Avara Foods has splashed £4m on new automation and packaging technology it says will help deliver its barbecue range more efficiently.
Its new automated lines at its Hereford and Telford siteswill pack a range of barbecue products directly into a pouch for a new marination process.
The business claimed it would remove much of the manual elements from the production, increasing productivity and efficacy, and reducing plastic.
The range would be produced with “fewer but higher-skilled” people, it said, with less packaging overall, making it easier for consumers to prepare and cook.
Avara said it hoped ramping up automation would help it reduce its reliance on seasonal and temporary labour.
“We know seasonal workers are in short supply, but this latest round of automation means we can manage people numbers through our normal local recruitment activities while ensuring a consistent supply of barbecue products to our retail customers,” said Andrew Brodie, people director at Avara.
“The difference is that we need fewer, but more highly skilled people to keep that automation running smoothly, and we can recruit them from our local communities,” added Brodie. “It’s a completely different role and one that’s much more attractive to people who are looking for a career, rather than a job.”
The new technology would also reduce plastic use by over 60% across its barbecue products, Avara added, contributing to its carbon footprint reduction targets and Plastics Pact promises.
The news comes as Avara opened a new £4.7m processing plant in Wednesbury in February.
No comments yet