Rieber at the Internorga in Hamburg

Staying fit for the future? Digitize returnable processes!

Everyone is talking about digitization - Internet-based solutions are now indispensable across all industries. But the investments are not always in the right proportion to the desired result. The digital reusable solution from Rieber is different: It ensures maximum efficiency within the entire process chain in mass catering and thus solves various challenges of the industry in one fell swoop. Above all entrepreneurial ones, but also those with regard to climate protection and other aspects of sustainability. At this year's Internorga, Rieber will therefore be presenting its new vision "META cooking", which will also be visible with a new company logo, in addition to the wide range of new products.

"META cooking gets to the heart of everything that is now considered indispensable for efficient communal catering," says Max Maier, partner of Rieber GmbH & Co. KG. "Digitization in itself is not new to us; we launched the first digital technologies back in 2012 and were thus pioneers on the market. But we want to keep simplifying and at the same time optimizing the processes for our customers. In times of staff shortages, rising prices and quite a few other challenges facing the mass catering industry, we need to actively provide the industry with user-friendly and results-oriented solutions."

With META cooking, the manufacturer from the Swabian town of Reutlingen pays particular attention to the fact that the systems are child's play to use and can be conveniently coupled with existing containers. Even third-party GN containers integrate effortlessly with Rieber's digitized solutions. "We want to reduce fear of contact with the new technologies, because there is no need for cost-intensive investments or time-consuming study of manuals for use," says Maier.

Mastering several challenges at once

However, Internet-based networking offers even more benefits for the industry: The individual components in the multifaceted process chain of mass catering are not only considerably simplified, but at the same time the massive shortage of personnel and skilled workers as well as potential sources of error are counteracted. This is especially true for order picking and the legal hygiene documentation according to HACCP. It is carried out simply and digitally via "Check Cloud" - which saves 100 percent paper, 80 percent working time and a lot of archive space.

In addition, costs can be saved thanks to the digitally organized and traceable reusable containers: Container shrinkage is no longer an issue, nor is cost-intensive replacement, which sooner or later inevitably has to be passed on to the food prices.

The increasingly difficult availability of workers is also increasing demand for decoupled catering systems - the separation of the cooking process and the place and time of consumption. Rieber Connect provides an all-round efficient remedy here. Here, frozen food can be prepared into a ready-to-eat meal in just 45 minutes and with just a few app clicks using the Cook & Chill process. Without any additional staff or necessary kitchen infrastructure, but above all without any loss of quality.

Multilayer for multi-cycle system

Last but not least, the environment also benefits from digital technologies from Rieber. In general, reusable systems avoid waste. But not all reusable systems are the same: their sustainability factor is increased immensely by the use of durable, health-friendly materials that are harmless to foodstuffs. For human health, however, it is above all the release of harmful plastic microparticles into the food contained that is problematic. A study by the WWF confirms that each person consumes an average of 5 g of microplastic per week, which corresponds to the total volume of a credit card.

The use of the durable multilayer material "SWISS I PLY" from the Swiss subsidiary Rieber I Alinox saves up to 30 percent energy and emissions compared to pure stainless steel. In addition, the thermal conductivity is 10 times higher - not only at specific points, but over the entire surface. The multilayer material, consisting of an aluminum core and two stainless steel layers, is enormously durable with several thousand cycles of use, 100 percent food-safe, recyclable and hygienic thanks to its antibacterial effect. "This material is our centerpiece and the contemporary tool of choice in the catering industry. Its nature not only compensates for the shortcomings of disposable packaging and reusable plastic solutions, but even of pure stainless steel," explains Max Maier.

Rieber product innovations at Internorga 2023

In addition to META cooking, Rieber is also presenting various non-digital product innovations at this year's Internorga: These include the vaculid auto vacuum lid, which draws a natural vacuum by itself for bagless vacuuming directly in the GN container. This guarantees a longer shelf life as well as higher food quality and avoids food waste. Also new is the further development of the containers: the new level of the "GN-ONE" container - the so-called "GN-ONE auto" - with more pronounced stacking lugs, ensures the best possible destacking and separation, so that this is now also possible automatically via robots. Rieber will also be presenting the new space-saving "navioven cook" tabletop-oven-cooker combination: The 2-in-1 appliance is an enormous advantage, especially in small kitchens and for decentralized supply, and also allows different preparation methods to be combined in just one appliance. The extremely energy-saving and powerful induction grill "varithek META grill" heats up to 250 °C in just six minutes and switches automatically to energy-saving mode when the power is not needed. Likewise, it automatically boosts back up to the preset temperature in just a few seconds if required.

"We are looking forward to Internorga 2023, to seeing the industry again, our customers and all interested parties who visit us at our booth 115 in hall B6," says Madlen Maier, also a shareholder of Rieber GmbH & Co. KG.