Bake or break
Bake or break
In a fast-paced bread-baking operation where quality is paramount, dirty or wet crates can be disastrous. Jim Banks looks at how wholesale bread supplier Mlinotest partnered with KROMO to develop a customized warewashing solution that ticked all the right boxes.
Mlinotest, based in Ajdovšcina, Slovenia, has a long history of excellence to uphold. Founded in 1867, when Wenzel Jochmann established a mill on the River Hubelj, it has since grown into a major food-processing company in the Adriatic region, producing pasta, flour, grain mill products, bread and pastries, confectionery, gluten-free biscuits, and more. Its bakery operation distributes freshly baked bread in frozen, half-baked and green frozen form to a vast network of outlets across the region.
Speed and efficiency are critical to its centralized operations, meaning both food preparation and the washing of crates that carry its products to its customers must be running smoothly. “For green frozen, those crates are more difficult to dry, so that was the one that caused us the most gray hair,” says Monika Šporin, Mlinotest’s head of strategic development in bakery and confectionery. “But all our crates go straight into the washing process when they return to us. When they are clean they go straight into production, so they must be clean and dry very quickly,” she adds. “Water doesn’t mix well with freshly made bread. Cleanliness is very important, and because the bread goes into the crates without any packaging, it’s essential they are dry, too.”
Towards the end of 2023, Šporin noticed that the bakery’s warewashing equipment was not performing as required. Neither the cleaning nor the drying processes were adequate. She turned to her contacts at commercial dishwasher supplier KROMO and its exclusive local representative, Pulito Solutions, to recommend an alternative.
“Mlinotest had very specific demands,” explains Pulito’s local representative, Robert Žbogar. “One specific demand was that the crates needed to be 90% dry straight after the wash. So, we visited the KROMO facilities to discuss which machine would be able to do the job. It was a big challenge, as the crates are plastic, which is a very porous material, so they’re hard to dry.”
The most important thing is to get all of the right elements working together for each customer
Dry performance
KROMO offers an extensive range of undercounter and hood-type models,
rack and flight-type machines, and much more. Using a modular design, the team constructed a machine capable of handling Mlinotest’s heavy workload, operating six days a week, and equipped with two powerful dryers to ensure crates were 90% dry when leaving the washer.
“Most companies will just sell a dishwasher without knowing anything about the application or the items that it is treating,” says Marco Brugnolaro, sales manager, KROMO. “For us, the most important thing in dishwashing is to get all of the right elements working together for each customer. If you know what you need to wash and dry, and what materials are being used, then that gives you a big advantage.” Mlinotest, a valued partner and customer, went beyond simply providing extensive information about its bakery process and warewashing needs. It brought samples of its crates to KROMO’s manufacturing facility in Italy, spending a full day testing them across different machines.
The first design came close to meeting the requirements, but KROMO was determined to deliver excellence, not just an acceptable solution. The team adapted the design, added extra wash and drying zones to create a customized solution tailored precisely for Mlinotest’s operations. The machine installed at the Mlinotest site in early 2024 stands as a testament to KROMO’s expertise in high-end engineering, technical know-how and its collaborative approach. Like its partner, Pulito Solutions, KROMO invests heavily in customer relationships, understanding that true value lies in long-term partnerships.
“We consider ourselves good partners,” says Žbogar. “Anyone can sell machines. The hardest part is to be a true partner, and this is why we also implemented the connectivity option in the machine, so that we can always check it. If an error occurs, the technician knows what the problem is before he arrives.”
Connecting ideas
The new machine is WiFi-enabled, allowing performance to be monitored remotely. This lets Pulito supervise the system’s operation and ensure it meets the required standards. It can also analyze how Mlinotest is using the machine to anticipate any performance or capacity issues that might arise in the future.
“We can see that we provided much more capacity than the customer needs, so the machine is already made for the future if there is any increase in use,” adds Žbogar. “We could easily add 20-30% more crates without needing to make any changes to the equipment.” After one year of flawless operation, Šporin is very pleased with the results.
“Not only do we have good support and service, but the workers using the machine now have more time to do more different work,” she says. “There is much more efficiency in our workflow.” In warewashing, as in many areas of life, partnership is everything.
Since 1987, KROMO has been manufacturing, selling and servicing a comprehensive range of commercial dishwashers, with an increased focus on customer operating costs, sustainability, and technology
KROMO exports its wide range of highquality professional dishwashers and warewashers to 120 countries worldwide
KROMO’s complete range includes 135 models, from undercounter to custombuilt rack and flight-type machines
What makes KROMO different?
Innovative technology, tailored engineering, and proactive service make KROMO a trusted partner for professional warewashing.