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Posted By RCI,
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Updated: Thursday, May 28, 2020
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Looking to improve the efficiency of your candy kitchen? Rethinking the layout of your kitchen is a great place to start. RCI member Greg Power with Las Olas Confections and Snacks shares tips, plus which areas to focus on for the most impact in this week’s post.
Visualize
When reviewing your production layout, first, take measurements of your equipment and space. Draw a diagram of your space on paper; create scale cut outs of equipment and other movable items so you can move the items around easily. This will allow you to visualize the best placement of your equipment and help with layout options to maximize production and product flow.
Your production space should be enclosed and it should not open directly to outside areas; this will help with security and reduce exposure to outside elements. Smooth, walls, tile cove base and sealed concrete floors or tile flooring are all preferred for ease of cleaning and washing down. Storage racks should be off the ground and away from the walls (check for local health codes for how far off the ground and how far away from the walls is required). Any non-food contact equipment that can be stored or installed out of the production area is preferred and may open up additional kitchen space if stored elsewhere. Air compressors, boilers, cleaning equipment, etc. should all be stored away from production.
Production
The kitchen production area is the beginning of your entire process; which is why outflow from the kitchen should be smooth and effortless as the product moves to your production lines. If space permits, your kitchen should be separated, but adjacent to your slabbing or table room. This setup is the most efficient process for getting product off of the tables and on your production lines. If your tables are water-jacket cooled and you have a temperature-controlled cooling room available (at least 60˚F/15˚C), this will offer the most efficiency for cooling your products as quickly as possible from batch to production. You want to remove the heat from the product as fast as possible without sweating it.
Flow
From slabbing, product should go straight into enrobing or coating. This area should be as close to the slabbing or cutting area as possible. If you are hand dipping, multiple stations can be set up adjacent to the slabbing area. From enrobing or coating, products should flow straight into cooling tunnels then into the packing area. After packing, product may be stored in a cool, dry place for several days at 65˚ F/18˚C before transport.
Equipment
If space permits, avoid turns and curves within the process. Fewer transitions and handling of product will reduce labor. All equipment should be on legs, stands or wheels off the floor and away from walls; it should be easily accessible from all sides for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Production space should be limited to items needed for a specific run, excess equipment, cooling racks and raw materials. Work-in-process can reduce your ability to run efficiently and cause increased labor inefficiencies. Fine tuning some of these areas could have a surprising impact on the efficiency of your team.
Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.
Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
Tags:
Efficiency
Layout
Production
Productivity
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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Recognized employees are happy employees.
To some level, I think we can all agree this is a true statement. But why is it important? Studies show happy employees are, on average, 12% more productive than their less-happy counterparts. And now that Christmas is just over a month away, we could all use tips on how to be more productive, right?
Following an education session on attracting and retaining talent at RCI’s 2018 Annual Convention (RCI members: click here to watch the recap video), RCI members shared the countless ways they show employee appreciation (plus, many more) during our live question and answer forum, we call “Kettle Talk.” Here’s 8 of our favorite member ideas to show employee gratitude.
Simple recognition
This tip may be so obvious you could be overlooking it. Recognition in the form of a simple thank-you note or shout out in the company newsletter or on the white board in the breakroom can speak volumes. You may even be surprised at how many people hold on to kind notes from a boss or co-worker, to later reference when they need a pick-me-up.
Training
“40% of employees who receive poor job training leave their positions within the first year,” (go2HR). There are countless studies, like this, illustrating the value of employee training and development opportunities.
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Staff from Winans Fine Chocolates + Coffees
regularly attends RCI's Annual Convention & Industry Expo |
“We do a lot of training, because if [employees] feel overwhelmed, they won’t want to stick around,” said Mike Koch of Morley Candy Makers/Sanders Candy acknowledging the very low unemployment rate in their community. “When [we] hire someone, we do our best to keep them.”
