state-of-the-art packaging expertise

With its diverse and multicultural population, the Greater Toronto area is an attractive growth market for manufacturers of ethnic foods. These ethnic foods represent a life-enriching experience for Canadians and offer them tastes and aromas, which are only known to international cuisine. It is therefore no surprise, that ethnic products long ago conquered the shelves o retail businesses here. 

This is exactly what the Toronto-based TWI Foods INC. has been able to do in establishing its products among retailers remarkably quickly and with great style, since appearing on the scene in 1997 as a fledgling producer of specialty breads, pastries and other bakery products. The company’s aim was to serve the growing South Asian ethnic community in Ontario, and in this they have succeeded and well beyond. Founded by the husband-and-wife team of Company president Ali Kizilbash and Vice-president Yuhana Kizilbash, TWI Food Inc. now employs around 250 people at its two busy state-of-the-art production facilities in Toronto and Mississauga.

Fresh wraps and naan

The company’s forward-looking capital investment policy can be seen in its production facility in Mississauga, where two state-of-the-art Multivac R 245 thermoforming packaging machines have recently arrived. Both machines are set up practically next to each other in the aseptic, high-risk packing room in the factory. Ultrathin wraps (Crispy 100% Roti brand) are packed in ten wraps per pack on one R 245 as a high-speed process, while on the other machine the rather thicker naan breads (Crispy brand) are packed in five or six naans per pack depending on the variety and recipe. 

Easy cleaning

Both Multivac machines were equipped individually with dedicated dies and gas flushing systems, as well as with inline zip strip applicators, allowing them to produce perfectly filled zipper packs. The products have a shelf life of six to seven weeks and, thanks to the reclosure zip strip, lose nothing of their freshness and aroma after the pack has been opened. Both machines enable a consistently high output to be achieved, and they are designed to the Multivac Hygienic Design TM for internal and external cleaning with easily accessible side panels, which offer generous working space for servicing and cleaning tasks. 

The fully automatic stainless steel machines, which are controlled and monitored via user-friendly and intuitive touchscreen control terminal, van easily be linked with all types of peripheral systems for product coding, labelling and inspection. This means the factory in Mississauga has a very reliable and complete turnkey packaging solution.

User-friendly

“The addition of Multivac machines to our naan and Roti wrap lines has produced real wonders for us with both local and export customers,” says Ali Kizilbash. “Both products are doing extremely well in the market, and the large megastore chains are big customers for the products, which keeps our operation busy week-in and week-out.”

Ali Kizilbash is highly impressed with the quality, appearance and impact of the packs produced on the two R 245 machines. “The packaging plays a crucial role in the sale of our products,” he emphasizes and praises the quality of the reclosure zip strips attached to the packs. “As regards packaging, we always focus on the wished of the customer, and user-friendliness is one of the most important priorities for us given the increasingly busy lifestyle of many consumers. All our investment in packaging technology is based on the changing trends in the market,” he adds. “And a reclosure facility is nowadays clearly among the expectations that costumers have of packaging.”

Strict hygiene requirements

The outstanding packaging results, which the factory has achieved with its new Multivac machines, have led to further investment in zip strip applications and formfill-seal (FFS) machines for the factory in Toronto. This is preparing itself for the installation of new product lines in the near future. “We have recently relaunched our stirred cakes with a new concept and modern pack design. This was well received by customers and consumers alike,” says Ali Kizilbash. “ and there are currently some very exciting product initiatives being undertaken in the factory.”

“Due to our strict hygiene requirements and uncompromising stance on product quality, we only work both in Canada and internationally with experienced and reliable suppliers of packaging machines and materials,” explains Ali Kizilbash. “We have established a comprehensive system, in which a supplier’s capabilities, certification, quality, service and technical support are carefully checked before approval is given,” he says. “Only suppliers, who have successfully gone through our strict screening process, are approved. This means generally we only work with the largest and best companies in the world.”

Growth potential

All in all, Ali Kizilbash expects that the improved packaging capability, which has been achieved with the two Multivac machines installed, will contribute in the future to opening up additional opportunities for new business. “We definitely see many megastores focusing more and more on ethnic food products to draw more customers to their stores. We therefore see good growth potential ahead for our business,” says Ali Kizilbash summing up. “And last but not least, we are also working on developing key strategic partnerships that will help us grow our business even further.”

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