Automation and smart technology such as A.I. and IoT will ensure the highest levels of quality and food safety.
Bengaluru, NFAPost: SATS Ltd. (SATS) announced that work has begun on the construction of its central kitchen in India. The 20,000 sqm kitchen is located at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB/BLR Airport), and will be the largest and first of its kind in India.
The kitchen will incorporate automation and smart technology to produce nutritious, tasty, safe food cost-effectively. Examples of advanced technology that will be used include an automated rice line that can produce up to 600kg of different types of rice within an hour and Internet of Things (IoT) devices for monitoring food temperature.
The building has also been designed with sustainability and safety in mind. It is the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified frozen food manufacturing facility in India with an IoT building management system to enable utility consumption to be proactively tracked and regulated.
Taking into consideration enhanced safety measures in response to COVID-19, the building has MERV-13 to 16 air filtration capability and a dedicated fresh air supply receptive zone, Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) technology that uses UV-C rays to disinfect the air, and touchless operations.
Reflecting SATS’ unique approach to innovation, the kitchen will also house an innovation centre that will be connected to the SATS Innovation Hub in Singapore. The Innovation Centre in India will allow partners to leverage SATS’ product and packaging development strengths to innovate and introduce a variety of cuisines and products to the India market. Partners can also leverage the technical know-how of SATS on shelf-life extension food technology to reduce food wastage.
The ground-breaking of SATS’ first central kitchen in India comes shortly after its announcement on 26 July 2021, signalling the rapid speed of SATS’ response to local demand.
SATS Food Solutions India Private Limited Chief Executive Officer Sagar Dighe said the company received good response to the news of SATS setting up a technologically innovative kitchen of this scale in India, and have already started collaborating with other reputable industry players to commence piloting new product developments with strategic partners.
“These pilot projects will allow us to fine-tune our product offering across various customer segments and scaleup production once our kitchen is ready,” said Sagar Dighe.
SATS’ first central kitchen in India will cost S$37 million (₹210 crores) to build and is expected to be operational in 2023.
About SATS Ltd.
SATS is Asia’s leading provider of food solutions and gateway services. Using innovative food technologies and resilient supply chains, we create tasty, quality food in sustainable ways for airlines, foodservice chains, retailers and institutions. With heartfelt service and advanced technology, we connect people, businesses, and communities seamlessly through our comprehensive gateway services for customers such as airlines, cruise lines, freight forwarders, postal services and eCommerce companies.
Fulfilling our purpose to feed and connect communities, SATS delights customers in over55 locations and 14 countries across the Asia Pacific, UK, and the Middle East. SATS has been listed on the Singapore Exchange since May 2000. For more information, please visitwww.sats.com.sg.
