TOMRA highlights partnership with large Chinese potato processor Snow Valley
TOMRA recently highlighted its partnership with Snow Valley Group, a productive Chinese potato cultivation, growing and processing entity.
Snow Valley’s Noicultural Development subsidiary has introduced more than 100 potato varieties over the past 30 years, TOMRA stated in a press release.
Snow Valley’s raw materials supply and quality bring competitive advantages for their intensive Potato processing. The group is a leader in both potato agronomy and cultivation techniques, enabling them to produce an exceptionally large volume of quality potatoes from a planting area of 1 million mu (approximately 667,000 hectares), which brings annual yields of 100,000 tons passing ISO, Global G.A.P. and “Green Food” certification.
With an investment of 1 billion RMB ($148.943 million) in its potato processing production, Snow Valley now operates three production lines, including two lines dedicated to frozen fries. These processing lines consume an estimated 400,000 tons of raw potatoes and the annual production capacity has reached 150,000 tons of frozen fries and 10,000 tons of potato flakes. Its lines also produce consumer-focused products, including coated fries, straight-cut fries, thick fries, potato specialties and potato flakes. With every province having its own marketing outlets — except Tibet — Snow Valley runs a sales network covering 14 different nations and more than 50 regions.
Currently, frozen fries hold the highest production volume for Snow Valley, which has relied on TOMRA more than any other equipment provider. Quality-conforming frozen fries must meet the sensory requirements of shape, taste, color, smell and hygiene indicators.
Snow Valley utilize’s TOMRA’s:
Eco Steam peeling lines
TOMRA Steam Peelers have been installed in all three production lines. Peel loss has been reduced, reliability has increased and raw material is saved from waste, thereby directly improving yields. Another feature of the Eco Steam Peeler is that the entire process is operated through smart control. This, combined with its unique XP & XPT valve technology, achieves peeling a large quantity of Potatoes within seconds and using less steam.
5A whole potato sorters
Snow Valley opted for the 5A sorter immediately after the steam peeling stage, to accurately remove defects, such as green or rotten potatoes, or those with black spots or scab. This reduces the risk of contamination in the production process at later stages and effectively protects core equipment such as water conservancy cutters.
5B sorters for wet and frozen fries
Most clients are potato suppliers to large chain catering brands, retail and five-star hotels and restaurants in China. The TOMRA 5B identifies the smallest defects via the high-resolution panoramic cameras 360° view offering high accuracy and minimized product waste.
“We aimed to become a world class enterprise from the first day we started,” said Wang Nan, CEO, Snow Valley Group, through TOMRA’s press release. “TOMRA has always been one of the world’s leading companies when it comes to peeling and sorting, which aligns with the expectations and ambition of Snow Valley. This past decade of Snow Valley Food also witnesses our 10-year partnership with TOMRA.”
In May 2020, Snow Valley Food was selected as one of the Green Plants in Hebei Province as it has pursued a strict implementation of modern and safe production with imported international state-of-the-art equipment.
