Fresh produce AI case study: exporter cuts container rejections and recall time
A citrus and table grape grower-packer cut rejected export containers from three a season to one, and brought mock recall time down from 6 hours to 15 minutes, after adopting Pak-Bot.
At a glance
| Measure | Before Pak-Bot | After |
|---|---|---|
| Export containers rejected per season | 3 | 1 |
| Time to run a mock recall | About 6 hours | About 15 minutes |
| Retailer audit preparation | About 40 hours | About 8 hours |
| Office time on grower pack-out queries (hrs/week in season) | 15 | 3 |
The client
The client grows and packs citrus and table grapes, and packs fruit for about 20 outside growers. Most volume is exported by sea container to Asia; the rest goes to domestic retailers.
The challenge
- Problem pallets reached the container. QC results sat in the inspection module while loading crews worked from the shipping list. Each rejected container cost around AU$60,000.
- Recalls and audits were slow. A mock recall took about 6 hours of manual work; audit preparation took about a week.
- Growers wanted answers now. Pack-out queries took about 15 hours a week of office time in peak season.
- Supplier claims went unmade. Inspection evidence for out-of-spec fruit was hard to find later.
The solution
Pak-Bot inside Producepak works on live data with no exports or sync delay, and existing site permissions stay in place.
Quality checked at the loading dock
Before sealing, the supervisor asks for QC results and photos for every pallet on the container; failed or uninspected pallets are flagged.
Instant corrective action alerts
A failed inspection alerts quality and dispatch at once, with photos, so the pallet is held.
Recalls in minutes
A lot number returns grower, pack date, QC scores and every customer and pallet, including pallets in transit.
Self-serve grower answers
"Pack-out summary for grower 12 this week" is emailed straight from the chat.
Evidence for supplier claims
Inspection data and photos by grower and delivery support claims.
Results
| Benefit | How it was estimated | Annual value |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer rejected containers | 2 fewer rejections × about AU$60,000 each | AU$120,000 |
| Supplier claims recovered | Out-of-spec deliveries claimed back with inspection evidence | AU$35,000 |
| Grower query time saved | 12 hrs/week × 26 peak weeks × AU$50/hr | AU$15,600 |
| Faster audits and mock recalls | 2 audits × 32 hrs + 4 mock recalls × 5.75 hrs = 87 hrs × AU$50/hr | AU$4,350 |
| Total | AU$174,950 |
The business passed its retailer audits with a live recall demonstration, and growers now receive pack-out summaries the same week.
Why it worked
One view for quality and dispatch
Each pallet's inspection history is linked to its container.
Traceability on demand
Lot, grower, QC and customer records come back in one answer.
Anyone can ask
Answers no longer depend on one person who knows the reports.
Put a question to Pak-Bot about your own packhouse
Book a session with a Producepak consultant. You will see Pak-Bot working on real produce data, and talk through your crops, sites, customers and documents.