One Single Contact, Infinite Possibilities. ZACMI as a System Integrator in the Pet Food Industry
Here we are! It’s time for Episode No. 14 of ZACMI’s Worldwide Tour. Where are we taking you today?
This time, we’re flying to Indonesia to tell you about a complex and unique installation of a complete pet food production line.
As you probably already know if you follow us on our channels, ZACMI doesn’t just design and manufacture machinery for filling, seaming, and pasteurisation. We also assist companies in finding the best suppliers for the creation of a complete production line, acting as a true system integrator (as we’ve previously discussed here). This means our clients have a single point of contact for the entire project.
This approach optimises both costs and time, ensuring that the integration between ZACMI’s equipment and third-party machinery is as efficient as possible. Now, let’s dive into the details!
With our Worldwide Tour, we take you on a virtual journey around the world, showcasing how ZACMI’s pre- and post-sales support is a fundamental part of our work.
By showing you how we assist the companies we work with—sending our specialised technicians for installations, initial start-ups, machine testing (even on custom projects), as well as routine and extraordinary maintenance—we also demonstrate how essential it is for us to support you in every step of your production development. With this approach, ZACMI is not just a supplier but a truly reliable partner you can always count on.
With this series, we also like to explore the socio-cultural aspects of the products our machines process. The F&B industry is so rich in anecdotes and curiosities that we couldn’t help but share everything we’ve learned in over 70 years of experience.
This time, as mentioned, the production line we are installing is dedicated to pet food.
We’ve already covered this topic in Episode No. 3 (where we discussed the origins of pet food and its qualitative evolution towards the “human-grade” level) and in Episode No. 6 (where we talked about pet food as a safe haven asset, given the immense growth of the pet industry).
So, we won’t repeat ourselves here, but if you haven’t read those episodes yet, we highly recommend them, as we find them truly fascinating.
Today, however, we’ll share some unique anecdotes with you, and we guarantee you’ll be amazed.
We’re not joking—this episode is truly spectacular!
But first, let’s check in with our technicians in Indonesia.
Ready for take-off!
Why You Can Rely on Us for the Design of a Complete Production Line
As mentioned earlier, in Indonesia, we are embarking on an ambitious challenge (although certainly not a new one for us): the installation and commissioning of two complete pet food production lines. This is a complex project that integrates highly technical and innovative solutions.
- The first plant includes a telescopic filler, a linear filler, a seamer with DSM – essential for seam control – as well as a washer and x-ray technology.
- The second plant, on the other hand, consists of a piston filler, a seamer also equipped with DSM, a washer, and a weight control machine.
Let’s take a closer look at the ZACMI equipment involved in the project
Telescopic Filler: Precision and Flexibility
Our telescopic filler is designed to ensure uniform and accurate dosing. Thanks to its advanced telescopic mechanism, this machine can adapt to different types of packaging while maintaining precision, even in high-speed production cycles. Its technical features allow for extremely precise volume control, optimising yield and minimising waste.
Piston Filler: Efficiency and Versatility for Complex Lines
The piston filler system is ideal for handling products of varying viscosity and consistency. Designed to ensure a constant and reliable output, this machine offers excellent operational dependability. Its robust and modular structure allows for easy integration into highly structured production lines, ensuring high performance and adaptability to specific processing requirements.
Linear Filler: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
This machine is designed for filling liquid or semi-dense products, even those containing suspended particles, and is suitable for use with glass, metal, or plastic containers. It is ideal for low-speed applications.
Ultra-Fast Clean Design Seamer and the D.S.M. System
The Clean Design seamer stands out for its innovation and operational efficiency. Equipped with an advanced control system, this machine enables quick and secure packaging closure (we’re talking about a maximum threshold of 1600 c.p.m.), minimising the risk of errors.
ZACMI’s Double Seam Monitoring (D.S.M.), integrated into the line, monitors the accuracy of can seaming in real time. Special sensors, mounted on the second cam, record force signal measurements, immediately detecting anomalies such as damaged flanges or the presence of foreign objects.
This cutting-edge system not only allows for data export for remote analysis but also enables easy adjustment of settings, contributing to the longevity of components and the optimisation of the entire sealing process.
Integration and a Vision for the Future of Pet Food – and Beyond
The integration of ZACMI machinery with other external technologies (such as the washer, x-ray, and weight control machine) highlights not only our ability to manage complex and well-coordinated projects but also our commitment to delivering a comprehensive service that ensures high production standards from day one.
The presence of our specialised technicians on-site (which inspired the motto of this series: Tech Wizards, At Your Turf), responsible for commissioning and optimising the two lines, marks the beginning of a collaboration with this major company (which, as always, we cannot name for privacy reasons). This partnership is aimed at ensuring a precise and sustainable production process in the strategic Indonesian market.
