y:
The Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship at the New York State Food Venture Center, Cornell University,
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/necfe/
This publication is for educational purposes only. 05/06
Small Scale Processing Equipment
Most food entrepreneurs start production with a manual operation that is labor intensive but
adequate for small volumes. As demand for the product increases, the need to improve ef ciency
while maintaining quality becomes vital. A search for the right equipment is then necessary.
Consider the following when deciding whether to buying equipment and what equipment is
necessary.
Equipment & the Production Stage of the Business
The current production stage of a small-scale food business affects the type of equipment needed
and the necessity of owning that equipment. These are listed below as they relate to equipment
needs.
1. Initial market evaluation to determine the feasibility of the new food product
You have developed a product that can be produced commercially but are not yet sure about sales
volume. Keep investment to a minimum; rent space and equipment. Consider manual equipment
options for hand cutting, lling, and packaging.
2. Company takes off
Evaluate production demands: can you supply enough product using current procedures? Is
production labor intensive? Can production steps be radically sped up by equipment? Production
steps that bene t from equipment purchases include cutting, chopping, peeling, pureeing,
cooking, lling, and packaging. Do you need to buy equipment or is it better to hire more
personnel?
3. Solid business, ready to expand
Evaluate the desired production volume in order to determine appropriate equipment size. In
some cases, two smaller units might t your needs better than one large piece.
Identify the bottleneck (limiting factor in production). This should be your rst equipment
priority.
Evaluate the short and long term economics of buying new versus used equipment (quality,
warranty, ef ciency).
Be aware that customized equipment is much more expensive than standard units.
Look for simplicity of operation and maintenance.
Evaluate energy options available for energy intensive equipment such as kettles, driers and
ovens.
Equipment Scale
Low volume: less than 40 pounds/day (5 gallons) - Can be done manually.
Use of manual equipment such as specialized cutters may improve speed. Typically hand lled. Published by:
The Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship at the New York State Food Venture Center, Cornell University,
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/necfe/
This publication is for educational purposes only. 05/06
Food service volume: 50 to 150 pounds/day (10 to 25 gallons) - Look for restaurant and cafeteria
type equipment
Food processing volume: more than 200 pounds/day (25 gallons)- Small-scale food processing
equipment
Can be hard to nd due to limited demand. Equipment is heavy duty, designed for continuous
operation. The commercial motors are rated in horsepower, typically 1/4 and higher. Equipment
is made of food grade materials: stainless steel is preferred due to durability and ease of cleaning.
Expect to pay hundreds to thousands per unit.
Types of equipment
Preparation Equipment
Size reduction: cutters, grinders, slicers -
basically large food processors. Continuous
feed is preferred, stainless steel or plastic food
contact parts, FDA and/or USDA approved
for food, at least 1/2 HP. Examples: vertical
cutter-mixer used to chop, mix, blend, puree,
or emulsify, operates normally in batch mode;
shaft type mixer/cutter used to mix, puree a
xed volume, portable.
Mixers: dough mixers from 12 to 140 quarts.
Typical brand names: Hobart, Kitchen Aid,
Univex
Pulper/ nisher: puree fruit/vegetable, separate
seeds and skin
Juice extractors (from puree): Squeezing
action. Models include hydraulic plate and
frame, accordion, belt press and screw press.
Peeler: abrasive type is good for round
homogeneous products - the typical potato
peeler.
Heating/Cooking Equipment
Kettles: steam kettles available from 0.5 to 200+
gallons. Steam is supplied or generated in place
(self-contained) by electricity or gas. Preferable
options include 316 stainless steel, tilting, bottom
discharge with valve, and agitator. Important to
cook a full load to avoid scorching.
Continuous pasteurizers: rated by ow = gallons
per minute. Types include tube in shell, plate,
direct steam injection, UV treatment.
Ovens: for baking and roasting. Forced
convection is faster. Combination oven/steamers
are available.
Fryers: 10 to 40 gallon capacity is typical.
Cooling Equipment
Refrigerators: good temperature control. Built-in
temperature indicator preferred.
Freezer: blast freezer for quick chilling
gives best quality but is more expensive than
conventional units. Published by:
The Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship at the New York State Food Venture Center, Cornell University,
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/necfe/
This publication is for educational purposes only. 05/06
Filling/Packaging Equipment
Dry products: usually lled by weight manually or with auger type llers.
Wet products: lled by volume or weight with a variety of llers based on product consistency. If
the product is pumpable, lling can be done by gravity or using piston llers. Capacity is given
by the ow rate or containers per minute. Some units can be upgraded by adding extra lling
heads.
Bag sealers: different types are available including manual, form- ll-seal, gas ushed, and
vacuum sealers.
Tray/cup sealers: lid or lm is heat sealed to container. Can be done manually or fully
automated.
Steam or vacuum cappers: normally used for glass jars to decrease oxygen in headspace and to
provide vacuum.
Summary: Evaluating the Options
Volume must justify equipment
Determine the most important step that limits production
Determine capacity needed in volume per unit of time
New versus used - warranty, condition, availability of spare parts and service, lease option
Make sure equipment meets FDA/USDA requirements - check materials and design
Easy to clean and service
Consider renting space in established kitchen - complement with your own equipment
Get at least 3 quotes for the same type of equipment
Stay alert for auctions