Berger Wild, based in Passau, Germany, is Europe's largest processor of European game and, among other products, supplies 2.5kg and 5kg bags of cubed deer to the foodservice market.
Recently, the company decided to pack the meat in smaller sizes for sale in supermarkets and other retail outlets in order to satisfy a growth in customer demand.
Initially, the company was unable to solve the problem of how to weigh the product into packs accurately, consistently, and at high speed. "The game season is short so it is essential that production is maximised during this period," explains md Karl Berger. "In addition, the product is sticky so traditional automatic weighing equipment is not suitable.
"Packing by hand was considered but the number of operators required, plus the fact that pack accuracy would be unreliable, resulted in the idea being rejected."
At the Anuga Foodtech exhibition in Cologne, however, Berger visited the Ishida Europe stand and saw its new CCW-NZ-106 fresh food weigher which has been designed to handle sticky products. It features linear belt feeders that distribute product evenly to the weighing units at which stainless steel or plastic hoppers with anti-stick scraper gates ensure a smooth, reliable, and consistent flow. Using multihead weighing technology a computer selects the combination of hoppers that most closely matches the target weight.
At Berger Wild, thermoformed trays are presented to the Ishida equipment in a two-by-four format with filling speeds of between 18 and 20 packs a minute. Accuracy is within 0.5g of the target weight. Labour costs are being saved since only one operator is required, and pack consistency and presentation have been improved.
"We saw an opportunity to diversify into the retail market but did not have the ability to cope with the demand for the convenience packs," says Berger. "Now, with the Ishida equipment, we can satisfy customers at the critical time period."
Contact: Ishida Europe,
Tel: 0121 607 7700