< PreviousCAM__SC=735.296CAM__SC=847.394x=10,5 y=10,5 z=2,75CAM__SC=162.274395,472⌄423,746VISION SOLUTIONSFOR THE FOOD, BEVERAGE AND PACKAGING INDUSTRYPhone 01252 780000www.stemmer-imaging.co.ukCAM__SC=352.893 SORTING & CLASSIFYING LOCALIZATION & IDENTIFICATION READ & VERIFY MEASURE & COUNTExplore state of the art vision systems and smart cameras from Europe's largest provider. Discover how we combine leading products with out-standing competence and service to make you stronger!Imaging is our passion.ExpExpExpExplorlorlorlore se se se stattattattateoeoe of tftfttfhe heheheheheartartartartartvi vi vivivsiosiosioon nn nSORSORSORSSOTINTINTINTING &G &G &G &CL CL CLCASSASSASSASSIFYIFYIFYIFYINGINGINGING30 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netTRACEABILITYinformation flow in unison and mitigate information gaps, whichare particularly detrimental during product recalls.”Information is the foundation on which traceability is based,and ensuring an adequate information stream is in the bestinterest of food producers as well as their food service and retailcustomers. Much of this information is reliant on productidentification; something which changes when certain productsare blended together, which can distort information and placeanother pitfall. It’s often these blind spots which can tripproducers up when trying to trace a product and call oninformation. “Product blending is when you physically mix raw ingredientsto produce a product. Take salsa, for example. Its tomatoes andjalapeno peppers each come in with separate IDs. We mix themtogether and we get a new ID. The new ID is what hinderstraceability,” says Wowak. Relying on this current method is likely to perpetuate many ofthe challenges that food producers need to oust in order to createan altogether more efficient supply chain. Instead, producerscould opt for nicknames for product that are blended or co-mingled. “This would allow the original ID to follow the productdown the chain and reduce the extent to which information isdistorted,” says Wowak. Adopting this method would allowcompanies to locate contaminate products much faster in theresult of products becoming contaminated. Challenges surrounding traceability are also dependent on theinfrastructure of the supply chain, or rather the lack of it. It’sunsurprising, then, that the demand for food traceabilitytechnology is increasing worldwide as food companies seek to putan end to unreliable and ambiguous information, and thecomplications involved in pulling up data or initiating a recall onany given product. Despite demand internationally, the marketfor these technologies is being driven by the United States, Japanand the UK, among others. The benefit of these technologies iscreating a reliable framework for optimum level inventory. Theydo, of course, come at an additional cost for food companies, withthe function and security of each largely dependent on eachmodel (some being much more expensive than others).Nevertheless, technology will play a core part in the coming yearsin evolving the existing supply chain into one which issynonymous with traceability. From there, efficiency andreputational health will inevitably follow. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/BACHO28-30_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:20 Page 3Food & Drink International 31www.fdiforum.netMEET THE EXPERTSOver the next few pages weillustrate the huge array ofsuccessful companies that existacross the food and drinkindustry and invite them to sharetheir expertise. They eachpossess vast experience, havingrisen to the status of leaders intheir respective fields. It’s no understatement to describe thefood and drink industry as sprawling. Thefact that we each rely on food and drinkproducts to survive means it spans a trulyglobal stage, and permeates our daily livesat almost every level, from agriculture toadvertising. But behind the public façade,there’s a complex inner workings spurredon by a diversity of sectors. To use an oldanalogy, the industry is like a machineand if any one part is underperformingthan the entire output and efficiency ofthe whole is hindered. Rising to leaderstatus, then, is tantamount to excellenceand beneficial to the entire industry. The food industry is very much acollaborative one, with multifacetedsupply chains and processes which requireexpertise from a variety of sources. Takingany one aspect out of the equation couldmean disastrous consequences. Wastemanagement, for example, is every bit asimportant as the raw materials enteringthe supply chain as the waste productscoming out. Industry will inevitablyproduce wastage of one kind of another,which will require correct and legalprocessing and disposal. Some of theseproducts may be unstable or hazardous,meaning a high degree of competence isrequired to undertake the task. There isalso the question of