview was conducted in the European Union, based on the gathered data, and a logistic network will be modeled in the food industry. The implementation of logistic cluster, together with lean principles and the Industry 4.0 concept, might provide proper competitiveness advantage for the food industry in the European Union.
