Project Overview – Central production kitchen

DC Norris recently collaborated on a large-scale project in Saudi Arabia to help produce up to half a million meals per day for a Central Production Kitchen to supply a new city development.  At the heart of our approach is a deep understanding of our customers’ products, allowing us to design tailored systems that deliver both the required product quality and the necessary throughput. Our involvement goes beyond providing advanced food processing equipment—we also bring extensive product knowledge, offering guidance from the outset to customers who may need support in scaling up their recipes.

A common question we hear is: How do I produce 500,000 meals a day in a Central Production Kitchen? 

This case study explores how we answered that question, detailing the key steps, challenges, and solutions provided by our Product and Process team to meet this ambitious goal.

Defining Meal Requirements

The starting point for such a large-scale food production project is understanding the details behind the meal requirements. The critical first question was: What constitutes a meal?  In this case, the requirement was defined as half a kilo per meal, consisting of 250 grams of protein and 250 grams of carbohydrates.

what type of meals will be produced in the central production kitchen?

Once the meal specifications were agreed upon, the next step involved identifying the types of meals to be produced. The menu included a diverse range of cuisines such as Indian, Pakistani, European and Asian dishes, each with distinct cooking and processing requirements.

Calculating Production Times and Capacity

Accurate production planning is essential when dealing with high volumes. One of the key considerations was calculating cooking, processing, and discharge times which greatly impact overall capacity. For instance, discharging product from a kettle can take 15–20 minutes, a significant factor when producing hundreds of thousands of meals daily.

Raw Material Considerations

The source and state of raw materials also played an important role in system design. Whether ingredients like meat were delivered frozen, chilled or ambient influenced both cooking times and equipment selection. Similarly, the preparation of vegetables – such as the size of diced carrots or the treatment of potatoes with sulphur dioxide – affected the cooking processes.

Designing for a central production kitchen -12-Hour Shift

To meet production goals, the cooking cycle had to fit within a 12-hour shift, which included not just cooking but also cooling and cleaning. Based on the required production volumes and meal types, the DC Norris team determined the ideal number and type of industrial cooking kettles. This included both static and tilting kettles capable of handling free-flowing sauces as well as thicker, more viscous products like chutneys or pasta fillings.

Flexibility in Equipment and Processes

Flexibility was key in designing the cooking system, allowing the client to manage various types of products and cooking techniques. For example, the Industrial Steam Jacketed Kettles were equipped with features such as emulsifiers for producing smooth soups, and Jet Cook technology to rapidly heat liquids, helping reduce overall processing times.

Efficient Ingredient Delivery Systems

The ingredient delivery system was another crucial aspect.  Efficient loading of large quantities of raw materials, such as up to 700 kilograms of milk into kettles, was necessary to avoid bottlenecks and ensure smooth production flow.

Packaging and Shelf Life – The Cook Chill System

The client required the meals to be packaged in specialised bags with a 40-day shelf life. The Cook Chill System that we provided gave extended shelf life and helped ensure the meals could be stored and distributed over long distances, meeting the needs of remote locations and fluctuating demand.

Conclusion

DC Norris worked closely with the client to provide technical expertise and practical solutions tailored to their needs. An in-depth production schedule was created by DC Norris’ Product & Process team to ensure the required throughput per hour and /or meals per day was achieved.  By considering every stage of the process – from ingredient preparation to discharge times and cleaning – the team was able to design a highly efficient production system that met the goal of producing up to half a million meals per day for the central production kitchen.  This project underscores the importance of detailed planning and a deep understanding of the entire food production process in delivering large-scale solutions.

Take a Look Inside Our Customer’s Central Production Kitchen in Qatar, Featuring DC Norris Cook Chill and Sous Vide Systems:

If you would like to discuss a Central Production Kitchen project with our team:

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