Smooth service and clear savings in Kangasala
FOODDUCK® spread dispensers play a key role in smooth and ecological catering at schools and the city hospital in Kangasala.
Kangasala, a town with 32,000 inhabitants in the middle of Finland, was one of the first municipalities to introduce the hygienic and ecological FOODDUCK® spread dispensers. The cooperation between Foodduck and the municipality began already in 2016 when five schools started the duck experiment. Over the years, the ducks have gained great popularity in the schools. Recently, FOODDUCK® usage has expanded to a completely different environment, as the device is also used in the city hospital. At present, Kangasala has FOODDUCK® devices in nine facilities.
Utilising the latest technology at the city hospital
The small and wireless FOODDUCK® lille travels on the meal delivery trolley.
In the spring of 2020, the first FOODDUCK® spread dispenser that was designed for hospital use was piloted at the Kangasala city hospital. As a result, the device remained there permanently. The device model in use at the hospital, lille, is a very compact device. Thanks to its small size, the device is easy to place anywhere, and since it is battery-powered, it is cordless and easy to move. The dispenser travels with the food serving carts for breakfast, lunch and dinner, dispensing spreads to patients in a hygienic and environmentally friendly manner.
“Little things can make a big difference in our daily work. Here in Kangasala, we are innovative and experimental, and we therefore wanted to try out and pilot the latest technology with this device. Staying on the pulse of change and being at the forefront of development brings good results and inspires us to develop further as well. This pilot was successful, and the device has found its place in our food service not only in schools but now also in food serving carts,” says Hannakaisa Haanpää, food and cleaning services manager in Kangasala.
The device simplifies serving of meals, enhances hygiene, and provides with benefits from many angles. For example, single portion spread packages are often difficult to open and generate both spread waste and unnecessary plastic waste.
“For us at the city hospital, FOODDUCK® has brought relief to hectic days. FOODDUCK® is hygienic, there is no waste, and the portion size is always uniform. Thanks to its small size, the FOODDUCK® spread dispenser is convenient for serving meals, and it is easy to clean and load,” explains service worker Riikka Lehto.
”The widening of the device use is based on our long-standing cooperation with the municipality of Kangasala. The devices had been in use in schools for several years already, and we got a common idea that the dispenser could also be utilised in food services at the city hospital. We greatly appreciate the open-minded attitude of the municipality of Kangasala and their willingness to join the experiment of an innovation also in hospital environment,” concludes Timo Sorsavirta, CEO of Foodduck.
Clear savings with the duck
The device has brought significant benefits to daily catering: before, the spread cases and single portion packages generated a lot of plastic and aluminium waste. When using the FOODDUCK® device, significantly less packaging waste is produced, and no spread gets wasted. Used and empty bag-shaped spread packages take very little space and are easy to put in a plastic waste container. Recycling is very simple, as the bags have no aluminium at all, unlike traditional cases and single portion packages.
Finnish product is attractive
Kangasala sees the Finnish origin of the spread as important. In the first years, the dispensers used Kruunumargariini, which was produced abroad by Orkla. When the news about Foodduck’s new packaging plant were announced at the end of 2019, the city of Kangasala wanted to switch to a domestic spread. Like Orkla’s product, the new margarine has the “Heart symbol”, a Finnish symbol that states that the product is compatible with the school meal recommendations. Locally produced margarine has gained great popularity among the Foodduck clients. The choice of a domestic product is seen as an act of responsibility and is often considered even as local food.
The Internet of Things brings new opportunities
FOODDUCK® spread dispensers utilise modern IoT technology, which enables, for example, real-time monitoring of spread consumption, software updates or dose size optimisation remotely. During 2021, Foodduck will introduce an automatic ordering system for customers. The device collects usage data and learns to detect when more spread is needed. Foodduck sees these state-of-the-art solutions as an important way of making the customers’ daily operations easier.