Transforming High-Volume Meal Manufacturing

Client
Large Australian Ready Meal Manufacturer

Role
Head of Operations & Manufacturing Executive

Challenge

The business was experiencing rapid growth and needed to increase production capacity while controlling labour costs, maintaining HACCP compliance and reducing environmental impact. Manufacturing processes had evolved over many years and required significant operational improvement. 

My Approach

• Reviewed every stage of production 

• Led Production, QA, Procurement, Logistics, Warehouse and Customer Operations 

• Redesigned production workflows 

• Introduced sustainable packaging initiatives 

• Improved production scheduling 

• Worked directly with senior management and the Board 

Results

✔ Reduced approximately 20 tonnes of plastic packaging annually by implementing lined sugarcane trays.

✔ Led a manufacturing improvement project reducing rice production labour from 16 staff across two shifts to just 6–7 staff, significantly improving productivity.

✔ Improved operational efficiency across manufacturing, logistics and warehouse operations.

✔ Continued full HACCP and food safety compliance while implementing major operational changes.

Value Delivered

This project demonstrated how strategic operational improvements can simultaneously reduce costs, improve sustainability and increase manufacturing efficiency without compromising food safety.