A laboratory for (almost) any challenge
Our cocoa processing plant in Beringen has been operational since June 2022 and has been officially FSSC 22000 certified since 28 September. This means that we have now obtained the final missing, and most demanding, certification. PRONATEC Swiss Cocoa Production also has its own in-house laboratory. Our Head of the QA Laboratory, Samuel Hanimann, explains in an interview what the laboratory’s main features are and why our customers can benefit from it.
The commissioning of our cocoa processing plant was supported by the in-house laboratory with extensive analyses. The plant parameters were able to be precisely defined based on the reliable analytical values which were made available in next to no time. So what exactly does the QA team’s day-to-day work consist of now? And how do our customers benefit?
What exactly does quality assurance consist of at PRONATEC Swiss Cocoa Production?
Quality assurance includes, on the one hand, quality management (QM) and the laboratory. QM involves drawing up and implementing hygiene strategies. In the laboratory, however, the focus is on sensors and analytics: every batch of beans and every batch of end products is analysed (e.g. in terms of moisture, pH value or fat content) and tasted by our trained team of sensory experts.
What benefits do you see for our customers?
Unlike before, we now get all our information first-hand. In the past, we were the intermediary between the processor and the customer. The information that we were able to provide to the customer was often neither quantitatively nor qualitatively sufficient in our eyes. The introduction of the in-house laboratory has significantly reduced waiting times for our customers. We now also have much broader know-how and can answer any questions ourselves. We can also now offer customised roasting recipes.
What do you particularly like about our new laboratory? What, in your opinion, makes it unique?
Our fantastic employees and the sense of team spirit. It feels really special to have built something from the ground up together. It unites us. The main aim was also to ensure that the laboratory was equipped in such a way that we could analyse everything, and quickly. And we managed to achieve just that.
What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?
All the organisational work and defining the processes from scratch.
Are there plans for all PRONATEC products to be analysed in the new laboratory in Beringen in the future?
All capacity is currently needed for analysing semi-finished cocoa products and cocoa beans. We also don’t cover everything, for example pesticides. However, we could imagine expanding things in the distant future.
How did the laboratory commissioning go in November 2021?
It couldn’t have gone any better, in my opinion. We had a few challenges but given that it was such a huge project, everything went smoothly.
When did you first become involved in the “PRONATEC Swiss Cocoa Production” project and what were your main duties prior to the commissioning?
In summer 2021, in addition to my QA duties for Winterthur, I also spent around 50% of my time on the project and was mainly responsible for the set-up of the laboratory, the installation of the hygiene sluices and recruitment. Since the commissioning in November, my work has been 100% focused on the new production operations.
Was is difficult to find the right people for the brand-new laboratory team in Beringen?
It was actually very difficult despite the fact that we had a lot of applicants. Above all, we needed people who were qualified and already had experience in analytics and chemistry. For us, finding the right people was more important than being able to start straight away, even though we were under pressure.
Thank you very much for the interview, Samuel!