Top Taste Increases Efficiencies to Retain $250,000 in Sales, Make $70,000 in New Investments
Top Taste, Inc.
Founded by Harold and Janice Fetting in 1960, Top Taste, Inc. began as a small-town bakery operating out of Finley, North Dakota. By 1972, Top Taste developed a regional market for its frozen bakery products. Top Taste's product mix includes an assortment of breads, cookies, cakes and doughnuts. Because of increasing demand for the company's products, Top Taste has experienced exceptional growth matched by several company expansions. Top Taste, Inc. currently employs 45 employees who manufacture more than 400 products produced under the Fetting's Frozen Dough Products label. The company sends its products to bakery distributors, grocery chains and other customers across the nation.
Bottlenecks and Demand Management
Top Taste, Inc. believed the bakery's current capacity, especially the mixer and mix freezer, would soon be unable to support growing customer demand. Also, the company was encountering a good deal of transportation and motion wastes. Implementation of lean manufacturing techniques and improvement in work flow for timely, quality production was a priority for Top Taste.
Strategic Assessments and Plans
After observing operations processes at Top Taste, Inc., Impact Dakota suggested several methods designed to reduce the occurrence of bottlenecks. Top Taste shortened process length by rearranging steps in certain work activities and making necessary changes to the layout of the facility. A proximity matrix was used to determine the placement of certain machinery for improved production flow. The matrix helped to reduce the length of transportation for both people and materials. Impact Dakota also performed numerous capacity calculations to compare current product demand with current capacity, allowing Top Taste to envision the benefits of adding or upgrading machinery.
Improved Efficiencies Lead to $250,000 in Retained Sales and $70,000 in New Investments
Top Taste, Inc. has experienced an increase in efficiency and a reduction in bottlenecks as a result of its work with Impact Dakota. Machinery at the facility has been moved to minimize the transportation length of both materials and human resources. This has reduced the overall production process at Top Taste by one hour per day. Changes made at Top Taste, Inc. have enabled the company to increase and retain sales through-out the last year by approximately $250,000. As a result of technical advice and assistance from Impact Dakota, approximately $70,000 was invested in plant equipment and improved workplace practices.
"I highly recommend Impact Dakota to other businesses. Impact Dakota has been a great resource and is welcome to come back to our business anytime."
-- Wayne Fetting, President of Top Taste, Inc