Sojo Industries’ recently patented Sojo Flight system allows for flexible, on-site manufacturing in one hour for multi-pack manufacturing, addressing major challenges such as freight and packaging costs, while enabling rapid deployment and operational efficiency, according to the company.
The technology can save manufacturers up to 61 cents per case in freight and packaging costs, Barak Bar-Cohen, Sojo’s founder and CEO, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Sojo Flight streamlines complex production lines into mobile manufacturing lines where each moveable platform or base that “connects and disconnects like a Lego” can detaches from power quickly and provides servo-driven leveling, Bar-Cohen said.
Servo motors are precision-controlled electric motors that adjust and maintain the level or alignment of a platform, which is critical when stabilizing lines and robots on uneven facility floors, as opposed to drilling on the floors, he added.
Bar-Cohen identified the main pain point in managing multi-packs during his tenure as COO at Bai Brands: coordinating the “complexities of having different facilities and manufacturing plants produce various flavors in separate locations,” while simultaneously navigating promotions across regions and retailers, he explained. These challenges were compounded by balancing production costs and profitability, as well as managing freight, logistics and packaging costs, he added.
Funding fuels Sojo’s expansion into automation and new sectors
Earlier this summer, Sojo Industries secured $10 million in Series A funding, with a significant portion of the capital used to expand automation and robotics capabilities for food and beverage. Sojo Flight also will expand into the health and beauty variety-pack sectors, according to Bar-Cohen.
$23 billion market opportunity for variety and multi-packs
According to Bar-Cohen, the combined market for variety and multi-packs across food, snacks, health and beauty is estimated at $23 billion annually. This is a significant market opportunity for brands operating in retail channels like Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, Walmart, Target and Amazon, he added.
For certain brands or categories, variety- and multi-packs account for a significant percentage of sales, with potential to drive between 40% and 80% of overall sales, he explained.
