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Silver Fern Farms Pacific Site Goes Live with Emydex Beef Processing Software

The successful implementation of Emydex software at the Pacific (Hastings) site marks another important milestone in the five-year partnership between Emydex and Silver Fern Farms (SFF). This is the sixth primary butchery site for beef processing within the SFF network to go live with Emydex’s traceability and production control systems. 

A trusted partnership in New Zealand’s red meat industry 

Silver Fern Farms is one of New Zealand’s leading red meat companies, recognised for its focus on quality, sustainability and innovation. Since 2020, Emydex has worked alongside the SFF team to deliver tailored software solutions that optimise operations, enhance visibility and support data-driven decision making across the company’s beef processing plants. 

Custom deployment for a site with unique requirements 

The go-live at Pacific followed a structured deployment approach, beginning with the transition from the legacy CRS system to Emydex. Barrel testing was conducted in advance to simulate real animal processing and ensure system readiness. 

Due to the specific layout of the Pacific site, liveweight data needed to be captured before the stunning stage. To accommodate this, Emydex designed and implemented a custom indicator terminal that replicates the standard liveweight functionality while integrating seamlessly into the existing process. 

Efficient delivery and strong collaboration 

As with previous deployments, the Pacific rollout was executed smoothly, with only minor issues quickly resolved by the combined efforts of the on-site and remote support teams. This go-live also included the rollout of SFF BI V2, the latest version of Emydex’s business intelligence platform. The updated solution enhances access to production insights and enables faster, more informed decision-making across operations. 

Positive feedback from the SFF team 

Feedback from Silver Fern Farms has been extremely positive. Matt Ballard, Chief Transformation Officer, shared: 

Great Moment! Our legacy CRS system is now retired across all our six beef only plants! Keep going team!” 

This successful go-live reinforces the strength of the partnership and the shared commitment to continuous improvement across the SFF network. 

Looking ahead 

The successful go-live at Pacific confirms the effectiveness and adaptability of the Emydex platform across Silver Fern Farms’ operations. The implementation has proven to be both efficient and beneficial for on-site teams, reinforcing the strength of the ongoing collaboration. With all six beef processing sites now live or nearing completion, the focus will soon shift to supporting Silver Fern Farms as they prepare to roll out Emydex systems across new species, including venison and lamb, in the near future. 

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Rising Tide of Food Recalls: What’s driving the Surge in Ireland and the US?

Over the past few weeks, both Ireland and the United States have seen a sharp increase in food product recalls. From Listeria and Salmonella outbreaks to undeclared allergens and metal fragments, the incidents span a wide range of categories and risks. While no single company or product line is solely responsible, the pattern is clear: food safety is under pressure.

As a provider of traceability and quality management solutions to the global food industry, Emydex is closely monitoring these developments. Here’s a breakdown of the recent recalls, followed by insight into the factors driving this rise in recalls.

Ireland: A Wave of Microbial Contamination

Ready Meals and Listeria

Over 140 ready-made meals were recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Distributed across multiple well-known Irish retailers, the outbreak has resulted in nine confirmed cases and one fatality.

Leafy Greens Under Scrutiny

Separate from the ready meal incident, several batches of spinach, rocket, and mixed leaves were pulled from shelves due to Listeria detection. These recalls highlight vulnerabilities in fresh produce supply chains.

Salmonella in Turkey Burgers

A batch of turkey burgers was recalled for potential Salmonella contamination. Though the use-by date had passed, the product was suitable for freezing, prompting warnings to check home freezers.

United States: A Broader Spectrum of Risks

Undeclared Allergens in Butter

Over 64,000 lbs of butter were recalled due to undeclared milk, a major allergen. The recall was classified as Class II, indicating moderate health risk.

Metal Fragments in Frozen Beef

A major recall was initiated for frozen ground beef due to suspected metal fragments. Other recalls involved foreign material contamination, including glass and plastic.

Salmonella in Pantry Staples

Products including dried black fungus, pistachio cacao spread, and frozen sprouted legumes were recalled after Salmonella was detected during routine inspections.

