In a fast-evolving market like Australia, we designed and built two advanced production lines for sauces and condiments for a major food producer. These lines were engineered to ensure efficiency, quality, and high-level automation. The result is a flexible and reliable system, capable of consistently handling complex recipes and managing frequent product changeovers with minimal losses and downtime.

From the plains of Victoria to kitchens around the world

Australia consumes over 370,000 tons of sauces and condiments each year, more than just a dietary habit, this figure reflects a dynamic industry where demand for safe, high-quality, ready-to-use solutions drives innovation across the production chain.

To meet new market demands, the client decided to upgrade its sauce and condiment production lines by investing in automation and advanced technologies. The decision to partner with us proved strategic, based on a shared vision: maximize performance while minimizing resource consumption, without ever compromising on quality.

Launched in 2021, the project involved two new production lines feeding into existing packaging systems, one for glass jars and the other for tin cans. The objective was to boost production capacity through advanced technologies that accelerate processes, reduce waste, and deliver a level of efficiency that requires only two operators for full line management.

Designing flexible sauce and condiment production lines

One of the main challenges in designing the sauce and condiment lines was the broad variety of recipes.

To simplify operations and ensure maximum production flexibility, we worked closely with the client to:

• Categorize the recipes into three main families:
  • Red Sauces: tomato-based products such as ketchup, passata, and pasta sauces.
  • White Sauces: including emulsions (like mayonnaise), dairy-based sauces (such as béchamel or cheese sauces), creamy dressings (e.g., vinaigrettes), dipping sauces (e.g., garlic sauces), and other creamy preparations.
  • Pickles: pickled vegetable products.
• Select the most complex recipe from each category to use as a benchmark for designing lines that can handle even the most demanding formulations.
• Physically analyze product samples sent by the client. This critical step allowed for precise evaluation of each product’s characteristics (color, texture, viscosity, and presence of solid particles), ensuring tailored machine adaptation.

This analysis was vital to the Site User Test (SUT), the final commissioning phase, where the production lines were validated against predefined performance criteria. The successful outcome was based on verifying “Contractual Recipes,” carefully selected to represent the full product range.

VULCANO Cooking Kettle: core technology behind sauce and condiment production

The supply included two dedicated lines, one for filling glass jars (10,000 kg/h) and the other for cans (2,800 kg/h). At the core of both lines is our VULCANO industrial cooking kettle, a key innovation that made a real difference in terms of quality, efficiency, and operational simplicity.

The VULCANO is an all-in-one machine that integrates all the essential processing steps: mixing, frying, cooking, deaerating, and concentrating. This approach provided several tangible benefits:

• Fewer steps, gentler processing: By avoiding product transfers between machines, mechanical stress is minimized, preserving flavor, texture, and inclusions (like vegetable or cheese chunks).
• Faster processing, reduced waiting: High thermal efficiency supports continuous production and shorter cycle times.
• Tailored cooking: Zoned heating and precise temperature control allow for easy adaptation to different recipes, including those requiring high-heat sautéing.
• Perfect mixing: Special agitators ensure uniform product consistency, with no burning or buildup, even for dense or complex sauces.
• Easy cleaning: The hygienic design, free from screws or springs in contact with the product, and smooth surfaces reduce cleaning time and costs.

Key components of the sauce and condiment production lines

In addition to the 3,000-liter VULCANO industrial cooking kettle, the supplied lines feature:

• VORTEX units for dissolving and dosing powders (e.g., starches, flours)
• Lifting and tilting systems for 500-liter bins to feed the cookers with solid ingredients (e.g., frozen vegetables, cheese, nuts)
• Precise, automated liquid dosing systems
• 3,000-liter heated storage tanks (horizontal or vertical, depending on the line)
• Transfer, recirculation, and temperature maintenance units
• Independent CIP systems for efficient, uninterrupted cleaning
• Centralized, automated control system with HMI interface for managing all equipment

This solution enabled the client to operate two fully customized, flexible, and reliable lines capable of processing a wide variety of sauces and condiments in a fully automated manner. Recipe parameters and settings are pulled from an expandable database, minimizing downtime, waste, and human error.

Optimizing time, increasing yield: a winning strategy

To ensure maximum efficiency and speed throughout the project, execution was guided by a well-defined strategy, including:

• Full pre-assembly of the lines at CFT headquarters, with advanced wiring and mechanical setup
• Detailed planning of transport, installation, and commissioning phases to reduce downtime
• Preventive overproduction by the client ensuring uninterrupted supply chain operations during plant shutdown

Innovating sauce and condiment production: hygiene, safety, and control

The project featured several technical innovations:

• Automated bin cleaning using flowmeter-controlled water jets to ensure hygiene and precision
• Compliance with Australian Standards, ensured in partnership with a specialized engineering firm
• Optimized layout design, enabling efficient operation with just two personnel
• Smart CIP system, allowing sanitization of specific sections without halting the entire line

An integrated supply chain: from concentrate to final product

This project is part of a broader partnership covering the entire sauce and condiment supply chain. Our expertise spans every step, from raw material processing to the finished product, making us a trusted partner not only for consumer-facing producers but also for Australian companies specializing in tomato concentrate, a key ingredient in many recipes.

This end-to-end technical continuity enabled us to make a solid, consistent contribution to the client’s production structure, ensuring efficiency, quality, and full integration across all stages. Our commitment to the highest standards and the client’s satisfaction laid the foundation for a long-term, trust-based relationship and future shared development opportunities.

Over 500 references in the sauce and condiment industry: a replicable production model

The collaboration is more than a technical achievement, it’s a concrete demonstration that innovation is born from active listening, design flexibility, and a shared vision.

Automation, operational efficiency, and sustainability have moved beyond theory; they’ve become tangible, measurable results that can be replicated worldwide.

With more than 500 international references, our sauce and condiment production systems are proven solutions designed to meet diverse production needs while ensuring high-quality standards, process reliability, and safety.

In a rapidly evolving sector, doing better is no longer optional, it’s a responsibility. And we continue to meet it with clarity, purpose, and innovation.

Sources: Indexbox.io