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The applied research project 616221790107 “Development of vegetable fermentation technologies and a study of the shelf life of different types of fermented vegetables and their effect on the human microbiome” is co-financed by the EAFRD under measure 16.2 of the Estonian Rural Development Plan.

The aim of the project is to study ways of fermenting different vegetables using several technological processes and to analyse the properties and shelf life of the resulting vegetable products and their effect on the human microbiome. The research stages are: a) mapping the raw materials of interest; b) developing fermentation technologies for different types of products; c) transferring the fermentation technologies from laboratory scale to industrial conditions; d) analysing the physico-chemical, sensory and microbiological properties of the products; e) choosing suitable packaging materials; f) carrying out shelf life tests, consumer tests and studies of health effects.

The project helps to find ways to use raw material to the full, create products with added value, reduce food waste, improve people’s health, increase the consumption of domestic products and vegetables, enrich the range of vegetable products with new functional products, increase the competitiveness of the company and, where possible, exports, and to keep and add jobs in the sector.

The project “Digitalisation roadmap of Kadarbiku Köögivili OÜ” received support from the European Regional Development Fund.

Summary. A digitalisation roadmap is drawn up for the company to raise its awareness of the current state of its digitalisation and to increase the added value of its products and services through improvement activities.

Aim and result. The company’s aim is to find solutions for automating and digitalising production further, in order to be an innovative company in its field, grow production volume and increase efficiency.

The roadmap comes with an explanatory memorandum. It is a strategic document that assesses the digitalisation of the company, the investments needed to remove bottlenecks, their profitability and schedule, and their effect on the company’s financial results. The roadmap also contains an action plan for implementing digitalisation over the next 3 years.

Amount of support: 10 395 EUR

The project “Digital transformation project of Kadarbiku Köögivili OÜ” received support from the European Union recovery instrument NextGenerationEU.

Summary. The project increases the level of digitalisation of production at Kadarbiku Köögivili OÜ and thereby the added value per employee. As a result, the company takes into use a fully automatic bottling line that is integrated with the preceding production process.

Aim and result. The project covers the purchase of a fully automatic closed bottling line with control software and an interface to the pasteuriser software. The line consists of several consecutive workstations, including bottle washing, filling, capping and labelling. It is equipped with automatic sensors and control systems that allow precise filling and monitor the quality of bottling.

A closed bottling line gives the juices a longer shelf life, because bottling takes place in sterile conditions. The line is also integrated with the pasteurisation process, which further extends shelf life. The new equipment removes the need to relabel by hand, as it has a higher quality automatic labeller. The automatic line bottles larger quantities of juice in less time, reducing labour costs and increasing production volume, which in turn brings the company more added value. As a result of the project, the number of employees on the line decreases by 3 (66.7%) and rejects decrease by 50%. Production volume increases by 20%.

Amount of support: 112 900 EUR