In a Pickle: AI Increases Production Efficiency at Kraft Heinz
In the year 2025, most people have at least a general understanding of the role advanced automation technology plays in their lives, including jobs that used to predominantly involve manual labor. For example, people walking into a modern automobile manufacturing facility would not be surprised to see rows of robots welding vehicle frames together.
Most people would also expect to find advanced automation technologies in facilities manufacturing high-tech products like semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries. But what about condiments? Does the automation technology revolution extend to industries like food and beverage?
The answer to that question is a resounding yes! According to a Food Dive article by Christopher Doering, “Kraft Heinz is using artificial intelligence to produce a better Claussen pickle.” So, the next time you ask for extra pickles on that burger, realize that artificial intelligence (AI) might have played a role in producing what you’re eating.
Those who have made pickles at home know that the basic process of making a pickle looks something like cucumber plus brine plus time equals pickle. While that may be easy enough in your home kitchen, doing so at scale can be quite a challenge.
For example, Doering notes that “Kraft Heinz processes approximately 60 million cucumbers annually to make roughly 42 million jars of Claussen, the country’s top-selling refrigerated pickle brand.” That’s a lot of pickles. Indeed, “[t]he cucumbers that turn into Claussen pickles move from vine to brine in 10 days or fewer, giving Kraft Heinz little room for error.”
What’s the big dill? (Pun totally intended.) According to Doering, “It’s paramount that Kraft Heinz knows what the cucumbers coming into the Claussen plant in Illinois look like so it can prepare — varying circumferences, lengths and bends can wreak havoc on planning and require changes to the production line where the spears are processed.”
Bill Durbin, the head of North America logistics and planning at Kraft Heinz, explains: “With pickles, the circumference matters, the size matters, the length matters, the bend of the cucumber, all of those things, depending on what they are, we will operate differently within the site, as well as quality.”
Durbin claims that “it’s super important that we identify issues as fast as possible and then make sure that we get the sizing correct so we can get the best efficiency as we run those things down the line. This allows us to get the best quality cucumber and the best quality pickles at the end.”
Kraft Heinz now uses AI and machine learning to automate the once-manual process of identifying issues in its cucumber supply. Durbin notes that “by having that level of certainty on what that product is, we can address that right away so we know where to send it within the factory, or if it’s an issue, we can get that real-time feedback to the suppliers to be able to address.”
And the result for Kraft Heinz? According to Durbin, “[o]n pickles, specifically, we’ve seen, since we put this in place, we’ve seen a 12% increase in efficiency from that. By being able to make this process and identify these things, we’ve been able to make sure that the pickles are getting routed to the right place to give us the best efficiency possible, and also to give that feedback to the suppliers.”
Given these impressive results, Durbin notes that Kraft Heinz is considering utilizing AI and machine learning in a similar way with other foods they process, such as tomatoes and potatoes. Perhaps one day your French fries will have been made more efficiently thanks to AI.
Of course, implementing new advanced automation technologies isn’t without its challenges. For example, many manufacturers already can’t find enough workers to fill open positions. Where are they going to find the highly skilled workers to take advantage of these new technologies?
The solution, of course, is to either upskill current workers or hire new workers with the advanced automation technology skills they require. How can manufacturers be certain prospective workers have the skills they need?
Manufacturers should look for candidates with industry-standard credentials that prove they already possess the skills they need to thrive. For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
Can Smart Manufacturing Transform the Food Industry?
What types of products do you buy online? Today, the answer to that question for many people is just about anything and everything. Things haven’t always been that way, though.
In the earliest days of e-commerce, consumers got their feet wet in the online marketplace purchasing products that were known quantities that could be shipped safely and cheaply. More personal items, such as clothing and shoes, retained a foothold in brick-and-mortar stores where customers could try things on to ensure a good fit.
Fast forward to today and it’s easy to see how drastically e-commerce has changed the retail landscape. Some people now purchase all of their goods exclusively online. There are still certain areas, though, where e-commerce has been slow to gain traction. For example, the food industry has yet to replace a trip to the grocery store with an online experience…until recently.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed much about how we live our lives, including that once-simple trip to the grocery store. Now, more and more people are doing their grocery shopping online or via a smartphone app and having their groceries delivered directly to their car at the store.
As a result, the food industry finds itself in need of a transformation to respond to changing realities driven by consumer demand. Experts believe that transformation will come through a variety of new smart manufacturing technologies.
Consumer Demand Driving Changes
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, no one fully understood the ways in which our lives would change over the course of the coming months. Routine, everyday tasks, such as shopping for groceries, were suddenly fraught with the potential for exposure to the deadly virus.
Retail grocers were faced with simultaneously managing intense supply chain disruptions that left many shelves bare and customers who wanted as little contact with other shoppers as possible. The solution for many was to pair online shopping (often via an app) with curbside delivery.
Shopping for food online was a new experience for most customers. It didn’t take long, however, for most people to figure out that they could compare prices across various stores just like they would for any other online purchase.
The effect of these changes on the food industry has been significant. As author Katy Askew notes in a recent FoodNavigator article, the food industry is being forced “to rapidly adapt their processes and products to keep up with changing markets” resulting from “elevated consumer expectations.”
Smart Manufacturing to the Rescue
How can food and beverage companies keep up with these rapid changes? Askew spoke with Andrew Smith, Regional Segment Leader – Process & Packaging OEMs at Rockwell Automation, which recently became a Platinum Member of the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA).