Winans Fine Chocolates + Coffees acknowledges the importance of employee development through continued education and networking opportunities within the industry, and invites staff members to attend RCI conferences. Even if you can’t send your team to an RCI event, look into other industry education courses or professional networking organizations near you. Click here to see a list of RCI’s industry affiliates, many of which also host conferences and education courses for your consideration.
Celebrations
Carving out time to celebrate holidays, birthdays, work anniversaries or merely the fact that it’s Friday can boost morale before a busy holiday season, improve employee retention and help build an overall stronger company culture where the team feels appreciated.
Dolle’s Candyland saves up prizes throughout the year (many of which are free promotional items that they receive) to raffle off at their annual employee celebration. Everyone walks away with a prize—from kiddie pools to mugs and silly promotional products. Even with very little money invested in the prizes they make it fun for all involved.
While the aftermath of a typical company party may include streamers and used plastic cups, a company party for Dallas Caramel Company more closely resembles a Jackson Pollock painting. Outfitted in white t-shirts and equipped with throwable paintballs, staff members playfully battled it out in the company parking lot and took home a colorful reminder of the fun that ensued. Although this type of activity may not be the best fit for all teams, consider other unconventional ways to create memorable experiences for your team to enjoy.
Of course, you don’t have to go all out to celebrate your employees. Small acts of kindness, especially when unexpected, can go a long way and, in many cases, feel more thoughtful and personal. For example, Rosalind Candy Castle buys a couple dozen roses for Mother’s Day and gives mothers on staff a single rose.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, consider ways to show your gratitude. Whether it comes in the form of a simple “thank you” note, more training and development opportunities or a fun celebration, taking the time to show employees you appreciate them is always worth the investment.
RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Review past blog posts for quick and actionable tips to apply to your business. Look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox.
Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
Tags:
Celebrations
Employee Management
Holidays
Member Ideas
Productivity
Training
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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- About 31% of entrepreneurs work at least 10 hours a day and 15% work every day of the week, according to a survey by Discover Small Business Watch (Entrepreneur.com).
- It’s been found that entrepreneurs work 63% more hours than the average worker (Inc.com).
If you are an entrepreneur, these statistics probably don’t surprise you. What may surprise you is that taking breaks is actually good for you and your business. Whether that means taking short breaks throughout the work day or taking more trips to the beach, numerous scientific studies back the benefits of giving your brain a break. With Christmas and Valentine's Day behind us and Easter on the horizon, many candy professionals may feel obligated to push through the long hours needed to get the job done. Keep in mind, however, if you don’t give your body enough rest, your performance will eventually suffer, making all that extra time and energy counterproductive.
In an article published by Inc.com, Minda Zetlin offers the following tips on how to incorporate breaks into your regular routine (click here to read full article).
Take short breaks often
The Pomodoro Technique suggests working 25 consecutive minutes alternating with short five-minute breaks in between. The use of this technique has resulted in both increased performance and productivity.
Take more frequent vacations
The average American has 10 days of allotted vacation time each year, however, studies show that many Americans end each year with unused vacation days.
Take one day off every week
If you’re pulling more hours than most, this may seem counterintuitive and even frightening. After practicing this approach, participants of an experiment who were accustomed to working every day reported not only a better work-life balance, but also felt more productive and more pleased with their accomplishments.
As we approach the time of the year, widely recognized as “spring break” in the United States and Canada, now is a good time to start thinking about how you can give yourself a much needed break. Comment below what you do to create a better work-life balance.
Tags:
Owning a Business
Productivity
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Posted By RCI,
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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After recently wrapping up RCI’s second Caramels, Toffees & Brittles course, we want to share a favorite caramel apple tip.
Have you ever experienced problems with caramel slipping off your caramel apples? The wax on your apple may be the culprit. By simply wiping each apple with a damp cloth prior to dipping, you can remove the waxy residue that rests on the apples.