Listeria in Mushrooms and Tuna Salads

Several mushroom products and tuna salads were affected due to Listeria contamination, traced back to breadcrumbs supplied to manufacturers.

Botulism Risk in Salted Fish

Improper evisceration of dry salted fish led to a recall over potential Clostridium botulinum contamination.

Why Are Recalls Increasing?

Enhanced Detection Technologies

The rise in food product recalls is not necessarily a sign of declining food safety standards. Instead, Emydex believes it reflects enhanced surveillance and testing protocols implemented by regulatory bodies:

  • FSAI (Ireland) has intensified microbiological testing, particularly for Listeria in ready-to-eat foods, enabling earlier detection and broader precautionary recalls [1].
  • FDA (USA) has introduced stringent traceability rules under the Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA), requiring rapid access to batch-level data and critical tracking events [2].

These improvements mean that contamination is being identified faster and more accurately, allowing for swift action to protect public health.

Risks of Not Having Robust Traceability

Without a comprehensive traceability system, food producers face significant risks:

  • Delayed response timesduring contamination events increase the likelihood of consumer harm.
  • Regulatory penaltiesfor non-compliance with traceability mandates.
  • Reputational damagethat can erode customer trust and brand value.
  • Operational chaos, including costly product withdrawals and production halts.

In today’s regulatory landscape, traceability is not optional – it’s a strategic imperative.

How Emydex Helps

At Emydex, we empower food processors and manufacturers with real-time traceability, quality assurance, and recall management tools. Our systems help clients:

  • Track ingredients and finished productsby batch, supplier, and production shift.
  • Generate instant traceability reportsto isolate affected products within seconds.
  • Automate quality checksand compliance alerts
  • Respond swiftlyto recall events with complete visibility
  • Comply with regulatory requirementsfrom bodies like the FSAI and FDA.
  • Integrate seamlesslywith existing ERP and production systems.

This level of visibility and control is essential for managing recalls efficiently and minimising disruption.

Let’s Talk

If you’re looking to strengthen your food safety protocols or streamline your recall response, Emydex is here to help.

Reach out to our team or visit https://www.emydex.com/contact/to learn more.


Written by: David McMahon, CEO, Emydex Technology

 

[1] Update (2) to recall of various branded prepared meals and side dishes …

[2] FSMA Final Rule on Requirements of Additional Traceability Records Traceability

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From Manual to Digital: The Impact of Emydex EQMS

In today’s fast-paced and highly regulated food industry, operational efficiency and compliance are non-negotiable. Yet, many processors still rely on fragmented systems and manual processes to manage quality, exposing their operations to unnecessary risk, inefficiencies, and audit fatigue.

At Emydex, we believe quality management should be a driver of performance, not a barrier. That’s why processors across the globe are turning to our Electronic Quality Management System (EQMS) to bring structure, traceability and speed to their quality operations.

The result? Tangible, measurable impact on the factory floor.

95% Faster Audit Preparation

Compliance reporting that once took days is now ready in minutes, giving us more control over quality and peace of mind.
— Dwayne Chin, Head of Technical, Forresters (UK)

Traditional audit preparation can consume valuable time and resources, often taking full days to gather and review documentation. With Emydex EQMS, companies like Forresters have reduced audit preparation time by up to 95%, ensuring teams are always audit-ready, without the scramble.

Real-Time Visibility, Real-Time Action

In manual systems, errors are often identified after they’ve impacted production.

With automated checks and instant notifications, non-conformances are flagged in real time, enabling immediate corrective actions and reducing operational risk.

The system’s speed and performance has allowed for more thorough and detailed checks on the line.
— Alan McCormack, Technical Team, Dawn Meats (Ireland)

One Integrated Platform Across All Sites

For multi-plant operations, maintaining standardised processes and visibility across regions is critical. Emydex EQMS offers a centralised, cloud-based system that provides real-time oversight, from group technical teams to plant-level QA staff.

Emydex eliminates unnecessary checks by integrating all essential ones into its system.
— Phil Wise, Plant Manager, Murray’s Chicken (US)

Whether you operate across sites, divisions or countries, Emydex EQMS ensures consistency and transparency at scale.

