CFT & Kraft Heinz: sterilization system for ketchup

Around seventy years ago, CFT’s journey alongside Kraft Heinz began, as suppliers of machines for tomato processing and sauce production. Since then, the world has changed, technologies have evolved, and production needs have become increasingly complex, but their goal has remained the same: to develop tailor-made, effective, and reliable solutions for our clients.

In 2024, this commitment took shape in a new strategic project: the design and installation of an upgraded sterilization system for ketchup at the Heinz plant in Telford, United Kingdom. A compact and flexible solution that combines efficiency and innovation to meet new production demands. Their customer’s satisfaction is also their own, and it highlights how strong and relevant their long-standing partnership built on mutual trust continues to be.

A new CFT project for Kraft Heinz

Kraft Heinz is one of the global leaders in the condiments sector, with over 150 iconic brands and a reputation grounded in quality and innovation.
The Heinz facility in Telford is one of the company’s three main production hubs in the UK. With over 200 employees, the site specializes in packaging the brand’s most iconic sauces, including ketchup, mayonnaise, and brown sauce. Its strategic importance has grown over the years, supported by investments in innovation and training.
To support a significant production expansion, Kraft Heinz entrusted CFT with the upgrade of the ketchup sterilization line at this facility.

A tailor-made ketchup sterilization system

In 2024, CFT successfully designed, built, and commissioned a new ketchup sterilization system at the Telford site, to increase production capacity up to 5,000 kg/hour.
The main challenge was integrating the new system without interrupting the existing production line, while minimizing changeover times. On top of that, they needed to develop a fully customized and compact layout to fit the available production space without compromising performance.

The CFT technological solution

At the heart of the new high-performance ketchup sterilization system is the OLIMPIC P-M/PSD sterilizer, ideal for high-viscosity products. Integrated with CFT’s patented steam injection technology, this solution offers outstanding flexibility.

The process is carefully structured to meet the client’s standards, beginning with a heat exchanger and a sterilization phase using a precise, controlled method. This is followed by deaeration, which removes unwanted air to preserve the product’s integrity and enhance its final quality. The product is then cooled to the optimal temperature for filling.

Competitive advantages of the ketchup sterilization system

Key benefits of the turnkey solution provided to the customer include:

• Simultaneous and Flexible Production:
  The sterilizer is designed to simultaneously feed both hot and cold filling lines, ensuring maximum operational flexibility. The system easily adapts to different formats and packaging materials, such as glass jars and pouches.
• Maximum Operational Safety:
  Interlocks and full compliance with CE directives and Kraft Heinz standards ensure a high level of operator safety. Every detail, from machinery protection to risk assessments, has been thoroughly addressed.
• Installation Without Production Downtime:
  The strategic decision to install the new process line in a dedicated area of the facility enabled installation and validation activities to proceed without impacting ongoing production. This approach minimized downtime and ensured continuous operations.
• Automation:
  The system ensures a high degree of operational autonomy, minimizing manual intervention thanks to advanced control logic for CIP, SIP, and production cycles.
  The HMI supervision software, developed with an intuitive interface optimized for daily use, guarantees safe, efficient interaction and full compliance with required standards, as confirmed by the customer during commissioning.
  The control architecture is among the most advanced in the industry: Siemens PLC system, WinCC HMI interface, SCADA with data export and complete traceability.
• Customized Solution:
  CFT delivered a fully tailored line, engineered to meet specific needs. From the offer and pre-design phase to commissioning, we ensured continuous, personalized support.

A Project that looks to the future

The new sterilization line installed in Telford has fully met Kraft Heinz’s production goals, laying the groundwork for sustainable growth and further improvements in quality and efficiency at the site.
The project’s success stems from a strong, well-coordinated collaboration between the CFT and Kraft Heinz UK teams, characterized by ongoing dialogue, shared objectives, and meticulous attention to technical detail. From design to commissioning, every phase was handled punctually and in full compliance with strict timelines and standards.

In a constantly evolving industry, projects like this reaffirm CFT’s role as a strategic partner for the sauce industry, thanks to tailor-made systems that combine high performance, impeccable hygiene, and maximum adaptability.
Their commitment to innovation continues, alongside clients who look to the future with ambition.

Confirming the longstanding relationship between CFT and Kraft Heinz, and the quality of their collaboration, at the beginning of 2025, CFT was selected as one of the winners of the Kraft Heinz WEEM Supplier Awards.
An acknowledgment that, in the company’s own words, rewards their concrete contribution, ongoing pursuit of excellence, and the key role they play in shared success.

Behind this award are human relationships, people, their ideas, and their daily commitment to growing together, project after project.

Source: CFT