Success story: ANR-Probake
Background
Based in Blackwood, ANR-Probake is a leading manufacturer of nutritionally enriched baked goods, including protein cookies and flapjacks. Specialising in private label, the company develops bespoke products that suit their clients’ requirements.
Waste reduction support
ANR-Probake contacted ZERO2FIVE for support when they wanted to better understand the waste produced throughout their baking processes. Whilst the company knew an approximate figure for their bake loss, the waste team at ZERO2FIVE were able to independently verify how accurate it was.
ZERO2FIVE’s waste experts spent two days on the factory floor at ANR-Probake, following different products, and weighing them at different stages of the production process, from depositing and baking to cooling and packaging.
Having collected the data, the company were provided with a full waste report, which could be used as a reference point both on the factory floor and in the boardroom.
ZERO2FIVE’s waste audit provided ANR-Probake with an independent, more accurate and data-driven understanding of the waste produced throughout their production process.
This will enable the company to set a baseline for the amount of waste produced for different product lines and more closely monitor it on an ongoing basis. This will help the company to more easily evaluate the impact on waste of any production process changes, more quickly troubleshoot any issues when they arise, and drive improved production efficiency.
Jason Bailey, Factory Manager, ANR-Probake:
“It was a privilege to work with the waste team at ZERO2FIVE. From the first meeting, the detail and information they provided was great and the staff at ANR-Probake found them very helpful and interested in what they were doing. The final report has helped us to look at our losses and yields going forward. I use the data at our weekly meetings with my shift managers to show our losses and what we can do as a team to drive more efficient plant performance and potential cost savings.”
Technical mentoring support
When ANR-Probake were looking for support with mentoring a technical assistant who had been newly promoted from a quality assurance role, they contacted ZERO2FIVE to explore a potential collaboration. Despite not having a formal background in food technology, the technical assistant had been identified as a high-potential individual within the company and had shown an aspiration to pursue a career within the technical department.
ZERO2FIVE responded with a tailored proposal, offering one-to-one mentoring for the technical assistant from one of their technologists. This partnership focused on building the technical assistant’s knowledge in key areas identified as priorities for the company, including the BRCGS Food Safety Global Standard, supplier approval, specifications, and equipment calibration.
With limited in-house resource available to deliver training and development, the support from ZERO2FIVE upskilled the technical assistant quickly and effectively, enabling them to take on additional responsibilities within the technical team.
To date, the technical assistant has successfully completed training modules in four subject areas thanks to the mentoring from ZERO2FIVE, with plans for continued learning throughout the year. They have also attended ZERO2FIVE’s food security workshop series on topics including raw material risk assessment and specifications.
Sabina Jones, Technical Manager, ANR-Probake, said:
“The support provided by ZERO2FIVE has been invaluable, not only to the technical assistant’s professional growth but also to our organisation. It has been incredibly rewarding to witness their increased knowledge and confidence, which has enabled them to take on additional responsibilities. This, in turn, has allowed me, as technical manager, to dedicate more time to broader business priorities.
“The availability of external funding has enabled us to implement the mentoring programme swiftly. I would highly recommend ZERO2FIVE to any Welsh food business seeking expert support. Their team brings a wealth of knowledge across various subject areas and consistently operates with professionalism and approachability. I look forward to continuing our collaboration with them in the future.”
Get in touch with us
If you’d like to find out more about how we can help your business or have any questions about the support we can offer, then please get in touch.