But now, after all this technical talk and a bit of well-deserved self-praise (how could we resist?), why don’t we take a lighter approach and enjoy some anecdotes about pet food, as promised?
This is a world full of fascinating and amusing stories—some a little sad but deeply significant, as we’ll see when discussing the Great Depression in the United States. These tales reflect how the pet food industry has been shaped by history and culture and how, in turn, it has influenced them, leaving a major impact on society.
The Dog That Inspired the First Canned Pet Food
During World War I, an American entrepreneur observed a curious phenomenon that would forever change the way pets are fed: his dog was eating the canned meat intended for soldiers (by the way, we discussed the origins of canned meat in the previous episode). This practical and easily preservable solution had been developed to meet the dietary needs of the military.
This event inspired the entrepreneur to create the first canned food specifically designed for dogs, an innovation that proved to be an immediate success.
Initially introduced to cater to the army’s nutritional requirements during the war, canned meat turned out to be ideal for pets as well: it was easy to store, transport, and serve—qualities that made it particularly attractive to dog owners. The idea of adapting this product for animals stemmed from a simple yet brilliant intuition: if it worked for soldiers operating in harsh war conditions, why not offer the same convenience to pets?
The foresight of this American entrepreneur marked the beginning of the commercial pet food market.
The first canned dog food was made using horse meat, an affordable and abundant ingredient at the time. Although there was some initial resistance from consumers to the idea of feeding their pets horse meat, the product quickly found a market due to its practicality and cost-effectiveness.
The popularity of canned dog food grew even further when it was associated with innovative advertising campaigns, including one featuring Rin Tin Tin, the famous silent film canine star (we’ll discuss this shortly).
The introduction of canned food not only revolutionised the way dogs were fed but also paved the way for further innovations in the pet food industry.
After the war, the industry continued to evolve with the introduction of dry foods and technologies such as extrusion, which enabled the production of lightweight, easily stored kibble.
These developments were driven by consumers’ desire for increasingly convenient and practical solutions for feeding their pets.
But we’re not done yet—after all, we promised to talk about Rin Tin Tin, didn’t we?
Rin Tin Tin, the Birth of Celebrity Marketing, and the Man Who Ate Dog Food to Land a Canine Star
In the 1920s, the Ken-L Ration brand revolutionised the pet food market, not only by introducing the first canned food for domestic animals but also by pioneering one of the earliest celebrity-driven marketing strategies. The collaboration with Rin Tin Tin, the famous German Shepherd from silent cinema, marked a crucial turning point in the history of pet food and advertising.
Rin Tin Tin, also known as “Rinty,” was a German Shepherd rescued during World War I by an American soldier named Lee Duncan. Brought to the United States, Rinty was trained and became one of Hollywood’s first canine stars, appearing in as many as 26 films produced by Warner Bros. His success wasn’t confined to the silver screen—Rin Tin Tin embodied the ideal of canine loyalty and intelligence, capturing the hearts of the American public.
Ken-L Ration, introduced in 1922 by the Chappel Brothers of Rockford, Illinois, was the first mass-produced canned dog food in the United States.
Its primary ingredient—horse meat, as mentioned earlier—was marketed as “lean red meat” to appeal to initially sceptical consumers. This product responded to the growing demand for convenience and nutrition for pets, which were increasingly becoming an integral part of American households.
The Chappel Brothers quickly recognised Rin Tin Tin’s potential as a brand ambassador.
To convince Lee Duncan to collaborate, one of the company’s executives even went as far as eating a can of Ken-L Ration in front of him to prove the product’s quality. Duncan agreed, and Rin Tin Tin became the face of the brand.
The advertisements featured the slogan “My Favourite Food, Most Faithfully, Rin Tin Tin” and leveraged the beloved dog’s image to promote canned pet food.
This strategy was one of the first examples of celebrity endorsement in the pet food industry.
The association with a beloved figure like Rin Tin Tin not only significantly boosted Ken-L Ration’s sales but also helped solidify the idea that dogs deserved dedicated, high-quality food (as discussed in the previously mentioned Episode 3).
This innovative approach paved the way for the use of famous testimonials to influence consumer choices.
The partnership between Rin Tin Tin and Ken-L Ration was not only a huge commercial success but also a milestone in marketing history.
It demonstrated how the strategic use of celebrities could transform an ordinary product into a cultural phenomenon.
Even today, this collaboration is remembered as a pioneering example of how marketing can shape consumer habits and influence entire industries.
However, while the idea of dog food was originally inspired by canned human food, there was a moment—albeit a rather tragic one—when the roles were reversed…
The Case of Dog Food as a Substitute for Humans
The Great Depression (1929-1939) was one of the most difficult periods in modern American history, marked by mass unemployment, extreme poverty, and severe food shortages.
