How Ilchester Cheese Co. automated label verification and boosted capacity by 50%
Ilchester Cheese Co. is a global leader in flavoured cheese. The company needed a scalable way to manage packaging verification across 200 different products on its high-speed production lines. Under growing pressure to meet retail compliance and traceability requirements, they turned to OAL for a robust label verification system built on our APRIL™ Eye vision technology.
Since going live, Ilchester has:
Doubled capacity on key lines
Reduced traceability time from hours to minutes
Eliminated labelling errors, enhancing product quality and compliance
All while making life easier for the team on the factory floor.
Challenge
Running at 200 packs per minute, Ilchester’s slicing line outpaced the ability of operators to manually verify every label and date codes.
“At 200 packs a minute, the operator simply can’t check the packs individually, which they were having to do previously”
The business had grown to over 200 SKUs, 75 formats and 10 production lines, with exports to 21 countries. Paper-based checks created risk, slowed down audits and added complexity.
They needed:
Real-time label and date code verification
A paperless compliance system with a full audit trail.
Instant access to traceability records
The ability to handle international formats (e.g. Canadian date codes)
A system that could scale and be trusted by their team
Ilchester (part of the Tine Group) was looking for a trusted partner to guide them through the automation process. They also wanted a provider that could offer expert support and training to give their team confidence.
Why OAL?
Ilchester didn’t just want a supplier. They needed a partner who understood food manufacturing and could guide them through the transition to automation step by step.
They chose OAL because of our experience, our track record and the proven performance of our AI-driven verification systems.
When asked if they would recommend OAL to other food manufacturers, the Ilchester team’s answer was a resounding yes.
Solution
With over 200 SKUs and exports to 21 countries, Ilchester needed a solution that could handle complexity at scale and do it reliably.
“We’ve got 200+, 75 formats, 10 production lines… and we’re exporting to 21 countries. It’s a complex setup.”
Together, we rolled out a full label and date code verification system tailored to Ilchester’s slicing line. The system does all the checks the team used to do manually, but now faster, automatically and with total accuracy.
From day one, our team worked closely with Ilchester’s engineers and operations team. We followed our established OAL Way process to ensure the solution fit their needs from every angle.
Engineering assessment to align with real-world production challenges
System design and build tailored to their product mix and pack speeds
FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) to verify performance before install
Deployment planning to minimise disruption to production
On-site commissioning and training to give operators full confidence
24/7 support to ensure long-term reliability and peace of mind
“The traceability exercise might have taken us previously
around three hours, now it’s reduced to 10–15 minutes, if that.”
At the heart of the solution:
Centralised digital records for audit and compliance
Cameras verify that the right film and label are on every pack
APRIL™ Eye uses AI to verify date codes in real time, even across international formats
Digital records complete with photos of each pack (ready for any audit).
A simple operator dashboard ensures ease of use and fast onboarding
“In my opinion, the system is really easy to use — just follow the instructions. It’s nothing complicated.”
Results
The results speak for themselves: faster lines, fewer checks, and no room for error.
50% increase in slicing line speed and capacity
Traceability time cut from 3 hours to just 15 minutes
Zero labelling or coding errors since going live
Case packing fully automated
Operators now get real-time alerts and prompts
Audit-ready records with pack-level photo evidence
“OAL systems massively helped us to increase efficiency on the production line. Increasing capacity by 50%.”
Conclusion
Ilchester didn’t just improve compliance; they simplified their entire way of working. By partnering with OAL, they’ve created a system that their operators trust, their auditors love, and their business can grow with.
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At a glance
Customer since: 2020
Results
50% increase in slicing line speed and capacity
3 hours reduced to 15 minutes for traceability checks
Zero labelling or coding errors recorded post-implementation
Audit-ready digital records with pack-level photo evidence
Challenge
Retailer code of practice compliance
Label and date code verification at 200 packs per minute
Complexity across 200+ SKUs and 75 formats
Paper checks increasing risk and admin
Solution
Real-time APRIL™ Eye date code verification
Label verification with artwork control
Seamless integration with existing lines
Simple, operator-friendly interface