whether or not thewaste is simply being disposed of, orwhether it is being introduced back intothe supply chain via a recycling stream.As the industry continues to wade intomore environmentally-friendly waters anddecreases its collective carbon footprint,waste management companies have aneven greater responsibility. The same is32 ÁSend in the specialistsPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/WAVEBREAKMEDIA31-33_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:22 Page 132 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netMEET THE EXPERTSCentral Hygiene Ltd1B George St, Crystal Business Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1JXTel: +44(0) 1782 959909Web: www.central-hygiene.co.ukEmail: sales@central-hygiene.co.ukCompany ProfileCentral Hygiene Ltd are themanufacturers of the CHESSWashdown cleaning range.Established for 30 years,all our products aredesigned andmanufactured in the UKto high standards. Whetheroff-the-shelf or bespoke, westrive to find the best solution.Product ProfileCHESS Chemical Injectors, Dilutors and Foamers are designed to beincorporated at water service outlets, they range from simple onechemical injectors to multiple chemical satellite units incorporating foam,rinse and sanitise functions. Made from stainless steel and coveringoperating pressures from 2 – 100 Bar, they are designed to give effective,long, trouble free operation.Aerial Sanitisation can be easily achieved using our CHESS Fogjetsystems. With no moving parts, using just compressed air, the CHESSSatellite Fogjets produce micronized chemical solution to supersaturatethe atmosphere in processing spaces, disinfecting large areas quicklyand efficiently.CLEANING SOLUTIONSLakeview Computers LtdBlake House, Schooner Court, Crossways Business Park, Dartford, Kent DA2 6QQ. Tel: 01322 622270 Web: www.lakeview.co.ukEmail: info@lakeview.co.uk Company profileLakeview are independentsoftware authors who deliver andsupport Lakeview LV software tomeet your exact businessdemands. Our fully integratedsolution covers all aspects of yourbusiness from sales throughfinance, traceability, production,warehousing, distribution andbusiness intelligence.Product profileWhether you are a food and beverage manufacturer, distributor orwholesaler, Lakeview provides you with the tools you need to focus oncustomer retention and expansion. We have listened to our F & Bcustomers and worked with them to design the functionality you need tosupport your growing business.• Stock/supply chain management• Full traceability• Comprehensive pricing/promotions• Multiple units of measure• Shelf life/before date management • Forecasting including • Business intelligence/trend analysisseasonality capabilitiesWith Lakeview for food & beverage companies you benefit from easymanagement of all of your operations in one system. Lakeview - provenfor your industry.SOFTWAREtrue of waste water management. As a water intensiveindustry, the food and drink industry bears some of theburden in how best to deal with its excesses. While producersaren’t themselves expected to deal with the situation alone,they are becoming savvier due to the number of expertsavailable. Wastage is the by-product of business, and in the case ofthe food industry the business is typically dependent onspecialty equipment and machinery. For much of thisequipment, it isn’t a case of simply picking something off ashelf or pointing to a picture in a catalogue. Food andbeverage businesses have equally specialist requirements,which usually require bespoke options, either to fulfil aspecific function or to integrate into existing machinery.Equipment suppliers are more than simply retailers; they havea fundamental understanding of the industry and its needs,meaning they can tailor their equipment to meet these needs.Indeed, these suppliers often work direct with the industry,and this symbiotic relationship is a significant driver ofinnovation, addressing many of the developing requirementsof the food industry. The same is true of the software requiredto enable much of this machinery. It needs to be designed,tested and implemented, all of which requires an impressiverepertoire of skills and the right minds to do so. Whatever the need or reason, rest assured that there’s arespective expert to fulfil every function and cater to everyneed of the food and drink industry. We’ve collected a few ofour own personal recommendations over a number of differentindustries. