New computer program for egg packers

The designer of a new computer program for packers claims it will significantly improve data-recording efficiency, thereby saving time and money.

Independent software specialist, Anne Fleck, developed Eggbase in conjunction with Chippindale Foods, a Harrogate business that buys eggs from more than 20 egg producers in the North of England. The program is a Microsoft Access database that can handle daily flock data, grading results, farm billing, grading predictions and expected receive of eggs, explains Ms Fleck.

“With the advent of free-range and organic eggs, the number of producers that packers have to manage has risen dramatically,” she says. “This has increased the volume of data that has to be processed. Eggbase improves data handling and reduces administration time and labour costs.

“It also minimises the possibility of error when preparing farm bills, because these are produced from within Eggbase, rather than data having to be transferred from one program to another. Farm bills are available as soon as grading data is received into the system.”

Unlike many software programs, Eggbase is customised to match individual business processes, according to Ms Fleck. She says this type of system is unusual in a software package, where processes usually have to be adapted to suit the program.

At Chippindale Foods, data from the Ovotrack software in the egg grading facility is automatically transferred into Eggbase, which produces information such as off-grader egg analysis and grade forecasting.

Both physical and financial flock performance figures are posted in the producers’ area of the Chippindale Foods website within minutes of eggs being graded. Previously, it would have taken 1-2 weeks before the information reached the producer.

Peter Chignell, Chippindale Foods’ operations director says: “Having direct communication with our quality assurance department enables any issues to be investigated immediately; helping us to sort out any problems very quickly.”