Hames Chocolates makes key equipment investment to improve efficiency
UK premium confectionery business Hames Chocolates, has spoken of the company’s challenges during the Covid-19 crisis, including investing in new equipment to increase productivity of the firm amid the coronavirus pandemic.
As the Lincolnshire-based company explained to Confectionery Production, a total of 98% of its customers had temporarily closed over the past few months amid the virus crisis, as they were operators within the food service and hospitality sectors.
Consequently, Hames, which had previously specialised in producing private label confectionery for leading confectionery businesses and corporate orders noted that it had to take a pragmatic and agile approach to adapt the business – which made a major move in January at ISM in Cologne, through launch its first ever own-branded range of chocolates and bars.
Carol Oldbury, (below), director of the business, said: “One of the first decisions we made was to temporarily close our factory at the beginning of lockdown and we used the time to review the business and invest in our future. This included sourcing new equipment to make our business more efficient, increasing the amount we can produce and opening up new revenue streams. We purchased another chocolate spinner to increase our spinning capacity, allowing us to make more hollow products and cake decorations, such as cake domes.
“We also invested in the equipment needed to produce chocolate shavings, which can be used by bakers, caterers, restaurants and in hospitality to decorate cakes. The shavings can also be used to make real hot chocolate that can be sold in grocery retailers.
“Finally, we added a new moulding line, which thanks to the spiral cooling tunnel increases our volume, adds new dimensions to our capabilities and enables us to be even more innovative with product lines. For example, we can now produce filled chocolate Neapolitans and filled chocolate bars.
“We also considered how we could adapt existing machinery to expand our offering and found that by updating our sweet wrapping machine, we can now offer twist wrapped truffles in addition to regular chocolate truffles and flow wrapped truffles.
“On top of expanding our product offering, we also wanted to improve our business efficiencies, so we invested in new lighting and plumbing valves, which in turn save energy and resources.
“We were able to reopen our factory again with only essential staff after three weeks – on 16th April and even had some orders to fulfil. We were fully operational again after six weeks and whilst we are still not working to full capacity, we are seeing improvements week on week.
“As things slowly return to some semblance of normality and I look back on what my recent experiences have taught me, I believe it’s important, where possible, to view any situation as an opportunity as much as a challenge. I also think that there are two key ingredients needed to survive and potentially grow in a challenging market – being strategic and adaptable – as these approaches will enable you to keep ahead of the curve, no matter has fast it changes.”