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/06PHOTO31-33_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:22 Page 2Food & Drink International 33www.fdiforum.netMEET THE EXPERTS3M United Kingdom PLC 3M House, Morley Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1EPTel: +44(0) 1509 611611 Web: www.3M.com/MLS Email: emeafoodsafety@mmm.comCompany ProfileAt 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways toimprove lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our90,000 employees connect with customers allaround the world. Science is at the heart ofeverything we do, includingapplication of clevertechnologies which enablefood manufacturers tooptimise product safety,quality and productivity.Product ProfileThe 3MTMMicrobial Luminescence System UHT Beverage Screen Kit isa new rapid test for Ultra High Temperature (UHT) and Extended ShelfLife (ESL) beverages, including fruit juices, caffeinated drinks, coconutwaters, smoothies, dairy and dairy substitutes.This rapid method for quality release testing provides a quicker, morereliable way to detect microorganisms, thereby reducing the time-to-result by two to three days or more compared to traditional methods likeagar plates and pH measurement. This enables beverage producers torelease product quicker, reduce inventory and storage space, as well asincrease their flexibility and lab productivity.Unit 6 The Hop Kilns, Goblands Farm Business Centre, Court Lane,Hadlow, Kent, TN11 0LTTel: +44(0) 1732 85 22 44 Web: www.compact-and-bale.comEmail: info@compactandbale.comCompany profile:Compact & Bale is anaward-winning waste andrecycling business. As UKagents for Europe’s leadingmanufacturers, Compact & Bale offer afull range of innovative, high qualitywaste compactors, balers, briquettersand dewatering machines. As aregistered waste carrier, it also provideslow cost waste collection services from wheelie bins andskips to on-site compactors and baled loads. Product profile:Automatic, quick and profitable emptying of filled liquid containers!Strautmann’s LiquiDrainer® empties filled PET bottles, TetraPak® andbeverage cans. Even entire packages can be emptied. High-cost manualopening of the bottles is no longer necessary.The mode of operation is simple: The material is thrown into the feedfunnel. A rotating rotor perforates the filled material (no splitting up),squeezes it out and pre-compacts it. The material is drained and theliquids are separately removed and run through a coarse filter box. Theemptied material is automatically pushed out by the following materialvia a discharge chute. Endecotts Ltd9 Lombard Road, London, SW19 3UPTel: +44(0) 208 5428121Email: sales@endecotts.comWeb: www.endecotts.comCompany profileEndecotts is a renownedmanufacturer of high qualitylaboratory test sieves, sieveshakers, and related laboratoryequipment. Their equipment meetsdemands of a worldwide market infood, agriculture, engineering, mining,pharmaceuticals and other industries.The test sieves are available in a widerange of sizes, according to everystandard.Product profileEndecotts offers Bostwick Consistometer - asimple, dependable instrument which determinesthe consistency of various materials by measuring thedistance which a sample flows under its own weight.It is used extensively in the food industry for measuringthe consistency, flow rate and viscosity of jams, jellies andother highly viscous products such as tomato paste, tomato ketchup,tomato puree, fruit puree, yoghurt, condensed soup, mayo, chili sauce,mustard, cheese sauce, batters, cake mixes, gravies, sauces, saladdressings, chilled food and ready meals etc. Endecotts Consistometer is available in Standard Length (24 cms)and as Extra Long (30 cm).Veolia Water TechnologiesWindsor Court, Kingsmead Business Park, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1JUTel: +44(0) 1628 897260 Web: www.veoliawatertechnologies.co.uk Email: Sales.watertech@veolia.comCompany profile:Veolia Water Technologies isthe leading provider of completewater and wastewater treatmentsystems for the food and drinkssector. With the emphasis onsustainability, energy recoveryand water minimisation, Veoliahas over 75 years’ of experiencein helping businesses of allsizes with innovative water management solutions.Product profile:Veolia Water Technologies acclaimed range of PurBev® watertreatment and distribution systems bring a new level of hygienic designstandards to meet existing legal requirements and internationalstandards and directives for food and beverage production. “OurPurBev® product range uses hygienic design, based on our longexperience of engineering, food and drink, pharmaceutical andhealthcare water systems,” said Veolia Water Technologies’ BusinessDevelopment Manager, Dean Ingram. PurBev® offers protection againstcontamination by employing highly automated, built-in processmanagement systems, including CIP/SIP to minimise microbial risk, andprovides a complete monitoring system to allow the tracking of criticalprocess data as well as trend analysis.APPLIED SCIENCESWASTE MANAGEMENTLABORATORY EQUIPMENTWATER TREATMENT31-33_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:22 Page 334 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netINGREDIENTS SPOTLIGHTSaying ingredients is important in