Customer case
High quality in jam production
A significant boost in product quality
The Belgian company Confiture de l’Ardennaise has been producing premium jams and fruit-based products since 1954. When the company set out to find a vacuum cooking system to optimize production, it discovered VARO’s Horizontal Process Tank. The solution has not only increased productivity but also significantly improved product quality.
Confiture de l’Ardennaise was looking for a better way to cook its jams. CEO Bernard Verhamme explains:
“We wanted a solution that was better than our previous equipment. We used to cook our jams in open kettles, which was neither very efficient nor capable of delivering consistent quality. That is why we started looking for systems that could cook and cool under vacuum.”
Optimizing the cooking process
After evaluating a number of potential suppliers, Confiture de l’Ardennaise chose to partner with the Danish process equipment manufacturer VARO. VARO had developed an innovative solution for vacuum cooking and cooling based on horizontal process technology.
“It was clear that VARO’s Horizontal Process Tank could optimize our cooking process,” says Bernard Verhamme. “And after just a few meetings, we were convinced that it was the right solution for us.”
VARO’s Horizontal Process Tank features an innovative spiral agitator design that ensures rapid heat transfer during both heating and cooling. In addition, the system is equipped with an aroma recovery function that captures aromas that would otherwise be lost during the evaporation process.
The recovered aromas are then reintroduced into the product, contributing to a more natural and intense flavor profile.
Bernard Verhamme has no regrets about choosing the solution:
“With VARO’s Horizontal Process Tank, we can cook larger batches of jam much faster than before. It requires less labor, and energy consumption is also significantly lower because we cook for a shorter time and at lower temperatures.”
Award-winning products
The greatest benefit for Confiture de l’Ardennaise, however, has been the improved quality of the finished product. Bernard Verhamme explains:
“The quality of our products has clearly improved with VARO’s solution for cooking, cooling, and mixing. We achieve better and more consistent quality, and the aroma recovery function makes it possible to produce products with a rich, full flavor without adding preservatives. It has definitely taken our products to a new level and played an important role in our receiving two Gold Stars at the Superior Taste Award. For that reason, I would certainly recommend the solution to other companies in the food industry.”