An apple naturally produces a waxy film to protect itself, however, in some instances additional food-grade wax is added by suppliers to further increase an apple’s shelf life. For this reason, it could save you time and effort to request unwaxed apples from your supplier, if they do add wax to their apples.
If that doesn’t help, consider adding white compound to your caramel at a 5 to 1 ratio to help it better adhere to the apple.
Caramel apple season is just around the corner, so we hope this quick and easy tip will help when making this customer favorite.
Tags:
Caramel
Caramel Apple
Problem Candy
Productivity
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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The confectionery industry has the special privilege/task of enduring holiday bursts. Hiring a temporary workforce can help your business maintain consistent production levels and product quality. In this excerpt from a Kettle Talk article written by Jan Douglass with Esther Price Candies, Corp., we built upon three practical tips to help you hire smart for the holidays.
#1: Build Relationships with Staffing Agencies
Staffing agencies can be a great resource for filling temporary positions. Building relationships with reputable staffing agencies and other local organizations (e.g., county or state job centers, developmentally disabled adult centers, etc.) can help to source reliable individuals for seasonal work and unforeseen sales bursts. When working with staffing agencies it is important to practice open and honest communication. Start by taking the time to discuss open positions rather than simply providing a job description. If a recommended candidate isn’t a good fit, providing concise feedback on why that was the case will help staffing agencies identify better candidates in the future. These simple steps will ensure the staffing agency feels well equipped to find the right fit, right away.
#2: Training is Key
They may only be with you for a brief time, but a temporary workforce can be vital to keeping with the ebbs and flows of seasonal business and make it less painful when you must reduce your staff at the close of a season. Be aware, however, there can be downsides to a temporary workforce, such as high turnover rates. Increased turnover can result in more training hours, risk of production and packing errors and additional work for human resources. Minimize those risks by having sourcing organizations pre-screen individuals and clearly communicate the job expectations to candidates through digital recordings of the candy making process. Successful training can also lead to the return of seasonal staff year after year.
#3: Stay Current on Labor Laws
Make sure to brush up on federal and state labor laws before hiring for the holidays, as many regulations that apply to full-time employment also apply to part-time and seasonal employment. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Employment and Labor Law Guide is a useful resource when hiring. Be aware of your state’s legal requirements for benefits such as unemployment, social security/medicare and workers’ compensation. Check with your state’s department of labor for exemptions for employers who require temporary staff for periods of 10 weeks or less. You will also want to familiarize yourself on your tax reporting responsibilities according to IRS regulations and state tax laws.
Tags:
Chocolate Production
Employee Management
Holidays
Labor Laws
Owning a Business
Productivity
Training
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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Suffer from sweaty sea salt caramels? Take tips from fellow candy makers and RCI members on how to avoid this common problem, as discussed through RCI’s member forum, List Serve.
“We are looking for a high-quality sea salt for our caramels. We experience problems when storing salted caramels in our cool room (50 degrees – 50% humidity). The sea salt seems to sweat or become clear on the caramel when stored.” - M. Mootz, Michael Mootz Candies, Inc.
“We do not store our sea salt caramels at a reduced temperature due to similar issues, we store [sea salt caramels] at factory room temperature.” – T. Hicklin, Candy House Gourmet
“Some salts are harder than others. Pink Himalayan sea salt is harder and more dense. It is less likely to absorb moisture.” – R. Hofberger, (retired)
“I would recommend dehumidifying to at least 40%. If that can’t be done, shrink wrap the boxes/cases. Completely enclose the product and then store. It works very well.” – Marty Lyp, Peterbrooke Chocolatier
Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member?
Tags:
Candy Making
Caramel
Caramels
List Serve
Owning a Business
Problem Candy
Productivity
Quality Control
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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If you spend a lot of time behind a keyboard, it should be no surprise that germs can make a home out of all those nooks and crannies. In fact, keyboards, along with phones, water fountain handles and microwave door handles rank at the top of the most germ-contaminated spots in the office. Need a more compelling reason to host an office cleaning party this week? According to a study conducted by Dr. Charles Gerba with University of Arizona, “the average desk harbors 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.” Do you have a disinfectant wipe in hand, yet?