According to Smith, “To remain competitive, food and beverage manufacturing systems must optimize productivity and perform at the highest standard. This requires comprehensive and continuous operations improvement.” Increasingly, the food industry is turning to smart manufacturing to achieve those goals.
Smith believes in the potential of smart manufacturing:
“Connected, information-enabled manufacturing – or smart manufacturing – can make all the difference. New technologies are helping food and beverage manufacturers better understand and use their food processing operations. Smart manufacturing can help improve asset utilization, increase yield, drive workforce productivity, optimize resource management, and mitigate security risks.”
Not convinced yet? Smith points to Hillshire Brands as a prime example of what smart manufacturing can do. After the company began using a manufacturing intelligence system at a Texas plant, “the food manufacturer reduced inedible product and waste goals to 0.8% – saving about 5.5 million corn dogs per year.”
Technologies Changing the Game
The impact of smart technologies is not lost on the average person today. Whether it’s the smartphone in your hand or the smart thermostat keeping your home the perfect temperature, nearly every aspect of life has been impacted by advances in technology
Modern manufacturers are no exception, including food and beverage companies. According to Smith, “New developments in technology are redefining food and beverage manufacturing. By combining the Internet of Things, wireless and mobile technologies, data analytics, and network infrastructure, companies can access and act on the data from their operations before a potential problem arises.”
Askew notes in her article that Smith identified five advanced technologies he believes will drive greater adoption of smart manufacturing technologies in the food industry:
Flexible Manufacturing
Flexible manufacturing focuses on how quickly a company can adapt to change. As Matt Graves and Rachel Wilson explain in an article on the Rockwell Automation blog, “It’s about creating a seamless flow from need to delivery. True flexibility empowers manufacturers to stay in tune with their market, by replacing rigid and static operating models with levels of control and responsiveness never previously thought possible.”
When it comes to integrating new technologies, though, the authors stress that companies must not forget about the people using those technologies:
“When it comes to embracing Industry 4.0, integration between departments is key. While new technology can bring data and systems together, getting your people to communicate/collaborate is just as important – and absolutely essential if you want to gain the maximum return on investment.”
Augmented Reality
As Askew notes in her article, “Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that allows users to view and interact with real-world environments through computer generated superimposed images. It enables workers to perform better and avoid safety and compliance risks by providing easy access to the information they need online.”
In smart manufacturing, companies use AR to help technicians troubleshoot problems in real time. For example, maintenance personnel can use an AR app on a smartphone or tablet to zero in on exactly what component of a machine may be malfunctioning and develop a solution more quickly, thereby reducing equipment downtime.
Predictive Maintenance
The heart of smart manufacturing is the collection, processing, analysis, and application of the tremendous amounts of data (sometimes called “big data”) generated by the production process. According to Askew, companies will use “powerful machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics software to offer predictive and prescriptive maintenance.”
Practically, this means that machines equipped with smart sensors can monitor their own performance. Technicians will receive alerts from machines when maintenance needs are imminent, allowing them to maintain and repair equipment before breakdowns occur, thereby reducing downtime and increasing productivity.
Edge Computing
A Rockwell Automation article explains edge computing in this way:
“Edge computing combines a machine’s control and computing hardware into one platform, either with a controller that has a built-in computer or with a computing module that sits on the same rack as the controller. With this two-in-one approach, you can put all your machine’s digital content — such as custom code, the controller’s human-machine interface (HMI) application and any third-party software programs — right where the controller resides, rather than in another location. This creates inherent benefits for end users, including space savings and access to data right at its source. But it also creates new opportunities for you to build entirely new solutions for production applications.”
According to Askew, “Edge computing will complement existing cloud infrastructure by enabling real-time data processing where work is done (for example, motors, pumps, generators, or other sensors). Implementing integrated analytics from the edge to the cloud will help these companies maximize the value of investments in digital systems.”
Digital Twin/Digital Thread
In addition to augmented reality apps, companies are also using advanced digital tools to assist with troubleshooting, such as digital twins and the Digital Thread. According to Askew, a digital twin is “the collection of data created in software representing a real-life system. Machines, controllers, processes, workflow, and any other aspect of a system can be represented digitally, without any interruption to ongoing activities.”
Similar to a digital twin, the Digital Thread “creates a virtual representation of how data travels within a company. The Digital Thread enables supervisory enhancements throughout the supply chain, including delivery of work instructions to operators, quality control sampling, and automated activation of components and materials from vendors, suppliers, and partners”
What can these technologies do for the food industry? Askew paints an interesting view of a future that’s probably a lot closer than we think:
“In the near future, we will see that by interconnecting business systems through the Digital Thread, companies will practically start up new production lines. Using the digital twins, manufacturers will run machines virtually before parts are ordered, discover control issues before support personnel review them, predict future performance challenges and opportunities, simulate line changes to stay keep up with changing customer demands, and will train new staff in non-stop systems of activity.”
SACA Certifications Validate Industry 4.0 Skills
Employees in the food and beverage industry would do well to complement their current skillset with advanced Industry 4.0 skills that will help them change and grow with advances in technology. For those workers wanting to specialize in Industry 4.0 technologies, the certifications offered by the Smart Automation Certification Alliance are a great place to start. SACA offers industry-standard certifications that focus on “connected systems” skills. To learn more about the different types of SACA certifications, visit SACA online.
- Published in News
