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Increased yield and improved quality by steam cooking
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Rahbek-Food Ltd., U.K. has chosen the new cooking method after thorough tests and product approval by a well-known producer of brand products.
Before a product acquires the status as a brand the producer has invested considerable amounts in development, packing material, marketing, and distribution. Changes in mixture or production method can be a very demanding task for sub-suppliers. Rahbek-Food Ltd. supplies almost its entire production of quality processed finished products to Marks & Spencer - known for its selective and very fastidious customers. The brand name “St Michael” covers an extensive range of finish-ed products sold fresh or frozen in Marks & Spencer’s supermarkets.
Convenient dishes with shrimps
Shrimps are an important ingredient in many of the dishes. Rahbek-Food also supplies fresh peeled and shell-on shrimps. “We use only Honduran shrimps which we buy frozen in blocks” says engineering manager, Lasse Hansen. “As the quality demands from Marks & Spencer are very strict we have to be certain to use high-quality raw material and also look for new and improved production methods. Carnitech’s new, paten-ted technique to steam cook shrimps seemed at the early stages of presentation to be an improvement compared to traditional water cooking.
Thorough tests
The next step was a test cooking of Rahbek-Food shrimps in Carnitech’s test center. A representative from Marks & Spencer was present during the tests, and he carefully evaluated the shrimps as to taste, colour and suitability for the company’s pro-ducts. “I was impressed with the standards of manufacture and with the degree of interest and involvement shown by all your staff” was a.o. in a letter of thanks from Marks & Spencer after the tests at Carnitech.
Installation of a new cooking line
The positive test results were the start of close cooperation with the management of Rahbek-Food, who in the middle of 1993 decided to install the new cooking line at the factory in Redditch. “We had to rearrange our machines to some extent” says Lasse Hansen of Rahbek-Food. In cooperation with Carnitech engineers the installation was completed in a relatively short time and we could start up production in Juni 1993.
Advantageous investment
“After some months of operation we can see that the yield has increased by 4-5% and we have achieved the desired improvement as to taste and colour. Rahbek-Food has calculated with a short pay back time, so all things considered - it looks like an advantageous investment”, concludes Lasse Hansen.