Customer feedback: Spanish company optimizes blueberry packing with TOMRA's advanced technology

TransIberian Foods (TIF) is an emerging company that specialises in the logistics, storage and packaging of fresh and frozen products serving both domestic and international markets. Its location in Huelva, close to one of the most active and strategic ports in Spain, enables it to optimise the logistics of its business and thus guarantees the freshness of the final product. 

The company has chosen TOMRA Food’s advanced blueberry grading and filling solutions for its blueberry packing line. With the TOMRA KATO 260 advanced, industry-leading precision grading system with LUCAi® Artificial Intelligence technology and two TOMRA CURO filling stations, it achieves the extreme flexibility needed to meet the varied and demanding requirements of its international customers. 

“With TOMRA, we have strengthened our position in the market as a reliable service provider in the European berry market,” proudly explains Jesús Cruz, Manager of TransIberian Foods. “These systems have allowed us to achieve and maintain the highest quality standards demanded by the most prestigious supermarkets.” 

“TOMRA offers advanced defect detection capabilities, ensuring that only fruits meeting the strictest quality specifications are processed and packaged. This not only improves our production efficiency but also optimizes the quality of the final product, guaranteeing customer satisfaction and compliance with food safety regulations. This investment demonstrates our commitment to operational excellence, our determination to be a leader in the handling and packaging services sector for berries in Europe, and updates our facilities for the berry campaign from Morocco and Spain.”

Advanced, flexible technology to optimize blueberry operations: the key to the European market

TransIberian Foods has 20,000 square meters of refrigerated space with 14 docks and is currently expanding its operations with the development of a new project focused on the refrigeration, ripening, and packaging of avocados and other tropical fruits, both locally produced and imported. It primarily receives the produce through the nearby port of Algeciras, a key hub for the import of fruits from South America (Peru, Chile, Mexico, or Argentina) and Africa (Morocco, South Africa, and Egypt), as well as areas closer to their base such as Spain, Portugal, and Romania, among others.

Jesús Cruz explains the challenge they faced: “Due to the diversity in the origin of the blueberries, we were looking for a packaging line that was extremely flexible, capable of handling all the commercial formats required by European supermarkets for our clients. This meant having the ability to quickly adapt to different sizes and types of packaging, from small trays for individual portions to larger containers for wholesale. TOMRA has enabled us to offer a wide range of options to our clients, companies that distribute to European supermarkets, adapting to their needs and market demands.”

To address this challenge, the company looked for advanced technology solutions: “At TransIberian Foods, we believe that technology is now fundamental and indispensable for the success of our operations and packaging process,” says Jesús Cruz. “It not only ensures the highest quality and freshness of the products we process but also strengthens the trust of our customers. The implementation of advanced technology allows us to optimize our fruit selection, grading, and packaging processes, ensuring that each product meets the highest international standards. This precision and efficiency are essential for maintaining the integrity and quality of the final product, from reception to delivery.”

TOMRA Food provided the successful solution: “We are very pleased with the TransIberian Foods project. We have achieved a design that optimizes their packaging and sorting process, ensuring that fruit from various origins is handled efficiently and effectively. This way, their final product reaches supermarkets across Europe while meeting the highest quality standards,” says Jesús Hernández, Sales Manager at TOMRA Food Spain.

TOMRA Food’s solution: KATO 260 precision grading system with LUCAi® and CURO filling stations

“The KATO260 is a compact sorting system suitable for any fruit sorting situation, as it minimizes the space requirements in the facility. It handles the fruit gently to maximize bloom retention and extend its shelf life. Whether sorting fruit into numerous grades or removing defective fruit, the KATO260 offers 5 or 7 outlets for perfect sorting in packing facilities of any size,” explains Jesús Hernández.

The packaging process at TransIberian Foods begins with the fruit being fed into the KATO260 sorter, optimizing its performance. The fruit is gently loaded into the KATO260, ensuring a continuous supply and uniform distribution in the sorter.

Next, the KATO260 exclusive rolling conveyor system inspects the fruit’s surface from all angles. Cameras capture multiple images of each piece of fruit, and the machine's software can identify defects as small as 0.2 mm at high speed for precise grading.

A valuable optional enhancement for the KATO260 is the LUCAi® software and hardware package, which uses Artificial Intelligence to achieve unparalleled accuracy in fruit sorting and grading. After each piece of fruit moves along the sorting line, it is photographed by multiple cameras. LUCAi® identifies and indicates how each blueberry should be graded. Capable of processing up to 2,400 images per second, LUCAi® can also view the fruit in wavelengths not visible to the human eye, detecting subtle defects such as dehydration, bruising, and early anthracnose.

At the end of the line, the fruit is processed by a packing system featuring two CURO16 units, each with 16 filling stations. These units boost productivity by reducing human handling errors and fruit loss. They weigh with precision, and can simultaneously pack for different markets. This system is the fastest weight-based filling solution on the market, capable of handling up to 200 packs of 125 grams of fruit per minute.

“Investing in TOMRA Food technology has brought multiple benefits to TransIberian Foods. One of the most significant has been the increased trust from our clients. With cutting-edge technology, we can ensure high-quality processing even during peak production times, when our clients may face capacity constraints in their own facilities. Our ability to handle large production volumes efficiently and to the highest quality standards has led many clients to choose outsourcing their packaging services to us.”

TOMRA Food’s equipment also offers exceptional packing flexibility: ‘With TOMRA Food’s solution, we can quickly adapt to market demands and efficiently manage demand spikes during peak seasons. We are extremely satisfied with the advanced sorting technology, as it enables us to handle fruit from various sources effectively and ensures we deliver high-quality products,” concludes Jesús Cruz.