Kale chips manufacturer cuts lead time by 75%

FROM 60 days to just 15, Brandneu Foods was able to cut its lead time for the production of snack foods like kale chips. But that’s only one of the benefits when the company installed the tna intelli-flav^{® OMS} 5 at its plant in Toronto, Canada. The new installation enabled Brandneu to consolidate work space, meaning it can better respond to customer demands for its products. To ensure a smooth installation, tna provided total project management services—from ­start to finish, offering Brandneu complete peace of mind to concentrate on their day-to-day business objectives.  

Meeting demand for healthy snacks

Brandneu prides itself on the natural, healthful profile and high quality of its products, meeting demand for healthier alternatives to potato chips. The popularity of its kale chips is soaring. The company therefore needed to reassess its production capabilities to meet this demand and stay competitive, in an increasingly crowded market place.

“The current trend towards healthier snacks has had a key influence on the food industry,” said Sekhar Chakkingal, regional sales manager, tna North America. “Consumers are growing more and more concerned about the amount of fat, sugar and salt they consume. As a result, many manufacturers like Brandneu are looking for innovative technologies to help them produce healthier, tastier snacks to meet this demand. When approached by Brandneu, tna had exactly the right cutting-edge technology to optimise the production of their natural baked kale chips.”

Kale is one of the healthier options to potato chips (Photo: tna)

Improving seasoning accuracy

Brandneu had previously experienced issues with inconsistent flavoring, which had an impact on taste and resulted in significant seasoning losses. It was therefore vital for tna to provide a cutting-edge solution to ensure application accuracy and consistent coverage. Brandneu found that tna’s intelli-flav ^OMS 5 on-machine seasoning system was the solution. Providing both powder flavouring and liquid oil in a single drum, the system features a variable mass seasoning system with a dynamic  vibratory weigher to directly control oil spray. This means only the right amount of oil is applied to each chip, an essential feature for Brandneu, who were keen to maintain the healthy profile of their popular kale chips.

The system’s unparalleled application accuracy allows Brandneu to cut seasoning losses in the production process, reducing raw material waste and increasing profitability. In addition, the tna intelli-flav ^OMS 5 offers improved coverage and flavour dispersion, enabling Brandneu to apply minimal salt and flavouring without compromising on the overall quality and taste of its kale chips.

Flexible, fast

To meet the high demand for their product, Brandneu needed complete flexibility to change flavors quickly and easily. Addressing this need, tna suggested a second drum that can be changed on the line in less than 15 minutes. The addition of the second drum means Brandneu can meet orders more quickly and reduce production lead time considerably. This boost in production offers real customer satisfaction and shows that Brandneu can be relied on to fulfil orders in a short turnaround time.

Adding a completely new system to its existing production line, Brandneu was looking for equipment that was intuitive and easy to use for all operators. tna recognized that in a fast flowing manufacturing process, waiting for the right specialist to operate a machine is going to have a significant time impact. The tna intelli-flav ^OMS 5 system features a simple touchscreen that is user friendly and easy to programme for simple operation. This helps plant managers save time in training staff, while also providing total peace of mind.

The intelli-flav^{® OMS} 5 on-machine seasoning system

Seamless integration

As Brandneu was looking to maximize floor space for possible future expansions, tna needed to consider the overall footprint of the factory when planning the installation. Brandneu appreciated that, in addition to being simple and easy to use, the tna intelli-flav ^OMS 5 took up much less space than existing equipment, which provided them with the flexibility to add more lines in the future.

Installed as part of a larger configuration, it was imperative for tna to integrate the machine with other equipment effortlessly. By analyzing Brandneu’s existing assets from start to finish, including its operational requirements and training needs, tna’s project management team developed a solution that integrated quickly and seamlessly alongside Brandneu’s existing equipment.

Adrian Quinn, president at Brandneu Foods comments: “Naturally, any production interruptions can be costly for manufacturers. We were very pleased with the speed at which the equipment was installed. Effectively acting as a “plug and play” system, the line was up and running again within a few hours.”

Meeting long-term customer needs

“At tna, our focus is to find the right solutions to our customers’ challenges,” adds Sekhar. “The snack food market is expanding rapidly and Brandneu approached tna because they needed to stay ahead of the curve. Once we assessed their needs, we were able to provide a flexible, high performance solution that meets their long-term production needs.”

“We’re delighted with the results of the installation from tna. 33 per cent of US consumers are snacking on healthier foods this year compared to last year[1], highlighting an enormous opportunity for us to increase our market share in this growing segment. The tna intelli-flav ^OMS 5 system better places us to respond to this demand, reducing production lead time by 75 per cent and boosting productivity,” Quinn said.

“The system has integrated effortlessly into our existing line, is simple to use, easy to clean and most importantly, exceptionally reliable, which as a busy snack producer is imperative to meet customer needs. The service offered by tna is truly excellent, and it’s reassuring to know that we’re supported in every way.”

Snack manufacturers can find out how tna’s processing and packaging solutions can make a positive impact on their production floor. The company has a range of equipment including materials handling, processing, cooling and freezing, coating, distribution, seasoning, weighing, packaging, inserting and labelling, metal detection and verification solutions.