The Challenge
During my tenure as a Quality Controller at Coca-Cola, I was responsible for overseeing the production many products, one of these was Novida, a popular malt-based carbonated beverage. A persistent production issue emerged: bottles consistently leaving the filling station only half-filled, creating significant waste and reducing production efficiency.
Investigation Process
Upon noticing this pattern of half-fills across multiple production shifts, a comprehensive root cause analysis was initiated:
- Initial Assessment: The initial suspect was water quality issues might be causing the inconsistent fills.
- Component Analysis: Upon closer examination, I identified that the problem was more complex and related to the formulation itself.
- Scientific Evaluation: On close analysis of the beverage composition, Novida’s high sugar content was interacting with carbon dioxide and whey proteins (key ingredients in the malt beverage) to create excessive foaming during the filling process.
- Problem Identification: This excessive foaming was preventing bottles from being properly filled, resulting in the half-filled bottles and production inefficiencies.
The Solution
Based on analysis, a strategic reformulation of the Novida beverage was the best solution:
- Sugar Reduction: Significantly decreased the amount of sugar in the formulation to reduce the foaming reaction during filling.
- Sweetness Preservation: Maintained the beverage’s expected sweetness profile by introducing sodium saccharin, a non-nutritive sweetener, to compensate for the reduced sugar content.
- Flavor Balance: Carefully balanced the reformulation to ensure the product’s taste remained consistent with consumer expectations.
Results
The reformulation delivered immediate and significant improvements:
- Eliminated Half-Fills: The production line saw an immediate reduction in half-filled bottles.
- Improved Production Efficiency: With fewer production interruptions and reduced product waste, overall manufacturing efficiency increased.
- Maintained Product Quality: The reformulated beverage preserved the expected taste profile while solving the technical production issue.
- Cost Savings: The solution generated savings through reduced waste and improved production throughput.
This case demonstrates how expert knowledge of beverage chemistry and formulation can solve complex production challenges while maintaining product quality and consumer acceptance.