themanufacturing process of food and drinkproducts might seem redundant. Everyoneinvolved in food, from the youngest chefto the oldest Director of a manufacturingplant, knows that without ingredientsthere can be no finished product.However going back a few years, it waspossible to say that consumers were moreconcerned with the overall taste, textureand appearance of the product,than they were its ingredients. Thisis no longer the case.As consumers we are moreknowledgeable than ever when itcomes to what is included in thethings we eat. Packaging nowrequires ingredients to be clearlylisted, and it is now not an unusualsight to see someone in asupermarket isle studiouslyinspecting the labelling on variouscans or packets. There is no doubt this has createdsome difficulties for the industry,forcing companies to be careful onwhat they allow into their food lest it beperceived as undesirable. However, it hasalso created many new opportunities forthe food and drink industry. There is now the ability to rapidlydifferentiate products, that may look verysimilar, based on the quality or benefits ofthe ingredients. Because consumers arenow not so easily swayed by packaging orpromotions, businesses can choose toinvest in their ingredients to ensure theyhave an actual competitive edge on thecompetition. While this has always existedin theory, past consumers tendencies topay no real attention to labelling meantthat higher-quality products might beignored on basis of price alone. The trend has also opened up themarket to the value of diversity, enablingproducts that once competed in a fairlylinear market to differentiate themselveson other points, such as calorie count,local ingredients or real fruit juice. Health ingredientsIn some cases specific ingredients cancreate a whole new product line in theprocess. Such is the case with Arla FoodsIngredient’s new Nutrilac® protein,which when added to a set yoghurt recipeworks to block the mechanism causing theproduct to gel. This has the result ofturning an otherwise set yoghurt, into adrinking yoghurt – allowing a company toaccess that market as well. Drinkingyoghurts have some popularity within theThe key ingredientsThere may be no key ingredients that can, singularly, make any product profitable, but there are certainmarkets gaining more traction than others. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/AFRICA STUDIO34-36_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:24 Page 1Food & Drink International 35www.fdiforum.netINGREDIENTS SPOTLIGHTEU and the US, but are particularlypopular in the Middle East and South-East Asia, creating new exportopportunities. The Nutrilac® protein also creates theproduct with a protein level of up to 5%,and with protein being one of the premierweight-loss and general health-improvinghealth supplements to date, it provides astrong selling point for health consciousconsumers. The health market continues to growexponentially, with an increased focus onvitamin and protein levels in foodproducts. So it should come as no surprisethat functional health ingredients havebecome popular with manufacturers.Weight-loss ingredientsAnother market growing in power is ofcourse the weight loss, weight-control ordiet industry. With current figuresshowing 60% of UK adults as overweightor obese, it is perhaps obvious why formany companies, having calorific orweight-loss benefits is the quick way togain pounds, rather than lose them. Inmany cases, the more scientific or specificthe benefit, the better, as unlike withvitamins and minerals, consumers stillstruggle to understand the nuances ofwhat helps them lose weight.Developing and including ingredientslike this in food products enablesbusinesses to market themselves towardsspecific consumer groups, as well as drawattention from organizations or collectivesthat can promote their goods, such aslarge weight-loss forums andgroups. The trick in the industry isto push the weight-lossaspect of the product, whilemaintaining the taste andtexture of the originaloffering. Even healthconscious consumers have been found tomove away from healthy products that arenot palatable to them, and in an industryso competitive businesses cannot afford tohave any weaknesses. In terms of markets, the US and EUremain profitable for the weight lossindustry, due to the high levels of obesityin key countries, particularly the US, UKand some Western European countries.These markets are, however, saturatedwith products on offer – so the rapidlyincreasing middle class in China might bea growing opportunity. Functional ingredientsFunctional foods comprise a little of thehealth and weight loss benefits, but do sonot by reducing calories, but morethrough the addition of functionalingredients such as probiotics, prebioticsor stanols and sterols. These are most commonly used in foodand drink products designed specificallyfor the