Business case on RECP assessment in "ROZFROOD" LLC
"RozFrood" is a small company dedicated to processing vegetables and fruits, in which it elaborates a wide variety of conserves and natural products. Among them are conserves and frozen vegetables, natural jams and compotes, juices, and nectars. The raw materials are all supplied locally. The company's market has steadily expanded and currently includes exports to the USA, Russia, and several European Union countries. Since its very beginning in 2005, "RozFrood" had a philosophy - to provide natural and healthy products without any added chemicals, by focusing on quality and fresh products. These advantages led to additional opportunities for growth (and resulted in an increased capacity, three times larger than the initial production site). Motivated to improve its environmental performance and optimize its resource usage (materials, water, energy), the company participated in the RECP demonstration project under EaP GREEN (2013-2017). This publication shows the company’s experience reported after the monitoring exercise conducted in 2021, four years after the programme ended.
The RECP assessment examined the production site and identified 13 RECP options. These were then prioritized and gradually implemented by the company staff:
Reorganization of the production line. The production flow was restructured to optimize continuity, capacity balance, and resources. This reduced production time and electricity, gas, and water consumption was minimized thanks to the reduction of idle time and interruptions (losses of raw materials and final products were also eliminated).
Replacement of worn-out process equipment with a modern one of adequate capacity. The substitution of the equipment was not only based on new pieces of machinery but also on keeping an adequate balance between the production capacity and the demand for high efficiency.
Replacement of the old steam boiler. A new boiler with higher efficiency was installed, allowing for the implementation of a condensate return from the steam used in the process (also saving fuel). With the new boiler in place, improvements in the feed water treatment system are also envisioned to generate additional savings.
Installation of a solar water heater. The hot water achieved with solar energy is now used to meet domestic production demands, reducing the need for gas or electricity. On-grid PV solar system. With a capacity of 103.5 kWp, the company reduced its electricity consumption from the national grid and improved its carbon footprint.
Replacement of internal and external inefficient lighting with LED lamps. Alongside the evident energy-saving benefits of this measure, the lighting conditions for workers have also improved.
Reduction of material and waste generation. The improvement of parameters (such as temperature and ventilation in raw material storage) has been crucial to reducing waste. The company bought refrigeration equipment and is continuously working to improve its thermal isolation and the airflow in the storage rooms. The defective metal caps are also collected and recycled, free of charge․
The benefits achieved by “RozFrood” LLC after continuously implementing RECP measures include production process optimization, the installation of new equipment, and the reduction of energy use (including using renewable energy). The internal water recycling system and other recommended measures (higher optimization of isolation and ventilation in storage rooms) are also being addressed by the company, although they were not fully implemented at the time of writing this publication. The application of RECP was especially useful for processing frozen fruits and vegetables, as this production line requires internal climate control and high demand for energy resources. These, in turn, have been optimized by upgrading the company's energy systems. RozFrood's proactive study of resource optimization denotes the successful adoption of RECP principles in its operations and management