Whether you hire a cleaning service to keep your workplace clean or not, there’s a good chance some areas of your office could use a little extra cleaning. Consider scheduling a brief “office cleaning party” (15-minutes to an hour, depending on your need), for all office staff to address key areas within their personal workstation (e.g., keyboards, phones, computer monitors, etc.) and delegate individuals or teams to tackle public spaces like the break room (e.g., coffee maker and microwave), restrooms and lobby (if necessary). Few people enjoy cleaning, but there are ways to make it more fun by playing energizing music and making sure you have all the supplies needed to get the job done. By giving the team a reason to move around and change up the day-to-day monotony, you might be surprised to find, not only, a cleaner office, but a more motivated and focused team.
Click here for seven “handy hacks” from Staples.com to make your office cleaning party a breeze!
Tags:
Cleaning
Hacks
Owning a Business
Productivity
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Looking for ideas to get the creative juices flowing? This week’s tip is to use a mind map to spark creativity!
What is a mind map? It’s a diagram used to visually outline information. Typically it begins with a word, image or phrase in the center and then other ideas and images branch out from the center across the page. One of the key benefits of a mind map is that an idea doesn’t have to be full or complete or even in sentence form in order to be displayed. The idea is that the process of a mind map resembles how your brain actually works!
Tips for an effective mind map:
- Start with a large piece of paper (Give your brain room to think!)
- Use images, not just words
- Vary the size, color and alignment of your images and text
- Keep topics and labels short (Think big picture.)
Mind maps are useful tools for individual creativity and also can help to get creative ideas flowing among a team of people. In your next team brainstorming session, consider using a whiteboard or oversized Post-it to map out ideas as they’re given and see where mind mapping can take you! If you prefer tech tools to paper versions, check out MindMeld or Mindmeister.
P.S. There is still time to register to join us at the RCI Annual Convention & Industry Expo! Register online now to meet fellow confectioners and suppliers June 16-20 in St. Louis.
Tags:
Creativity
Employee Management
Organizing
Owning a Business
Productivity
Technology
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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As the holidays get closer, we know that means you are getting busier and busier. Therefore this week’s tip will help you find emails and contacts in your email quickly so you can make the most of your time.
Xobni is a free tool that works with Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Android and iPhone to help users search and discover all of your contacts, including emails and files exchanged. You can instantly view each contact, complete with photo, job title, company details and email history. That’s right; you can get forget about tirelessly searching by keyword or date for a specific email or attachment. With Xobni, it’s easier and quicker than ever.
Watch this quick video for a glimpse into how Xobni works for Outlook or view these videos to see it work within Gmail, Android and iPhone. Download and set-up time is minimal and worth it for the time you will save with this great tool!
Note, Xobni was recently acquired by Yahoo! which means company and service changes are taking place over the next year. At this time, there are still free versions and paid versions available to meet your needs.
Tags:
Organizing
Owning a Business
Productivity
Technology
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Looking to buy or sell used confectionery equipment, post a confectionery job or purchase or sell a confectionery business? Then be sure to utilize this week’s tip to add the Classified Ads page on the Retail Confectioners International website to your website browser favorites.
The Classified Ads page is consistently one of the most viewed pages on our website. Both RCI members and non-members are invited to post an ad and available categories include For Sale, Wanted and Job Postings. Updates are made to the page on a regular basis and you’ll find a variety of used equipment and supplies available for purchase.
So, what are you waiting for? Take a moment to visit the Classified Ads page and add it to your web browser’s favorites. Then, when you have equipment to buy or sell or a job to post, be sure to post it with RCI.
Looking to get more familiar with the RCI website and the resources available there? Check out this blog post that lists some of the popular industry resources.
Tags:
Candy Making
Organizing
Owning a Business
Photos
Productivity
Quality Control
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