How Automation is Revolutionizing Artisanal Production

It all began with a family recipe…
Arepas have always been a staple at our table. From the handmade dough to the perfect golden brown as they grilled, every step of the arepa-making process had its ritual. When we decided to take our family recipe to the next level and turn it into a business, the goal was clear: to preserve tradition and authentic flavor, no matter how many arepas we made.

But, as is often the case with many businesses, growth brought challenges. Each large order meant extra hours in the kitchen, and the manual effort began to take its toll. That’s when we asked ourselves: How can we scale without losing what makes us special?

The Dilemma: How to Increase Production Without Losing Authenticity?
The arepa market was booming. More and more people wanted to try our delicious arepas filled with cheese, shredded meat, and even vegan options we had started to create. But with success came the challenge of maintaining quality and authenticity while demand grew.

Making every arepa by hand was key to our success, but it was also becoming our limit. Large orders began to fall behind schedule, and the risk of inconsistencies in size and flavor increased. We were caught between wanting to grow and fearing that we would lose the artisanal touch that made our arepas so popular.

Automation: The Solution We Were Looking For
That’s when we discovered Automated Food Maniches. They offered us a solution that seemed impossible at first: automating the arepa-making process without losing artisanal quality. The idea of introducing machines into a business based on family recipes seemed risky, but the need to become more efficient led us to give it a try.

How Automation Transformed Our Arepa Business
What happened next exceeded our expectations. We automated the process of kneading the dough and shaping the arepas. This way, we ensured that each arepa had the same size and thickness, maintaining consistent quality. At first, we feared that the machines would take away the human touch that gave our arepas that “special something.” But we discovered that machines could maintain consistency while still preserving authentic flavor.

What Did We Achieve With Automation?

• Increased production capacity: Thanks to the machines, we went from producing hundreds of arepas a day to thousands without compromising flavor or quality. This allowed us to expand into new markets and take on larger orders from restaurants and supermarkets.
• Greater consistency: Automation allowed us to guarantee that every arepa had the same thickness, size, and texture. This eliminated the small variations that sometimes arose from manual processes, ensuring that each customer received a perfect arepa.
• Reduced waste: Before, we often had leftover dough or unevenly distributed ingredients, which led to waste. With automation, we optimized the use of every gram of dough and ensured an even filling distribution, reducing waste and improving our margins.
• Freed up time for innovation: By automating the more repetitive tasks, we were able to focus on creating new varieties of arepas, exploring new fillings, and developing products we previously didn’t have time to experiment with.

Preserving Tradition in a Modern World
One of our biggest fears in adopting automation was losing the soul of our recipe. However, we learned that technology doesn’t replace authenticity—it enhances it. Automated Food Maniches provided us with tools that replicated the precision and consistency of a manual process, but at a much faster speed and larger scale.

We continue to use the same quality ingredients we’ve always used. The difference now is that we have more control over every stage of the process. The machines helped us maintain consistency and quality, while our passion and tradition remain at the heart of our business.

The Impact of Automation on Sustainability
Automation didn’t just make us more efficient; it also had a positive impact on our sustainability efforts. By optimizing ingredient and energy use, we were able to reduce our resource consumption. Our machines are designed to use only the amount of energy necessary at each stage of the process, which not only saves us costs but also reduces our environmental footprint.

In an industry increasingly concerned with the environment, being a more sustainable business is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a responsibility. Our customers value knowing that our arepas are not only delicious but also made responsibly.

Success Story: How an Arepa Maker Transformed Through Automation
Let me share the story of Steve, an entrepreneur who started selling arepas in his community, to illustrate how automation can revolutionize an arepa business.

Like us, Steve grew up making arepas by hand, following a family recipe. His business quickly grew, and soon he had more orders than he could handle. At one point, he had so many orders that he couldn’t keep up, and the quality of his arepas began to suffer.

That’s when he decided to try automation. Automated Food Maniches helped him implement an automated production line that doubled his capacity without sacrificing quality