In this context, dog food, originally created for pets, became, in some cases, an extreme resource for humans. Although tragic, this phenomenon highlights the severity of the economic conditions of the time and offers an important reflection on human resilience and food security.
During the Great Depression, millions of Americans lost their jobs and found themselves struggling to meet even their most basic needs. Lines for a hot meal at charity soup kitchens became an iconic image of that period. However, not everyone had access to these charitable resources. Some were forced to resort to extreme solutions, such as eating dog food, which at the time primarily consisted of canned meat.
This product was cheap, easily available, and often more nutritious than other alternatives available.
A particularly bitter aspect of the Great Depression was the paradox of the intentional destruction of food by the government to maintain high agricultural prices.
As described by John Steinbeck in his novel “The Grapes of Wrath”, vast quantities of crops were burned or left to rot, while millions of people were suffering from hunger. This policy, introduced through theAgricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, aimed to support farmers but further aggravated the food crisis for the poorest.
The use of dog food by humans during the Great Depression raised questions about the quality and safety of food intended for animals.
Although pet food was not initially subject to strict regulations, events like these contributed to raising public awareness about the importance of setting higher standards.
In the years that followed, stricter regulations were introduced to ensure that pet food was safe both for animals and, in extreme cases, for human consumers.
Today, we have “Human Grade Food,” and ZACMI machinery is designed to fully comply with the hygiene and safety standards imposed by current regulations.
In any case, this anecdote (undoubtedly grim but also highly significant) demonstrates how, in times of crisis, people are willing to adapt and find creative solutions to survive. At the same time, it underscores the importance of economic and social policies that prevent such extreme situations.
The Great Depression not only changed the way Americans faced hunger but also profoundly influenced the dynamics of the food market and the perception of food safety.
Since the last anecdote wasn’t the most cheerful, let’s end on a lighter note with a fun curiosity: did you know that in Italian, there are two ways to refer to extruded dog food?
One is ‘crocchette’ (kibble) and the other is ‘croccantini’ (crunchies) In the next section, we’ll delve into the intriguing difference between these terms and explore the role of onomatopoeic sounds in the Italian language.
“Crocchette” and “Croccantini”: crunching, crackling and terminological overlaps
The term “crocchette” (kibble, but in Italian translated as “croquettes”) for dry dog food does not, as one might mistakenly assume, come from the crunchy texture of the product. Instead, it appears to be the result of a linguistic and cultural evolution. The word “crocchetta” is rooted in the French verb “croquer”, meaning “to crunch” or “to crackle,” but in Italian, it is more commonly associated with the verb “croccare” (to crunch) .
However, traditional crocchette—such as the ones made from potatoes or meat, which are breaded and fried—have no direct connection to dry dog food.
The name “crocchette” for dog food might have been adopted by analogy, referencing the form or structure of traditional food items. This term has a more recent usage and could have been influenced by the familiarity of the word in Italian cuisine, where “crocchette” refers to fried breaded patties made from potatoes or meat. While dog kibble is not as crunchy as these traditional “crocchette”, the name likely stuck because of its recognisability and widespread use in everyday language.
On the other hand, the term “croccantino” (translated as crunchies) is more recent and specifically refers to dry food for pets. It is a diminutive of “croccante” (meaning “crunchy” or “crisp”) and, in this sense, aligns more closely with the texture of the product—though, again, dog kibble is not strictly “crunchy” in the traditional sense.
Still, “croccantino” has become an accepted and commonly used term, particularly in recent years.
In fact, the Treccani Dictionary only included croccantino as an official term in 2016, underscoring its relatively recent adoption into the Italian lexicon.
The differences between “crocchette” and “croccantini” are thus not only rooted in size and context but also in the onomatopoeic sound of the words. Crocchette carries with it a more general sense of crunching or crackling, whereas “croccantino” evokes a more specific, diminutive idea of something small and crunchy—reinforcing the image of a bite-sized dog food pellet.
These nuanced variations in terminology reflect both the product’s cultural context and the evolution of language over time.
Concluding… Crunchy!
Alright, we admit it – that was a bit of a cheesy wordplay to end on. “Crunchy” has come to symbolise something particularly appetising and intriguing, and it’s in this sense that we’re using the term to wrap up our article.
In the preceding lines, we’ve seen how a food originally created for animal consumption has not only a rich history of anecdotes but has, in one way or another, become a symbol of societal change, influencing both public health and commerce.
From the first appearance of canned pet food to today’s meticulous focus on ingredients and production methods, ZACMI has positioned itself at the forefront with cutting-edge machinery designed to ensure efficient production, longevity, and compliance with strict hygiene standards, offering our clients comprehensive lines for producing premium-quality pet food.
So, the next time you see wagging tails and happy pups, you might just remember that a little bit of that tail-wagging satisfaction could be thanks to ZACMI!