health market, for instanceprobiotic drinks that a consumer takesonce to twice a day, while the morecommon health ingredients could be takenas often as desired. Popular examples ofthese kind of ingredients in use consist ofBenecol, Yakult, and the other one-a-daybreakfast drinks, or cholesterol-loweringspreads. Typically these contain stanols andsterols, plan extracts which occurnaturally in the world and that arethought to have a cholesterol loweringeffect. Probiotics on the other hand, refersto the bacteria which can confer a healthbenefit when taken in sufficientquantities. Whereas prebiotics promotethe growth of bacteria in the largeintestine that are beneficial to intestinalhealth. There has been a recent move howevertowards what is known as clean-labelhealth ingredients, most often consideredbotanicals and bio-actives with naturalextracts. This is a step away from themore chemical and pharmaceutical-basedingredients which can achieve similareffects, and should be kept in mind forthe future. When it comes to functionalingredients it’s worth looking at whatmarkets are performing well for them, andwhich have already been established forsome time. In terms of CAGR(Compound Annual Growth Rate), theUS and Europe is expected to onlyincrease between 1-2% in the coming year,which makes it a steady market, but notone attractive to new entrants.There are however, five markets which36 ÁPremium Ingredients launch newstabilizers for analogue pizza cheesePremium Ingredients has launchedtwo new stabilizers for analoguepizza cheese. Premitex® XLK-15043allows the manufacturing of the finalproduct in simple machines and lessoptimised than the expensive twinscrew equipments with direct steaminjection. It facilitates the process ofmaking analogue cheese. Moreover,it is ideal for making high-qualityvegan cheese without animal protein. Premitex® XLK-15043 is a stabiliserbased on starches, hydrocolloids andmelting salts, and adapted to anytype of machinery. It makes it possibleto produce mozzarella analogues inequipment which are not optimized for this task in terms of speed stirring and heating, astraditional spinners. Therefore, it is specifically designed for SMEs and companies in whichinvestment in cookers or twin screw blenders with direct steam injection is not an option, asituation in which a large number of cheesemakers are found throughout the world.Moreover, Premitex® XLK-15067 is a stabiliser designed to meet the needs of the growingmarket for vegan products free of animal protein, a booming sector in countries like Germany,Austria or Switzerland in the European market, or the United States, in the American.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/HANS GEEL34-36_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:24 Page 236 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netINGREDIENTS SPOTLIGHThave been predicted over 10% CAGR in the coming years,including Turkey, Vietnam and India. The Middle-East is also agrowing market which could be attractive to many in theindustry. As a whole the ingredients industry remains as strong as ithas ever been, though the emphasis has shifted slightly towardsfood products which offer more than just taste or satisfaction.This is not only reflected in consumer trends, but also in world-wide politics, as the US FDA have determined that all trans fatsmust be removed from US food products by the year 2018. Long having been considered a contributor towards heartdisease and other coronary problems, there has been constantlegislation limiting the amounts that can be put in US food, butthe decision to force their removal entirely came as a surprise tomany. In their statement the FDA said “The FDA’s action onthis major source of artificial trans-fat demonstrates the agency’scommitment to the heart health of all Americans. This action isexpected to reduce coronary heart disease and preventthousands of fatal heart attacks every year.” This was a step following the decisions of numerous EUcountries to ban, or limit, trans-fats in food products in previousyears, and shows the importance of staying a step ahead of thecurve when it comes to healthy and natural ingredients, and thenecessity of using them. At the end of the day, it can either bean advantage to be leveraged by a company, or an opportunitymissed – and something businesses are forced to comply withanyway, further down the line. