Bem Brasil installs Key Technology line for high capacity potato strip production

Bem Brasil is Brazil’s leading potato processor producing around 500,000 metric tons of product each year. Founded in 2006, the company supplies more than half of all French fries consumed in the country, in addition to serving international markets. To support this momentum and strengthen operational efficiencies while protecting product quality, Bem Brasil installed a new Key Technology processing line designed to run 30 metric tons of frozen potato strips per hour.

Bem Brasil supplies more than half of French fries consumed im Brazil. The new potato strip processing line from Key Technology will increase its capacity as demand increases.

“We reached a point where our existing lines couldn’t keep up with demand for our products. On top of that, our incoming raw material can naturally vary several times in a single day, so we needed equipment that performed reliably even with those product shifts,” said Célio Zero, Director of Operations at Bem Brasil. “When we compared suppliers, Key stood out because they offered a fully integrated solution complete with world-class optical sorters, graders and more. Full-surface inspection, quick changeovers and straightforward operation help us achieve both the high capacity we require and the quality our customers expect.”

Bem Brasil relies on Key’s VERYX™ optical sorters in both the wet and frozen areas. Upstream in the wet area, three VERYX B210 sorters equipped with off-axis cameras in a tilted-X configuration find and reject product defects without blind spots. By sorting product early in the process, these systems produce a cleaner, more uniform product stream that improves overall line performance downstream.

In the frozen area just before packaging, three VERYX B175 sorters equipped with cameras and lasers perform both three-way sorting and final inspection, separating short potato strips into a dedicated stream while simultaneously removing foreign material (FM) and product defects. Key’s Sort-to-Grade (STG) software evaluates each strip’s dimensions and quality profile to determine its impact on the final grade and make accept/reject decisions that help maximize yield. Pixel Fusion™ technology further improves detection accuracy, identifying even the most difficult-to-find FM and defects immediately prior to packaging.

Key’s VERYX optical sorters at Bem Brasil's wet and frozen areas
 

“The benefit of VERYX’s full-surface inspection is huge. Since defects can appear on any side of a potato strip, a complete view improves the precision of the sort and helps us achieve the great product quality we’re known for,” Zero explained. “VERYX is also easy for our team to operate. The interface is clear, the recipe changes are fast and the equipment responds to the setting adjustments as expected. That makes a meaningful difference when we’re changing recipes several times a day.”

The line also incorporates an ADR EXOS™ automatic defect removal system downstream of the wet-area sorters. Defective strips rejected by the VERYX sorters are routed to the ADR, where its mechanical cutting system removes only the blemished portion and returns good strips to the line. “Our ADR adds significant value,” said Zero. “It recovers good product that would otherwise be lost, and in the right conditions, has a substantial impact on our final yield.”

Key’s Iso-Flo™ vibratory conveyors support smooth, reliable product handling across the entire line. The shakers spread and distribute product, regulate flow between processing steps and feed downstream equipment, all of which contributes to more precise sorting and overall line performance. Three Sliver Sizer Removers upstream of the wet-area VERYX sorters reject small slivers and nubbins to deliver a cleaner product stream ahead of inspection.

“Bem Brasil has a lot of future in front of it. We’re always looking for innovative equipment that enables us to push forward and maintain our position as an industry leader,” Zero concluded. “Key Technology helps us uphold the great product quality and consistency our customers expect. Since our new line reached full production in 2022, it has proven its effectiveness and reliability across every season. As we continue to grow, having Key as a trusted partner gives us a lot of confidence to tackle what’s next.”