Canadian-based Brandneu Foods has significantly reduced the lead times for its popular range of kale chips by three-quarters, after installing the high-performance TNA Intelli-Flav OMS 5 seasoning system at its plant in Toronto.
In addition to cutting production lead times from 60 days to just 15, 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, packaging and processing solutions provider TNA supplied it with total project management services from start to finish, allowing Brandneu to concentrate on its day-to-day business operation.
Brandneau produces a range of kale chips, and, due to increased demand from consumers for healthier alternatives to potato chips, has seen the popularity of its products soar in recent times. The company therefore needed to reassess its production capabilities to meet this demand and stay competitive in an increasingly crowded market place, TNA added.
“The current trend towards healthier snacks has had a key influence on the food industry,” said TNA North American regional sales manager Sekhar Chakkingal. “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.”
Brandneu had previously experienced issues with inconsistent flavouring, which had an impact on taste and resulted in significant seasoning losses. It was therefore important for TNA to provide a cutting-edge solution that ensures application accuracy and maintained consistent coverage, TNA said.
Brandneu saw that TNA’s Intelli-Flav OMS 5 on-machine seasoning system provided both powder flavouring and liquid oil in a single drum, and featured a variable mass seasoning system with a dynamic vibratory weigher to directly control oil spray. This means that only the right amount of oil is applied to each chip – an essential feature for the Canadian food company, which was keen to maintain the healthy profile of its chips.
Thanks to the system’s unparalleled application accuracy, Brandneu was also able to minimise 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 the chips.
Installed as part of a larger configuration, it was imperative for TNA to integrate the machine with other equipment effortlessly.
Adrian Quinn, president of Brandneu Foods, said: “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.”
“At TNA, our focus is to find the right solutions to our customers’ challenges,” added Chakkingal. “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.”
And Quinn continued: “We’re delighted with the results of the installation from TNA. 33% of US consumers are snacking on healthier foods this year compared to last year, 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% and boosting productivity.
“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.”
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