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MYTHJAMeiogenix and Lesaffrecollaborate to improveindustrial yeast strains’performanceFrench biotech company Meiogenix and Lesaffrehave entered into a collaborative agreement todevelop improved industrial yeast strains usingMeiogenix’s recombination technologies. The PhoeniX technology controls the process ofnatural meiotic recombination and generatesefficiently non–GM recombined yeast cells particularlyfor industrial strains where meiosis is impeded.Under the collaboration agreement, Meiogenix willapply its non-GM technology to discover novel yeaststrains with improved industrial properties that will bethen industrialised by Lesaffre, a global key player inyeasts and fermentation.Giacomo Bastianelli, Co-founder & CEO ofMeiogenix, said: “In the last few years we havecarried out several R&D projects in yeast and we areglad to put into play the expertise and technologieswe have developed. We believe that PhoeniX, aproprietary non-GM technology, can have a majorimpact in the yeast industry, especially for foodapplications where mainstream genetic engineeringtechnologies are not yet an accepted option.” The global market value for industrial yeast isprojected to grow at a CAGR of 8.8% and expectedto reach $3.6 billion by 2018.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/KARTINKIN7734-36_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:24 Page 3Food & Drink International 37www.fdiforum.netREADY MEALSPerhaps it is a result of consumer tastesopening up, or maybe it’s a sign of thebusy lifestyle many are experiencing, butthe ready and convenience meals markethas boomed in recent years. Where oncepeople dined on sandwiches and crisps atthe office table, it’s now possible to seeIndian, Chinese or Japanese meals – allcooked within the microwave. This trendhas exploded across the UK and Europe,even reaching as far as China and the US. Advances in technology have seenmanufacturers of frozen and ready mealsexpand their product portfolios in recentyears. With consumers demandingconvenient, high-quality food inincreasingly large quantities,manufacturers are drawing upon newtechnologies that allow them to vary theirrecipes and create better quality produce.As a consequence of changes in theglobal economy, the public are spendingless on perishable foodstuffs. This haspresented opportunities to manufacturersof ready meals, but there are challenges,too. Market analysis suggests that today’sconsumers, particularly young people, aredemanding experimental frozen foods thatgo beyond the bog-standard pies, chipsand peas orthodoxy of yesteryear. Aspeople travel more they are being exposedto new flavours, and this is one factor thatis driving product diversification withinthe industry. Another is healthy living. This has led to a boom in thealternative ready meals market,particularly for oriental and continentalfood, which now occupies dedicated shelfspace in many supermarkets. It is also notunusual to see low calorie and healthyliving options available in ready mealformat. These range from diet versions oftraditional ready meals, to dedicatedhealthy options themselves, and representconsumer shifts towards highertransparency in foodstuff ingredients.This range of demands from consumerscreates difficulties within themanufacturing line, particularly in mixing38 ÁPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGESReadyto cookThe ready meals industry has experienced significant growth inrecent years, and this trend doesn’t look to be slowing down.37-39_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:26 Page 1www.multi-fill.comsales@multi-fill.comPhone +1 801.280.1570Fax +1 801.280.4341Building B, 4343 West 7800 SouthWest Jordan, Utah 84088 USARepresented in the UK and Ireland by:F. Jahn & Co. Ltd.Tel: 020 8977 8822Web: www.f-jahn.co.ukE-Mail: sales@f-jahn.co.uk38 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netParkside launch cook ready rangeSpeciality packaging manufacturer,Parkside has unveiled a range of uniquesolutions for the convenience market.Parkside has launched the Parkscribe™family of cook ready solutions, including theinnovative steam bag, sandwich wrap andpour pack designs.The range addresses the needs of timeconscious consumers as well as deliveringthe supply chain efficiency and performancerequired from modern packaging designs.The Parkscribe Steam is a revolutionaryself-venting microwavable steam bag,designed for convenience cooking of frozenvegetables, available as a single or multi compartment format.The Parkscribe Sandwich Wrap is a flexible pack that includes lasered incisions to create an easyopen, no fuss, no mess solution to consuming food on the go. The Parkscribe Pour Pack is designed to be a functional, easy to use product for chilled, ambientor frozen goods. A lasered cut to the side of the pack allows consumers to simply peel away thepackaging and pour out the contents.www.parksideflex.com and blending equipment. Portions need tobe measured carefully, and because theproducts are often cooked within theirpackaging, extra care must be taken inquality control and monitoring stages. Highprofile recalls in recent years have donelittle to stymie the popularity of readymeals, but they can leave a brand effectivelybarred from a supermarket entirely. It’s more common for ready mealmanufacture