Starfrost’s Helix Spiral Cooling System has now cooled its first doughnuts at Mr Whippy’s new £15 million Sheffield production facility, marking a major milestone as the new site moves towards full production. Following a successful full factory test, the bespoke spiral system is fully installed and operational, providing automated cooling for Mr Whippy’s high-volume doughnut production line.
The new Sheffield site has been developed as a fully integrated manufacturing operation, bringing automated production, packing and distribution together to support Mr Whippy’s next stage of growth.
At the heart of the cooling process is the Starfrost Helix, developed specifically around the requirements of the new production line. From the early stages of the project, Starfrost worked closely with the Mr Whippy team to understand the process and production requirements before developing a cooling solution to suit the new facility.
The result is an automated spiral cooling system designed to provide controlled and consistent cooling as doughnuts move through the production process. Its compact footprint allows high-capacity cooling to be integrated efficiently within the new production line, while supporting consistent product quality and reliable production.
The Starfrost Helix has been designed to support production of millions of doughnuts per week, providing the capacity required for Mr Whippy’s growing production requirements.
For bakery production, cooling is a critical stage of the process. Achieving consistent cooling across high production volumes helps ensure products are ready for the next stage of production while maintaining the quality expected from the finished product. The Helix provides a controlled cooling environment within a continuous automated process, helping Mr Whippy achieve consistent results as production scales.
The project also brings together expertise from across the wider Star Group, with Star Refrigeration supplying the facility’s CO₂ refrigeration system as part of the site’s low-carbon cooling solution.
“We’ve reached a significant point in the project at Mr Whippy as it moves towards full production,” said Michael Jackson, CEO at Mr Whippy. “The Starfrost Helix has now been through production trials as part of the successful full factory test, bringing us one step closer to full operation.
“It’s been fantastic working with Starfrost throughout this journey, bringing together the latest in technology with the experience and expertise needed to deliver high-quality products in high volumes. We’re incredibly excited to move into full production and see the facility operating at its full potential.”
With the first doughnuts successfully produced and the full factory test completed, Mr Whippy is now progressing towards full production later this year. The Starfrost Helix provides a dedicated cooling solution designed to deliver consistent product quality and reliable automated production as Mr Whippy scales up its production.
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