Leicestershire-based pie maker Pukka has revealed the latest element of its three-year growth plan.
The business has invested in custom-built freezers after appointing equipment supplier Starfrost to design and install two Helix spiral freezers at its bakery in Syston. The installation comes two years after the business announced a further £4.5m investment to enhance manufacturing capacity and capability at the bakery.
The Starfrost spiral freezing system has been designed to replace the previous equipment and provide a reliable freezing solution to increase manufacturing throughput, reduce downtime, and minimise water usage.
Pukka said a state-of-the-art air defrost mechanism enables up to 12 hours of uninterrupted operation, while automatic cleaning systems minimise downtime and reduce water usage.
The company added that the freezers future-proof Pukka’s production capabilities and will support upcoming product development or expansion.
Pukka said it had recently experienced significant growth and expansion following an increase in demand for its pies.
Recent launches have included chilled NPD such as a pepperoni pizza pie designed to appeal to fans of pizzas and pies, and a range of frozen bakes and sausage rolls.
“We are always looking for ways to revolutionise and improve our business and upgrading our freezing equipment is part of this strategy,” added the bakery’s engineering and projects manager Peter Gull.
He said that Starfrost was selected because of the company’s ability to offer a bespoke solution that worked in the existing Pukka infrastructure and was tailored to Pukka’s products and production line.
“The new equipment has enabled us to future proof our production capabilities to support any upcoming product development or expansion plans,” explained Gull. “As a food manufacturer, I don’t think you can ever underestimate the value of quality processing equipment that works exactly how it has been designed to.”
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