to either be outsourcedentirely, perhaps to a contract manufacturerwho specialises in such things – or formultiple lines to be used. In the latter case,the multiple lines can be set up for varyrecipes and ready meals, allowingcontinuous production without changesthat might compromise the ingredients. Contract manufacturing remains apopular option, however, and there are anumber of such companies that specialise inready meals. Traditionally own-brand readymeals sold by retailers will have beenproduced at a contract manufacturer, andit’s not unusual to see that rivalsupermarkets have used the same company.One of the biggest factors of ready meals,however, is its packaging. Ready mealpackaging usually comes in two parts. Aplastic material frame with a film lid, andthen a sleeve over the top of that. Theready meal is often cooked within the frameand film, so it is often to removable sleevethat contains the branding, information andlabelling for the product. Cartoning andsleeving technology has been around for aPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ALTERFALTER37-39_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:26 Page 2For more information, visitwww.micvac.comFood & Drink International 39www.fdiforum.netREADY MEALS• 100% natural with no preservatives• Optimally processed• Premium fresh flavour, texture, taste• Extended shelf life• Easy prep - meal whistles when readyRiggs Autopack’sdepositors set thepace for ready mealsChangingconsumer lifestylesare driving the UKready meal market,with the on-goingtrend towardsconveniencecontinuing to boostsales. It has beenpredicted that themarket willincrease furtherover the comingyears with the mainarea of growthbeing in thehealthy ‘gourmet’ sector. The pressure on manufacturers such as Riggs Autopack,acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading depositor and fillingmachine manufacturers, is to be able to supply equipment that isreliable, versatile and capable of damage free product handling. Tomeet these requirements Riggs Autopack has developed a methodof depositing that does not damage the product whilst incorporatinga form of agitation that ensures an even distribution.Today’s ready meals contain fresher, often only part cookedingredients, which enhance both the quality and appearance ofready meals. Riggs Autopack has acknowledged that as the productis more solid, it therefore does not flow as easily and theparticulates become more likely to lock together. Machinery fromRiggs Autopack can overcome the risk of jamming and the ability tohandle large delicate particulates through careful design of theproduct porting within the rotary valve assembly of the depositingunit. Riggs Autopack’s Model 1000 series of depositors are trusted by awidening group of customers and large scale food manufacturinggroups such as Kery, Bakkavor, Greencore, Samworth Brothersamong others. They are available as semi or fully automatic models withpneumatic or PLC controls, Servo Drive units, low or high levelframe configuration, and can also be supplied with transfer pumpsand conveyor systems. For more information, visit www.riggsautopack.co.uk oremail info@riggsautopack.co.uk, alternatively you cancall +44(0) 1282 440040.long time, but the ready meals sector has been a big cause ofits resurgence in recent years. Labelling on the sleeves doescause some problems, mostly due to the relative lack of spacecompared to fully packaged products – and the additionalinformation that needs to be included (such as how tomicrowave or oven cook the meal, from chilled or frozen).This means that there is less space for branding, particularly asa photo shot of the finished meal is often also a prerequisite. Ready meals create something of a conundrum for packagingdesign, least of all due to the vast amount of information – butalso because it is more often than not the ingredients andmaterials used that determine a sale, rather than theaesthetics. Just about any consumer who purchases such ameal is doing so due to convenience, and therefore does realisethat the finished product will likely not be as high-quality asone made by hand. It is a sacrifice they are willing to make,but it does mean that idealistic or misleading packaging ismore likely to generate scorn than interest. In fact, this is atrend recognised by many in the industry, and it’s not difficultto see that many mainstream ready meals feature very plainand realistic packaging – with accurate pictures of what thefood will look like. This is something that has been learnedthrough experience, as many things about ready meals have. Interms of age, the market is actually quite a new one, and thereare still opportunities to be had and things to be found out.But don’t let the relative youth of the industry fool. Readymeals and convenience foods are here to stay. 37-39_Layout 1 01/07/2016 14:26 Page 3Next >