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How to clean removable Anaconda pipes in an industrial dishwasher.
Case study | Meet Hotel Chocolat

How to clean removable Anaconda pipes in an industrial dishwasher.

Meet Hotel Chocolat

Making chocolate exciting again!

Hotel Chocolat is not just another chocolate producer; it stands as a symbol of premium British craftsmanship in the world of luxury chocolates. Uniquely, it is the only UK-based chocolatier to cultivate its own cocoa on an in-house farm.

Since its inception, Hotel Chocolat has been committed to reinvigorating the chocolate industry, and it has certainly achieved that goal. The opening of its first store in North London in 2004 marked the beginning of a revolution in British chocolate.

Today, Hotel Chocolat operates 126 stores across the UK, alongside a network of cafés, restaurants, outlets, and factory shops. As the company continues to evolve and expand, its core philosophy towards chocolate remains at the heart of everything it does.

In need of chocolate? Visit Hotel Chocolat

Hotel Chocolat’s Primary Challenges

When we first engaged with Hotel Chocolat, they were in search of an efficient cleaning solution – specifically, an industrial dishwasher for automated cleaning – to handle a variety of items and utensils. These included feeders, multi-head weighers, weighing bowls, chutes for automatic weighing and bagging, boxes, chocolate moulds, and more. This marked the beginning of our partnership.

Prior to installing their first industrial dishwasher, the Weigh Head Cleaner (JEROS's ACE System), Hotel Chocolat relied on manual cleaning methods, washing items by hand in a sink. This process involved using high-pressure jets, but unfortunately, it didn't provide thorough cleaning as no detergent was involved.

Additionally, the procedure was time-consuming and required significant manual effort.

Cleaning Removable Anaconda Pipes

Another critical requirement we addressed was the cleaning of Hotel Chocolat's removable Anaconda pipes – the pipes used to transfer chocolate during production.

Chocolate, due to its consistency, tends to form a residue inside the pipes. When ingredients like chocolate are piped through these removable hoses, it creates a significant need for thorough cleaning. At the time, we hadn’t yet developed a solution specifically designed for cleaning pipes.

This presented a new challenge for us – one we were eager to tackle and ultimately resolve.

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Solution & result

A specially made rack was game-changing

At JEROS in Denmark, we developed an entirely new solution specifically designed for cleaning and disinfecting pipes.

Our starting point was the industrial dishwasher already installed at Hotel Chocolat – a JEROS 8160 – which was being used to clean their general equipment. This system included a secondary wash feature, and we custom-designed a rack with a unique additional connection to create a dedicated channel for fitting the Anaconda pipes.

The process involved taking the Anaconda pipes, attaching one end to the wash system, and then securing the other end to the specially designed rack. As the dishwasher ran its regular wash cycle, the frame would move back and forth, ensuring the pipes were thoroughly cleaned and rinsed.

During the 4 to 6-minute wash cycle, 85°C hot water, combined with detergents, was pumped through the secondary wash system and powerfully flushed through the Anaconda pipes, effectively cleaning them. This innovation delivered the precise solution Hotel Chocolat had been seeking.

Following the success of this system, Hotel Chocolat has since invested in three additional Weigh Head Cleaning Systems. Two of these machines are located at the same production site for cleaning weight heads, while the third dishwasher is positioned in a different area of the facility, along with a fourth, smaller solution for cleaning other smaller items.

Working with chocolate? Learn more

Overall, Hotel Chocolat now enjoys a more efficient, less labour-intensive solution.

Today, Hotel Chocolat benefits from an automated cleaning solution that provides them with peace of mind, enhancing production efficiency. With the new system in place, they no longer need to dedicate valuable time to manually cleaning the entire production line – including feeders, multi-head weighers, weighing bowls, chutes for automatic weighing and bagging, as well as the Anaconda pipes.

In comparison to manual cleaning, which previously took 2 to 3 hours per production run, the automated solution offers significant economic advantages. It not only frees up more production time but also ensures a consistently high standard of cleanliness, delivering a uniform wash that is always free from bacteria.

Learn how to gain an extra 2 to 3 hours for production
Sustainable win!

Reduce water consumption by up to 80%

Hotel Chocolat has reduced water consumption by up to 80% compared to manual cleaning – a result we’re proud of.

By choosing a JEROS dishwasher, Hotel Chocolat has significantly cut both water and chemical usage. Their commitment to automation has delivered a range of benefits:

  • Consistent and thorough cleaning with recirculated water.
  • Optimal hygiene, with items and pipes disinfected using 85°C hot water.
  • Reliable documentation of correct cleaning through data logging.
  • A reduction in washing time by up to 80%, minimising production downtime.
  • Water savings of up to 80%, alongside a reduction in chemical use.

This partnership underscores the efficiency and sustainability that automation brings to their production process.

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Want to learn more about our industrial dishwasher?

Whether your process line is cleaned manually or using utensil washers, time is a crucial factor in production. Automatic cleaning, however, helps reduce downtime and improves overall hygiene.

By partnering with us, you'll receive a solution tailored to clean your process line as efficiently as possible, with minimal wash times, low water consumption, and reduced use of cleaning agents.

Our focus is on ensuring and documenting your hygiene standards, while also improving the ergonomics of the work environment.

Let's talk about your needs!