Home Chef achieves perfect mix of flow and flexibility with FlowCell from UNEX

Meal kit operation chops pick errors by nearly 38%, improves ergonomics on the line, and sets the table for future growth with modular flow racks.

“Our business is always changing, and the FlowCell units allow us to adapt to variances and be ready for growth.”

Devin Chavis
Continuous Improvement Manager
Home Chef

From its Maryland location, Home Chef pickers prepare about 140,000 kits each week for shipment to families and individuals who want delicious, easy-to-make meals. Customers can choose from 51 unique meals, from savory sausage and salmon to sweet and spicy chicken. Associates pick and fill each meal bag with 8 to 12 items, depending on the customer’s order that week.

“My motto is perfect portion, perfect meal bag, perfect box,” says Devin Chavis, Continuous Improvement Manager at the Baltimore HomeChef meal kit location. “But to achieve perfection and keep up with demand, we needed to rethink our pick lines.”

The Problem with Pipe-and-Joint Racks

For years, Home Chef workers picked kit items from bins housed inside plastic pipe-and-joint racks. “The trays were constantly getting stuck in the plastic and wouldn’t convey smoothly,” says Devin. “And in the temperature-controlled area, the cold made the pipes brittle.”

Storage density was another issue. Only 6 pick items fit in a rack, and the pipe structures could not be reconfigured. Home Chef needed to fit 9 to 12 bins in a rack to provide a more efficient, ergonomically friendly pick.

“We looked for a solution that would improve our overall cycle time from the first hand to the last hand on the box to get through the zones quicker,” says Devin. “And the solution had to be something we could reconfigure as customers’ demands change for different types of food and diets.”

A Flexible Solution

Daniel Cutler from Conveyor Handling Company and Dan Teese from UNEX toured the Baltimore Home Chef facility to see the pick lines in action. They suggested replacing the old pipe-and-joint structures with FlowCell and SpanTrack to improve storage density, pick efficiency, and to maximize space.

“We sent Home Chef a couple of FlowCell units to test, and they immediately ordered about 40 more,” says Dan from UNEX. “Soon after, Home Chef put in orders for its other locations, including 35 for San Bernardino, 55 units in Atlanta, 25 units in Chicago, and 40 units in Baltimore. Each location has unique meal kits to prepare, a testament to the modular and adaptable nature of the FlowCell units. We design the product specifically for a facility’s unique operation.”

Better Accuracy for a Bustling Business

Since installing the units at the Baltimore location, Devin says pick errors have decreased by nearly 38%. In addition:

• A more efficient pick environment has resulted in a 12% decrease in headcount.
• Cycle time from first to last hand has improved by 1 minute for each kit.
• Inventory is well organized, properly stored, and flows smoothly.
• The compact flow racks hold more inventory than the old units and, at the same time, have freed up 120 feet of conveyor space.

“Our associates tell us the pick is much more comfortable. With the old system, some pick areas were too low or too high. But the new units can be raised or lowered to accommodate an associate’s height, and parts are angled toward the worker, which means less reaching and fatigue, "says Devin.

Devin says installation was a piece of cake, too. The Home Chef maintenance team installed the units without disrupting the business – an important factor for the busy operation.

“The variety of food continues to change. We have low-calorie meals, Mediterranean options, fast and family-friendly meals, gluten-free items – a long list of options,” says Devin. “Our business is always changing, and the FlowCell units allow us to adapt to variances and be ready for growth.”

The Carton Flow Experts

FlowCell from UNEX offers dynamic storage made of heavy-gauge steel construction. The units can increase space utilization by up to 50% and boost production efficiency by up to 30%.

Daniel Cutler from Conveyor Handling Company (CHC) has partnered with UNEX on many projects involving a variety of solutions. “From my experience, UNEX is the leader in the carton flow industry. You always know you are getting a quality product that will solve a big problem and make an operation more efficient and flexible.”

About Home Chef

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available from www.homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,500 stores in the Kroger Family of Companies, Home Chef is committed to bringing ease and convenience to home cooking through simple, delicious meals, so fans can enjoy their time at home, both in and out of the kitchen.

Looking for a similar solution?

CHC partners with UNEX on many projects like this one, integrating ergonomic and efficient solutions like SpeedCell and SpanTrack for a variety of order fulfillment applications.