In an era of rapid technological advancement, the food and beverage industry is being reshaped by innovations that not only streamline production but also enhance product quality and sustainability. A standout example is Ireco’s partnership with Wizata, a digital transformation expert, to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for optimising pistachio processing. This collaboration showcases the potential of AI to drive efficiency, cut energy costs, and meet the ever-demanding quality standards of European markets.
The Challenge: Sustainable Production with AI
Established in 1971 by Mr. Abbas Rafii, Ireco has grown to become a leading player in Europe’s pistachio market. With a 3,800-square-meter production facility and a roasting capacity of over five tons per hour, the family-owned business located in Steinsel supplies high-quality pistachios to prominent supermarket chains across Europe. In the face of challenges such as inflation, growing energy costs and disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ireco has embraced digital transformation as a pathway to remain competitive.
The focus of the collaboration with Wizata was to address a key production challenge: achieving the optimal humidity level in pistachios while minimising energy consumption. Controlling the final humidity is essential to meeting customer standards, but fluctuations in raw material moisture content, which is intrinsic to a natural product, complicate this goal. Ireco sought an AI-driven approach to optimise its processes without compromising on quality or incurring additional costs.
The AI Solution: Transforming Pistachio Roasting with Wizata
Wizata’s SaaS platform provided a robust solution to meet Ireco’s needs. Leveraging AI, data science, and industry expertise, Wizata designed a recommendation system that adjusts production parameters in real-time. The system focuses on three critical “set points” that influence the final humidity of the pistachios. This setup allows Ireco’s teams to optimise each production batch, enhancing consistency and quality while reducing energy use.
The implementation followed a structured approach:
- Connecting Data and Building a Digital Twin: The first step involved connecting Ireco’s production data to Wizata’s platform, enabling the creation of a digital twin – a virtual replica of the manufacturing process. This digital twin provided a comprehensive view of the production environment, facilitating detailed analysis and informed decision-making.
- Data Analysis with Expert Insights: With the digital twin in place, the next phase involved analysing the data. Wizata’s Data Explorer tool proved invaluable, allowing Ireco’s team to understand the relationship between variables like initial humidity and final product quality. Input from Ireco’s business experts was crucial at this stage, ensuring the insights aligned with real-world experience.
- Model Development: Wizata’s AI Lab offers powerful tools for building and training AI models, using Python for data analysis and model development. This setup enabled Ireco to create a model that predicted the optimal set points needed to achieve the target humidity while minimising energy consumption.
- Real-Time Monitoring and Alerts: Once the model was in place, Wizata provided a dashboard that visualises the recommended set points, energy savings, and real-time alerts on equipment health. This comprehensive monitoring system gives Ireco’s team instant access to insights, enabling swift adjustments and minimising downtime.
- Scaling Across Sites: The final phase involves scaling the solution. After successful implementation in the initial roaster, Ireco can use Wizata’s template functionality to deploy the model to additional roasters across their facility. This scalability ensures that the benefits of AI are extended across all relevant processes, maximising ROI and standardising quality control.
Results and Impact: A Bold Step Forward
The results of the Wizata-Ireco collaboration have been striking. Ireco achieved a 3% reduction in energy consumption, translating to an annual cost saving of approximately 300.000 €.
Additionally, the AI system helped stabilise the final humidity, reducing the safety net required and resulting in a consistent end product that meets customer demands more accurately.
Moreover, the enhanced visibility provided by Wizata’s platform empowered Ireco to fine-tune its operations continuously. By reducing variability in humidity loss and streamlining production, the AI solution contributed to a more sustainable production cycle.
The Future of AI in Food Production
The Ireco case is an exemplary demonstration of how AI can bring bold innovation to food production. As consumer expectations evolve, so too must the processes that supply their food. AI enables manufacturers to meet these demands with precision, scalability, and efficiency, providing real-time insights that align with both operational goals and sustainability objectives.
For other food and beverage producers, the Ireco-Wizata collaboration offers a blueprint for implementing AI at scale. By addressing industry-specific challenges such as quality control, predictive maintenance, and energy efficiency, AI platforms like Wizata’s can help companies unlock unprecedented value, optimise resources, and contribute to environmental goals.
Conclusion: Embracing a digital-first future
Ireco’s journey with Wizata exemplifies a bold embrace of digital innovation in an industry steeped in tradition. Through AI-driven solutions, Ireco not only enhanced its competitive edge but also set a new standard for quality and sustainability in the European pistachio market. The success of this initiative highlights the transformative power of AI in the food industry and sets the stage for continued advancements across sectors. In a rapidly changing world, embracing technology like AI isn’t just an advantage – it’s essential for staying ahead.