TOMRA is the world leader in helping major food growers, processors and packers boost productivity and reduce waste with sophisticated sorting sensors, new technologies and flexible service packages.

TOMRA is calling for a photo of what makes your food business stand out, in support of the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s #ZeroHunger initiative for World Food Day 2018.

I'm passionate and curious by nature. My curiosity led me to become a journalist and from there a senior marketing communication coordinator. 

I currently work for TOMRA Sorting Food and lucky me, I have the opportunity to work for an inspiring company that reflects what I believe matters: innovation, passion and responsibility. 

Every year, the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) hosts their World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress. This event provides a platform for seeking opportunities in the nut and dried fruit industry from networking to updates on industry statistics and forecasts. XXXVII Congress, welcomed more than 1,500 participants to the sunny Seville, Spain.

Aflatoxins in food and milk can seriously harm humans, animals, and corporate reputations. But Nestlé Group in China and the longest-serving peanut-shelling plant in the USA are both showing how laser sorting machines can eliminate the risk. 

In February this year, TOMRA welcomed BBC Technologies to the Food family. With an ever-increasing consumer focus on super-foods such as blueberries, the addition of BBC Technologies to our portfolio allows us to better serve the needs of growers and packers. With BBC Technologies and Compac, TOMRA now offers the world’s most complete small-fruit sorting and packaging portfolio for large to small packhouses, and for the growing number of repack and fresh produce distribution centres worldwide. Below is a bit more information about the New Zealand based company, who are achieving big on the world stage.

I was born in Madrid, I have 2 brothers (Belen & Pablo) and my parents are called Santiago and Maria Luz. I went to Aguistiniano College in Madrid and then to University where I studied Agricultural Engineering. I’ve been part of the ‘Scouts’ for 12 years where I have learned values and how to be a positive person. I love the sea and I have a degree of recreational boats skipper. I have a fantastic girlfriend called Leticia who is a teacher to 3 year olds. I worked at the company called GEA for 10 years before starting at TOMRA. When I have a spare moment, I love to go fishing, pilot my drone and make trips away with my friends from college or my girlfriend, to wherever possible. Most people don’t know but I was a DJ in my late teens/early twenties, playing in different clubs in Madrid and I have a musical school background as well. At home I have a DJ set where I regularly spend some time.

What matters more for food businesses, quality and safety or quantity? The long-standing consensus among food growers, packers and processors is that quality is crucial. Delivering a high-quality product – uniform in size, shape and color and free from contamination, foreign materials and damaged items. Delivering a safe quality product results in maintained consumer trust and maximized sales and profits, whilst ensuring the brand is protected.

Recently we announced the acquisition of BBC Technologies, a New Zealand-based company specializing in precision grading systems and filling solutions for blueberries and other small fruits. The Packer spoke with Mike Riley, Head of TOMRA Food Grading, to gain more insight on the reasons behind the acquisition and the value this move brings to the supply chain market. 

Orto Bellina is an Italian family business that provides salads to the Italian, Swedish and German markets. Started by Fulvio Bellina with his wife and sons in 2001, the company operates out of the beautiful rural setting of Gorlago in the province of Bergamo. They produce what they call “biological” salads which are not treated with chemical agents, but produced with natural inputs; both unwashed and washed, which is ready to be dressed and eaten. The company prides itself on high quality, naturally produced products and is well-known for this. As the company has grown, so have the challenges around food safety, quality, reliability and sorting.