Provisur Technologies, Inc., Mokena, Ill., offers forming products fit for every product created for foodservice, retail and quick-service restaurants.

Case Study #1
Application: Whole muscle-formed products

Challenge: As the trend to form products with whole muscle integrity continues to grow, processors are looking for formed portions that more closely emulated the characteristics of whole muscle, hand-cut portions.

Solution: Formax developed Port-Fill and Poultry-Plus 3-D tooling.

Results: The development of Port-Fill and Poultry-Plus 3-D moved the formed portion from “under the bun” to the center of the plate. Processors now have the ability to form whole muscle products with the bite and appearance that closely simulates a natural-cut portion. Additionally, processors have the ability to realize higher profits from their trim pieces.

Benefits: The addition of a premium whole muscle formed portion commanded up to 50% greater profits for the processor as compared to the use of ground or emulsified products. The labor required to hand cut products reduced by more than 30%, and portion weight control improved from +/- 4% to +/- 0.5%. With consistent portion sizing and thickness, cook yields improved by more than 3%.

Case Study #2
Application: Sausage patties and links

Challenge: A major processor was faced with excessive downtime caused by reconfiguring production line orientation to change from formed patties to skinless sausage links.

Solution: Formax developed Forma-Link tooling to produce skinless breakfast sausage link products on slide plate forming systems.

Results: Forma-Link tooling provided the processor with the ability to better utilize their existing Formax forming systems and minimized changes in line configuration. Forma-Link tooling is available for all Formax slide plate forming systems in a wide variety of diameters and lengths to suit the needs of every processor. With individually adjustable formed link lengths, the processor can adjust each individual link to minimize weight deviation and improve profitability.

Benefits: Productivity increased over 15% due to less time spent reconfiguring lines, and floor space was maximized by eliminating the need for additional processing equipment. True cost of ownership for a skinless link system was reduced by as much as 40% over extruders and pumps.

Case Study #3
Application: HomeStyle patty

Challenge: Formax identified an opportunity to help processors develop formed patties with a more “handmade” or “home-style” appearance.

Solution: Formax developed the HomeStyle Patty System to eliminate the sharp edges or coined appearance in formed burger portions.

Results: With the addition of a HomeStyle patty conveyor, any existing forming system could be converted to a HomeStyle patty system. When used in conjunction with Tender-Form tooling, any processor has the ability to produce a high volume of formed portions with a handmade appearance, improved texture, superior weight control and reduced downtime caused by changing line configurations. For HomeStyle patties that require the addition of visible inclusions (pepper, onions, bacon), the Verti-Form fill system is used to maintain inclusion integrity, while still providing all of the benefits previously listed.

Benefits: Premium HomeStyle patties commanded a premium of more than 10% over a “standard” burger. Formed portion weight control improved from +/- 2% to +/- 0.5% over other similar systems.

Case Study #4
Application: Sausage patties

Challenge: A major, global quick-service restaurant attempted to develop breakfast menu items and found that the breakfast sausage patty was shrinking excessively and the texture was undesirable (too chewy, not the proper mouthfeel/bite).

Solution: Formax developed Tender-Form tooling to improve texture and cooked shapes.

Results: With the addition of the Tender-Form breakfast sausage patty, this global QSR built one of the most successful breakfast menus in the industry, opening the breakfast market to QSRs globally. Additionally, Tender-Form is now the filling system of choice for breakfast sausage patties, as well as a wide variety of premium beef burgers and many other applications.

Benefits: Cooked yields improved more than 10% over extruded and sliced products. Freezing and cooking times reduced by 15%, resulting in significantly lower cost to produce and lower internal temperature variation.

Case Study #5
Application: Cookies with inclusions

Challenge: A processor of gourmet cookies approached Formax, expressing frustration with traditional wire cut cookie extrusion systems. The main concerns with wire cut extrusion systems were inconsistent portion weights, damage to inclusions and excessive downtime.

Solution: Formax evolved Verti-Form and developed Gourmet Cookie Wedge tooling to produce finished cookies with a “handmade” appearance.

Results: Gourmet cookie processors have options other than the traditional wire cut extrusion systems to improve portion weight control, maintain inclusion integrity (chips and nuts), simplify handling and packaging and increase productivity. In addition, a reduction in time when tooling changes are required, improved reliability and a lower cost of ownership over previous systems were realized.

Benefits: Portion weight control improved from 8-10% to +/-0.5% over traditional wire cut systems. Cost of ownership reduced by up to 30% over traditional extruders and cutting systems.

Case Study #6
Application: Meatballs

Challenge: A major processor of meatballs for the retail and foodservice industries was looking for a solution to better utilize their existing Formax equipment to produce a more natural-appearing meatball without the need for additional rolling equipment.

Solution: Formax developed True-Sculpt tooling to produce a contour on both the top and bottom surface of formed portions.

Results: True-Sculpt tooling is now used on meatballs, boneless drummies and wings, as well as other products. The development of this tooling helped processors reduce production downtime due to line configuration changes and improved product consistency, weight control and profitability.

Benefits: True-Sculpt products commanded up to 30% higher profits than standard “flat” formed portions. Productivity increased more than 15% due to less time spent reconfiguring lines, and floor space maximized by eliminating the need for additional processing equipment. Cook yields improved more than 3% due to consistent portion sizing and thickness.

Case Study #7
Application: Bite-sized, hand-held products

Challenge: Formax identified a trend with global processors to develop products that better utilize “trim meat” to form hand-held bites for QSR, retail and foodservice markets.

Solution: Formax developed Verti-Form tooling to help maintain product integrity throughout the forming process.

Results: Over the next decade, hand-held portions, such as chicken fries, nuggets, popcorn pieces and formed tenders, grew at an astronomical rate. The development of Verti-Form tooling provided processors with the ability to develop a wide variety of products from “fun-shaped” nuggets to naturally shaped whole muscle portions, such as cutlets, formed chicken breast and steak shapes.

Benefits: Formed portions that utilize whole muscle trim can command up to a 30% price premium over ground or emulsified products. The use of a Verti-Form fill system reduced the labor required to produce hand-cut portions more than 30% and provided improved portion weight control from +/- 3% to +/- 0.5%.