When it is not possible to cook a full meal, instant products become a real salvation.
Field trips, long trips, irregular working hours ... When it is not possible to cook a full breakfast, lunch or dinner, instant foods become a real salvation. Myslo learned how to make instant mashed potatoes at Maxim Gorky Plus LLC.
The site was not chosen by chance. The fact is that the products manufactured by Maxim Gorky Plus LLC were tried at least once by almost everyone, not only Tula, but also a resident of Russia in general. It is this company that for many years has been producing the basis for the most popular brands of mashed potatoes, chips, snacks, semi-finished products. Among regular customers there are many manufacturers of sausages. A good part of the products is exported to Europe, in addition, in the fall of 2019, the company entered into two contracts with China.
In all cases, Maxim Gorky Plus LLC supplies dry potato flakes, and manufacturers, according to their recipe, create their own product lines. That is why it was important to learn how to cook what we all eat.
Maxim Gorky Plus LLC is located in the Chernsky district of the Tula region, in the village of Popovka 1st. Its history begins from the Soviet years - then it was a collective farm that produced potatoes for sale and for seeds. The land was transferred to private hands in 2006, the first production facilities for washing and packing table potatoes appeared here. In 2011, Maxim Gorky LLC (that was the original name) established a potato flakes workshop. The company began to be associated not only with potatoes, but also with semi-finished products from it. Due to the rapid growth in sales and increased demand in mid-2017, the company doubled its production capacity. In 2018, it entered the next stage of development: the new owner began the process of modernizing production facilities, introduced a modern security system, while retaining the work team of the plant. Now Maxim Gorky Plus LLC is a successful enterprise, known far beyond the borders of Russia.
The quality of any product depends on the raw material from which it is made. Maxim Gorky Plus LLC produces the bulk of its products from potatoes - both its own, grown in the Bryansk region, and grown by other agricultural enterprises - Tula and from neighboring regions.
In order to guarantee that such a volume of raw materials is guaranteed daily, there are more than two dozen hangars with a controlled ventilation system in the territory of the plant. One such hangar holds potatoes for two weeks of uninterrupted operation of the enterprise.
Controls the acceptance and storage of potatoes Andrei Filippov - head of the core sector.
- A sample is taken from each machine that brought the potatoes and sent to the laboratory. If the cargo meets the necessary requirements, it is sent to the warehouse. The most important thing when laying potatoes for storage is to create the right microclimate in order to prevent sugar levels in the tubers from rising. For this, it is necessary to maintain a certain air temperature and ventilation in the hangars, ”says Andrei Filippov. - This year the winter is still warm, so there is no need for the conservation of hangars. And if the temperatures are below zero, then the hangars close and open immediately before sending potatoes to the workshop. Every day we check the condition of potatoes by entering the storages through special ventilation compartments. Entrance to the production part is possible only in overalls, a headdress and clean shoes, be sure to wash my hands with special equipment.
Turning potatoes into flakes begins with washing the tubers. After a shower, they are sent along the conveyor to a special container - a piller, where the peel is removed from them.
Pressure in several atmospheres literally blows it up. After the potato passes through a system of brushes that peel off the remnants of the peel.
Then the potatoes arrive at the sorting point, where poor-quality tubers are manually harvested. This is one of the most important stages, because it depends on the attentiveness of the sorters how high-quality the final product will be.
They cleverly discard unsuitable potatoes, and the rest continue to move along the conveyor. After cooling, the tubers are delivered to the cooker, where they are cooked for 10-20 minutes, depending on the variety. Boiled potatoes are sent under the press - huge drums that turn it into mashed potatoes. From the drums, mashed potatoes fall onto yet another filter, which traps the eyes and the remains of the peel.
On drying, only pure mashed potatoes without unnecessary impurities - it is a uniform color, like mashed potatoes cooked at home.
Wide canvases, similar to the finest fabric, come out of the dryer. After they crumble and turn into flakes. From the moment the potatoes arrive at the sink and until the dry product is obtained, about 1,5-2 hours pass.
The whole process was organized by technologist Valentina Kavkova:
- I cannot imagine myself without this enterprise, I came to it in 2006, when the plant was just starting up, and made up the technical conditions for the production lines. About a hundred people work in my workshop. I’m glad that each of them takes his responsibilities with great responsibility, ”says Valentina Yuryevna.
The production process is fully automated, at each stage, except for sorting, one employee per shift. To ensure that all mechanisms work properly, the shift master Yuri Matosov monitors:
- The process is completely under control - the main indicators are displayed on the monitors: temperature, pressure, electrical data. If there is a problem, the place of failure is displayed on the computer. Immediately send the masters, and she urgently eliminated. I love my work, there is a good salary and a wonderful team.
The repair team is led by Sergei Golyshev:
“I have been working here for ten years.” After the army, he got a job as a locksmith, and when the production line appeared, he transferred to the technological workshop. The hottest month is July, it is scheduled maintenance of the entire line. She stops for a long time only once a year, for thirty days we must have time to prepare her for a new uninterrupted work season.
Ready-made potato flakes go to the packaging workshop, where they are packed in bags. Every day up to 50 tons of finished products pass through the packaging.
By the way, there are practically no finished products at the warehouse. The fact is that it is immediately sent to customers and simply does not have time to lie down. Last year, the warehouse was equipped with a second shipping zone so that customers did not stand in line and could pick up finished products faster.
Another small room is located next to the packing shop - after a large-scale production of flakes, this line looks miniature.
It houses a workshop for the production of its own line of Pureshka fast food products: packaged mashed potatoes without additives and glasses with mashed potatoes with different tastes. Their recipe was also developed by Valentina Yuryevna. The workshop, although modest in size, produces up to 100 tons of finished products per month. It is sold in large chain stores in the Tula region.
In 2019, Maxim Gorky Plus LLC received an award for the Pyureshka product line - the diploma “One Hundred Best Goods of Russia”.
We were able to evaluate the taste qualities of mashed potatoes right at the factory, together with the technologist and executive director, we had lunch with the mashed potatoes just prepared. The taste is well balanced, unlike other manufacturers, in Pyureshka the optimal combination of salt and spices.
- We do a sample of product quality every hour. This is necessary in order to be sure of our product. Each customer presents his requirements for the finished product, so we follow this, ”explained Valentina Kavkova.
The company plans to expand production. Currently, documentation is being actively developed to increase the area for storing potatoes and production lines. In this regard, Maxim Gorky Plus LLC invites engineers, technologists and other specialists to work. In addition to a decent salary, the company provides a transfer of employees. Nonresident specialists with higher education are provided with housing from the production site.
Source: the myslo.r