Designed for the Realities of Food Production

Unlike off-the-shelf solutions, Emydex EQMS is designed with the food industry in mind. Key features include:

  • Customisable QC workflows designed by technical users, not IT staff

  • Conditional logic and automated follow-up actions

  • Integrated traceability with existing production systems

  • Robust version control and document management

  • Secure, cloud-based or on-premise deployment

  • Real-time dashboards, dynamic reporting, and audit trails

Proven Results from Industry Leaders

Our system is already in place in more than 120 plants across Europe, Africa, The Americas and Australasia.

The impact includes:

  • Reduced manual workload and paperwork by up to 90%

  • Enhanced audit performance and regulatory compliance

  • Increased QA productivity and efficiency

  • Improved visibility for decision-makers at every level

Ready to Modernise Your Quality Operations?

If your business is still reliant on spreadsheets, paper forms or disconnected systems, the risks are growing, and so are the missed opportunities.

Let’s explore how Emydex EQMS can support your digital transformation and drive quality performance across your organisation. Contact us today to schedule a Demo.

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The 4 Hidden Risks of Poor Traceability and How to Eliminate Them

In the food processing industry, traceability is no longer just about compliance. For leaders, it is a strategic capability that directly impacts ROI, brand trust and operational resilience.

Yet many processors still rely on outdated or fragmented systems, exposing themselves to risks that are avoidable. If your business cannot trace a product by batch, shift, supplier or site instantly, you are likely facing more than just inefficiency.

1. Product Recalls

According to Consumer Brands Association, the average cost of a product recall is 10 million dollars. That does not include damage to brand reputation or customer relationships.

Without real-time traceability, identifying and isolating affected batches becomes slow and imprecise. The longer it takes to act, the greater the exposure.

2. Regulatory Non-Compliance

Many countries enforce strict regulations regarding food traceability. Failure to comply with these requirements can lead to legal penalties, failed audits, loss of operating licenses and serious reputational damage.

As outlined by the Food Safety Institute, traceability is a core pillar of modern food safety management, and weak systems are a risk few businesses can afford to take.

3. Increased Risk of Fraud

Lack of traceability opens the door to fraudulent activities, including mislabelling, product substitution or deliberate manipulation of records. These practices threaten not only food safety, but also consumer trust and business credibility.

Robust traceability systems help protect against intentional and unintentional breaches by increasing transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain.

4. Damaged Brand Trust

In today’s global food industry, transparency builds competitive advantage. Customers, partners and regulators expect clear, real-time data that supports both traceability and accountability.

One traceability gap can compromise years of brand investment and erode long-standing relationships.

Smart Investments in Traceability in Food Processing

Top-performing food processors treat traceability as part of their strategy. They invest in:

  • Real-time traceability
  • Traceability across sites
  • Batch-level traceability
  • Audit-ready traceability

This level of visibility allows them to mitigate risk, act faster, and strengthen performance across every plant.

How Emydex Helps

The Traceability Reporting module from Emydex is designed specifically for food processors operating in complex, multi-site environments.

It gives your team fast, accurate and reliable traceability, without manual searching or data gaps. With Emydex, you can:

  • Run full trace reports in seconds
  • Filter by product, supplier, time or location
  • Investigate incidents while production continues
  • Meet audit and compliance requirements with confidence

And because it is part of the wider Emydex platform, it integrates seamlessly with MES, ERP and quality systems for total control.

Time to Take Control

If your current traceability system is slowing your team down, exposing your business to risk, or making compliance more difficult than it should be, it may be time to rethink the strategy.

At Emydex, we help food processors simplify traceability across complex operations, providing the visibility, speed and confidence your teams need.

To learn more, contact Emydex at any of our global market offices in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or North America.

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Emydex CEO Update – Reflections on 2024 & Expansion Plans for 2025

2024 Highlights

Global Expansion and BAADER Partnership

In this Emydex CEO Update, reflecting on 2024, Emydex has continued its global expansion, driven by BAADER’s acquisition of a majority shareholding in July 2023. Headquartered in Luebeck, Germany, BAADER is a global manufacturer and supplier of food processing machinery and solutions, with 30 subsidiaries across Europe, the USA, China, South America, Africa, and Asia. BAADER employs 1,650 people in more than 100 countries worldwide. 

