A small family-run cheese producer has turned to Internet of Things (IoT) technology to make its processes more efficient and sustainable.
The new system allows Appleby Creamery, which is based in the Lake District, to monitor cheesemaking conditions remotely every 15 minutes, 24 hours per day.
It sends real-time alerts if anomalies occur, allowing for a prompt response to prevent the risk of product spoilage.
Producing cheese requires consistent temperatures and humidity levels at different stages of the process to maintain product quality and safety.
Prior to the installation of the IoT system, conditions in fridges and ripening rooms at the creamery were checked and recorded manually during working hours.
The new system also tracks the energy use of equipment throughout the cheesemaking process – from fridges to pasteurisers – with data displayed on a dashboard.
This helps the Eden Valley-based creamery to make decisions that could save energy and make better use of its on-site renewable sources.
Rolled out over two phases, the project, which is in collaboration with tech firm CENSIS, will soon include the installation of sensors to track fuel gas usage and hot and cold water consumption.
Maurice Walton, owner of Appleby Creamery, said the use of IoT technology had been 'a turning point' for the firm.
He said: “At first, we weren’t sure if integrating IoT was the right move – we weren’t sure the site was big enough to benefit from this type of technology or what kind of data we would need.
"The system has exceeded our expectations in managing and fine-tuning our cheese-making processes, with the whole team involved in seeing how it can drive operational change for our business.
“We’re already seeing great improvements in quality and efficiency, and I’m excited to explore the additional data we can gather from other processes and equipment."
Data collected is set to not only enhance cost savings and sustainability, but also automate compliance reporting for metrics such as the creamery’s temperate and humidity.
Additionally, it is hoped that the technology will provide insights for scaling operations and attracting new investment.
Rachael Wakefield, business development manager at CENSIS, said the project showcased how traditional industries like artisan cheesemaking could benefit from IoT and other enabling technologies.
"By retrofitting this system to existing equipment, we’re helping to turn data into actionable insights that enhance decision-making and help the team to explore data driven operational change at their own pace.
“Our aim is to inspire the broader dairy supply chain to embrace digital transformation, especially those at a similar stage as Appleby Creamery or considering lower-cost service options."
