Driving Pack House Productivity in Fresh Produce: Practical Ways to Save Money, Increase Output and Cut Waste
Fresh produce pack houses are under constant pressure to do more with less. Labour costs continue to rise, retailer specifications are tighter than ever, and expectations around yield and sustainability continues to increase. Yet many pack houses still rely on manual processes and limited visibility to manage productivity.
At MARCO, we work closely with fresh produce packers to help them unlock measurable improvements on the pack house floor. By combining intuitive operator interfaces, real‑time performance data and proven continuous‑improvement methods, we help operations increase throughput, control costs and significantly reduce waste.
Less Waste – Better Yield – Higher Productivity
Below are five practical ways MARCO helps fresh produce pack houses
1. Deskilling manual packing to increase speed and consistency
Manual packing is one of the biggest cost drivers in any fresh produce operation. Traditional weighing methods rely heavily on operator judgement, slowing line speeds and increasing the risk of overpack. MARCO packing workstations remove that complexity.
Operators are guided visually using our intuitive traffic light display and powerful MARCO Yield Control Software, to add or remove a specific number of ‘pieces’ rather than working to grams or ounces. The system is intuitive, easy to learn and consistent across shifts.
- Faster packing speeds
- Reduced training time for new operators
- Lower giveaway from overfilling packs
- More consistent compliance with retailer specifications
By deskilling manual processes, pack houses reduce their reliance on highly skilled labour while increasing productivity at the same time
2. Systems that adapt as your pack house evolves
Every pack-house is different. Product types, pack formats, volumes and staffing models all influence how productivity should be measured and improved. That’s why flexibility matters.
MARCO systems are designed to scale and adapt as operations change. More importantly, they capture real‑time performance data at operator, line and site level. This visibility allows managers to understand what’s really happening on the pack house floor and act on it immediately.
Using live production data as the basis for improvement means:
- Issues are identified quickly, not weeks later
- Labour is deployed more effectively
- Productivity gains are sustained, not just short‑term
3. Raising overall performance by learning from the best
In every pack-house there are operators who consistently outperform others. Without accurate measurement, their techniques often go unnoticed.
MARCO systems make individual performance transparent, allowing managers to identify best performers and use them to help upskill the rest of the team. By sharing proven working methods through structured training, underperformance is addressed quickly and fairly.
The result:
- Improved average line performance
- Reduced variability between operators
- A more engaged and accountable workforce
This approach increases output without increasing headcount.
4. Measuring Mass Balance to Tackle Waste and Overpack
Waste and overpack are major hidden costs in fresh produce packing. Without clear data, they are difficult to control.
MARCO’s mass balance measurement compares the weight of raw product entering the pack house with the weight of finished packed product over the same period. This makes waste and overpack visible, and traceable, to specific areas of the operation.
With this insight, pack houses can:
- Reduce giveaway and improve yield
- Improve profitability without increasing volumes
- Support environmental and retailer sustainability goals
Less waste means better margins and stronger customer relationships.
5. Increasing Packs Per Minute by reducing hidden downtime
Packs per minute (ppm) is one of the clearest indicators of pack house productivity. Yet in many operations, a significant amount of working time is lost to small, repeated downtime events.
MARCO systems capture and log downtime across the pack house, making it measurable and manageable. When minor stoppages are analysed collectively, practical improvements can be made that quickly increase productive packing time.
The outcome:
- Higher PPM
- Better use of existing labour
- Lower cost per packed unit
Small operational gains frequently deliver big financial returns.
Turn productivity insight into competitive advantage
For fresh produce pack houses, productivity is no longer just about speed, it’s about visibility, control and continuous improvement.
MARCO helps businesses move from reactive firefighting to proactive performance management, using real data to drive better decisions.
If you’re looking to reduce waste, improve labour efficiency and increase pack house output without adding complexity, MARCO can help.
Talk to us today to see how our proven pack house productivity solutions can deliver measurable results in your operation.