Emydex is collaborating with BAADER on several significant opportunities with meat processors in new Emydex markets, including Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Middle East.  

New Markets and Customer Growth

In January 2024 and 2025, Emydex exhibited on the BAADER booth at the IPPE trade show in Atlanta, USA, the world’s largest annual poultry, meat, and animal food industry event. Since then, Emydex has expanded beyond its traditional core markets of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, securing new customers such as Murray’s Chicken in New York and Sustainable Beef in Nebraska, USA. New Emydex hires have also been onboarded at BAADER’s Kansas City, Missouri, factory base. 

System Implementations in New Zealand

In New Zealand, following successful implementations of the Emydex factory floor MES system in its primary beef processing plants in Belfast, Dargaville, and Hawera, Silver Fern Farms went live with Emydex in their fourth beef primal processing plant in Te Aroha, North Island. Two more plants, Finegand and Pacific, are scheduled to go live before Summer 2025, bringing the total to six primary beef plants operating Emydex. The project’s next phase will see Emydex expand into Silver Ferns’ venison plants in New Zealand. 

Irish Projects and Partnerships

Closer to home in Ireland, where Emydex’s headquarters is based, Ireland’s largest primary Lamb processor, Irish Country Meats, went live in December 2024, with Emydex in their main plant in Camolin, Co. Wexford. 

Company Achievements

Emydex celebrated twenty years in business in April 2024, achieving the accolade of being one of Ireland’s Best Places to Work in 2025 for the first time. This recognition has led to several former Emydex employees rejoining the company after leaving for a change of scene post-COVID. 

The Emydex team of meat industry experts have also grown over the past year, with additional Meat Industry Business Analysts appointed in Ireland, Slovakia, and New Zealand. 

The Emydex Quality Management System (EQMS) continued its rollout at Dawn Meats, now operating in fourteen of its plants across Ireland and the UK. Emydex customers also adopted the Emydex Quality Management System in Australia, Canada, and the USA. 

Looking Ahead to 2025

Looking ahead, 2025 promises to be a busy year for Emydex. Eight new factory installations are scheduled to go live in Ireland, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand in the first half of the year. 

If you want to learn more – contact Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or North America offices

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Emydex Showcase Cutting-Edge Solutions at IPPE 2025

Emydex at IPPE 2025​

Emydex Technology is excited to announce our participation in the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) 2025, taking place from January 28th to 30th in Atlanta, USA. Following a highly successful debut at IPPE 2024, we are thrilled to return and showcase our latest innovations in packaging, processing, and quality management.

Watch the video below summarising our highlights and reflections at the show.

Live Demonstrations of Packaging and Labelling Systems

Our CEO, David McMahon, along with our Team Lead for North America, Cody Musclow, will be present at the BAADER booth C29159.

Over the course of three days, we will be demonstrating our state-of-the-art software solutions, including live demonstrations of our latest Box Packing and Labelling system, as well as our Electronic Quality Management System (EQMS). These systems have been successfully implemented in leading companies such as Murray’s Chickens in New York, whom we first met at IPPE 2024.

Emydex team at IPPE 2025_emydex-ippe-2005-03

The IPPE is the world’s largest annual poultry and egg, meat, and animal food industry event, attracting over 30,000 attendees and 1,400 exhibitors. It provides a unique platform for industry professionals to explore the latest products, services, research, processes, and technologies. This year, we are particularly excited to highlight our collaboration with BAADER, showcasing our combined digitization solutions for poultry processors.

Emydex team at IPPE 2025

If you are attending IPPE, we invite you to visit us at the BAADER booth to learn more about our innovative solutions. To arrange an appointment and schedule a software demonstration, please reach out to Cody Musclow at cody.musclow@emydex.com.

We look forward to seeing you at IPPE 2025 and demonstrating how Emydex can help enhance your production processes with our cutting-edge technology.

Find your way to our booth!

Emydex team at IPPE 2025_emydex-ippe-2025-where-to-find-us

 

If you want to learn more – contact Emydex in any of our global market offices in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or North America

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