Category: News

GenMac Helps Carry on Dutch Traditions for a Local Wisconsin Cheese Company

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Since 1988, after pursuing a dream of owning a dairy operation in the United States, the Wakker family has built a specialty cheese business based on strong family traditions, located in the heart of a small town, Kewaunee, Wisconsin. The dream of selling their hand-crafted cheese arose from a recollection of their Grandparents selling their own high-quality, right from the farm, dairy products door to door.

Johannes Wakker and his family, wife Olga, daughter Iullia and son-in-law Sergii Aleksieiev originally moved to Green County in Wisconsin to start the small dairy operation. In 1995, they moved to Kewaunee to be able to keep up with the changing dairy industry. Later on, in the Fall of 2015, the Wakkers formulated Wakker’s Creamy, a Dutch-style Gouda, with a distinct Wisconsin character. 

The Gouda Cheese, a very common cheese in Holland, is made with raw Jersey Holstein milk from their own farm and is ripened on wooden planks, just like it is done today on Dutch farmsteads. Wakker Cheese has several different types of Gouda Cheese; Creamy Young Gouda, Creamy Mild Gouda, Creamy Aged Gouda, Cream Chipotle Gouda, and Cream Cumin Gouda. According to Sergii, one of the owners, their unique cheese is sold in supermarkets all over Wisconsin. They have dreams of expanding out of Wisconsin by the Fall of 2022, as they are currently working on securing contracts.

Due to the increased demand for Gouda Cheese, the family business began searching for cheese-cutting equipment to process and package the cheese quicker. Additionally, when selling to supermarkets, the product is required to have exact proportions or measurements, therefore, a more accurate technique of cutting cheese was needed to continue to source outside Wakker Cheese. 

The research began for a solution to this business challenge, and the GenMac name surfaced at the top. Being a local company was also significant in the decision to use GenMac, as the Wakker family believes in keeping business local.  Within hours after connecting with Greg at GenMac, the purchasing process began. Ultimately, the cheese cutting equipment that was chosen was the 3005 LD Tu-Way, with a few modifications to make it work for the type of characteristics of the Gouda cheese Wakker produces.

With the GenMac Tu-Way, Wakker Cheese is able to cut/package one 40 lb block of cheese in 20 minutes compared to one hour of hand cutting. It takes approximately one minute to slice the cheese with the machine. 

When asked in an interview, if GenMac was a good company to work with, Aleksieiev’s response was, “They are awesome people. Very easy to work with. Always answering calls and emails. They went above and beyond what was required. It was a pleasure working with them.” View the interview here.

GenMac, a division of 5 Point Fabrication, has been in business since 1949, finding solutions, creating, selling, and delivering durable, reliable, cheese and meat cutters. For more information on GenMac equipment, visit the website, www.genmac.com.

Three Trends in the Food Processing Industry That You Need To Know in Order To Grow Your Business in 2022.

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Three Trends in the Food Processing Industry That You Need To Know in Order To Grow Your Business in 2022.

We’re all in this together. Almost every industry is affected by supply chain issues in 2022, and it will probably take some time to turn things around. Knowing what we are facing helps us better plan and prepare for the future of manufacturing. Here are three trends in the food processing industry happening now, and what you can do as a food processor to ensure you stay ahead of your competitors and continue to grow.

Trend #1: Longer production/wait times. As a manufacturer of food processing equipment, what Genmac is seeing is nothing consistent in the supply chain issues. Supply chain issues might include replacement parts one week, and equipment parts like casters or cylinders the next. “It’s an uphill battle,” according to one of Genmac’s owners, Ron Herring. “What we are doing to counteract that is amping up stock whenever possible to stay ahead of the curve.” This is opposite to the concept of “Just in time” inventory management that businesses used to utilize. In a recent article, What Are the Main Problems With a JIT (Just in Time) Production Strategy? (Team, 2021), the author mentions that one of the issues that companies are facing today is a supply shock. Supply shock is described as a sudden increase in the price of raw goods due to issues with material sourcing, shortages, natural disaster or political disruption that causes serious threats to the ability of a company to service its customers effectively. With no inventory or materials, manufacturers are dealing with delays in delivery and ultimately upset clients. Being upfront and transparent with clients from the start is imperative in 2022. As a business, practicing patience, on the other hand, is a requirement as well.

Trend #2: Implementation of New Technologies. Because of the supply chain issues, companies are investing in technologies that will assist them in becoming more efficient in 2022. Innovators will be looking for ways to create solutions that leverage technology, and hopefully, reshape the state of the supply chain. Author, Sopa Soun, discusses the supply chain in a recent article,  “Top 4 2022 Supply Chain Technology Trends”. More specifically; automation in the warehouse to help with the labor shortages is one. Soun discusses that “increased regionalization” will be a trend. Factories and fulfillment centers will be moved closer to customers, which will be a game-changer for the industry – no more bottleneck issues like the Suez Canal blockage and putting the transfer of goods at a standstill. As a food processor, it will be important to make sure that your equipment manufacturers are keeping up with technology. Partnering with the right suppliers and vendors will be a plus in 2022. Good relationships between manufacturers, suppliers, and customers will be crucial.

Trend #3: Diversification of Manufacturers. Multi-sourcing instead of single sourcing will be a trend in 2022. According to an article by Electro Soft Inc, “When you don’t have a diverse production plan, you open your company up to a myriad of supply chain disruptions. Your single manufacturing source could face any number of situations, forcing you into a space where you’re unprepared to pivot.” (3 reasons to diversify, 2021) By having multiple sources in manufacturing, costs are controlled, financial risks are lower and the opportunity to negotiate price is available. In the end, this diversification is a win-win situation for both an equipment manufacturer/supplier and a food processor. It’s important to know that your equipment manufacturer is multi-sourcing in 2022.

One thing we’ve learned throughout the past three years of economic uncertainty is that change is certain. It’s imperative that you educate yourself on current global issues, economic conditions, and political challenges daily. As a recap on what you need to know as a business in the food industry based on trends in 2022 are 1) practice patience, 2) partner with a company that is on the leading edge of technology, and 3) work with companies that are diversifying production. One final recommendation from a cheese and meat equipment manufacturer is that by focusing on strengthening relationships and being transparent and open, you’ll create a loyal tribe of customers that will advance you to the next level in business.