From Homemade Kitchen to Modern Factory

It all started in a small kitchen…
I remember the smell of freshly made empanadas filling the house. Every week, neighbors and friends would stop by to order the famous empanadas we made as a family. Using fresh ingredients and a recipe passed down through generations, we began building a reputation in the community. What started as a small homemade operation soon grew into something much bigger.

But with growth came the challenge. It wasn’t just about making a dozen empanadas at a time anymore; we were now receiving bulk orders for events, restaurants, and even supermarkets. The manual labor became exhausting, and we realized that if we wanted to continue growing, we needed a solution.

The Growth Challenge: How to Maintain Quality?
With every new order, our main concern was clear: maintaining the quality and flavor of our empanadas, the same quality that kept customers coming back time and time again. But the manual process of kneading, filling, and sealing each empanada by hand was becoming unsustainable.

It was time to make a decision: should we continue doing everything manually, or should we trust technology to help our business grow without sacrificing what made us special?

The Search for Automation: A Game-Changing Shift

We researched and found that food production automation wasn’t just for large factories; it could also be adapted perfectly for small businesses like ours. We reached out to Automated Food Maniches, and after assessing our needs, we decided to automate certain key processes.

The first machine we installed was an automatic empanada sealer. We were worried that a machine might cause our empanadas to lose that handmade touch we cherished, but what we discovered was the opposite: the machine provided consistency and precision in every empanada, something that was hard to achieve manually at high volumes.

The Benefits: More Than Just Speed
What we discovered through automation was surprising. We didn’t just increase our production speed; we also:

• Improved the quality of our empanadas: Using machines for repetitive tasks like sealing and kneading ensured that each empanada was exactly the same in size, thickness, and filling. This consistency guaranteed that every customer received the same product, with no surprises.
• Reduced waste: When everything was done by hand, we often had leftover dough or unevenly distributed filling. With automation, every gram of dough and filling was perfectly calculated, reducing waste and improving our profit margins.
• Saved time and resources: By freeing up our team from repetitive tasks, we could focus on innovation. No longer overwhelmed by manual work, we could create new recipes, improve our market presence, and increase sales.
• Expanded production capacity: We went from making hundreds of empanadas a day to thousands. This allowed us to expand into new areas and fulfill larger orders from supermarket chains and restaurants.

The Fear of Change: Will We Lose What Makes Us Unique?

We understand that embracing automation can be intimidating, especially when your brand is built on authenticity and handcrafted quality. We had that fear too. But we learned that machines don’t eliminate the human aspect—they enhance it.

Automation didn’t replace the love and care we put into our empanadas. What it did was free us to focus on what truly matters: innovating, improving our recipes, and taking care of our customers.

For example, with the time we saved by automating, we were able to launch a line of vegan and gluten-free empanadas, something many of our customers had been requesting. Before, we simply didn’t have the time or resources to do it. Thanks to automation, we not only maintained our quality but elevated it.

Automation and Sustainability: Less Waste, More Efficiency

Another unexpected benefit of automation was its positive impact on our sustainability. By being more efficient with ingredients and reducing production time, we also cut down on energy consumption and minimized waste. Every step of the process was optimized, which not only saved us money but also improved our environmental responsibility.

In today’s competitive food industry, being seen as a responsible and sustainable company isn’t just an advantage—it’s a necessity. Our customers appreciate that we’re committed to the environment, and it has strengthened our reputation.

The Future of the Empanada Business: Automate or Fall Behind?

Today, Automated Food Maniches has been a key partner in our transformation. We went from being a small manual operation to a modern factory without losing our essence. Automation allowed us to grow, but most importantly, it enabled us to do so without sacrificing the quality or the handcrafted feel of our empanadas.

If you run an empanada business, or any food production business, you may be facing the same dilemma we did: how to grow without losing what makes you unique. The answer may lie in smart automation.

 Growth Without Compromise
The story of our small empanada business is the story of many food companies that start small but have big dreams. Automation doesn’t mean losing the human touch—it means optimizing it to deliver a better product, be more efficient, and keep growing.

Automated Food Maniches helped us achieve that dream, and we’re confident they can help you too.

Are you ready to take your empanada business to the next level? Contact us for a free consultation and discover how automation can transform your production without compromising what your customers value most.