Simple Automation with a Big Impact at Dakota Provisions
When Dakota Provisions changed to a new tray type, it became the trigger for rethinking a larger part of their packaging process. The limitations of the old setup made it clear that a new and more flexible solution was needed.
Dakota Provisions x QUPAQ
Dakota Provisions has been a part of the U.S. poultry industry since 2007, specializing exclusively in turkey. With around 900 employees and a daily target of 20,000 birds, the company operates in an environment where consistency, reliability, and efficiency are fundamental. This is especially evident in packaging, where even small disruptions can quickly affect throughput and quality.
New Tray Format, New Challenges
As part of its retail business, Dakota Provisions produces raw ground turkey packed in trays. When the company moved from skin pack trays to a new MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) tray design, an unexpected challenge emerged. The existing tray denesting equipment simply wasn’t built to handle the new format.
“We part out our turkeys and use the parts for raw ground turkey trays sold in retail, and when we moved to a MAP application, the denester that we originally purchased was not able to handle that new tray design,” explains Jack Wilslef, Director of Operations at Dakota Provisions.
The tray change became the trigger for rethinking a larger part of the packaging process. The limitations of the old setup made it clear that a new solution was needed – a tray denester that could accommodate the new tray design while supporting higher throughput and future automation.
Dakota Provisions’ headquarters are located in Huron, South Dakota in the US.
The Deciding Factors
The first introduction to QUPAQ came through an industry trade show. At the time, Dakota Provisions wasn’t actively shopping for new equipment, but the timing turned out to be right.
As Alex Nelson, Process Integrations Engineer- and Maintenance Manager at Dakota Provisions, explains:
“I saw a piece of QUPAQ equipment at the IPPE show in Atlanta and talked briefly with the sales team. We weren’t really in the market yet, but we knew we were changing trays and increasing throughput, and that we’d eventually need to go in a different direction.”
After seeing the equipment in operation and evaluating available options, QUPAQ quickly stood out. While cost was naturally a factor, performance and simplicity became decisive.
“There are probably a hundred companies out there that denest trays, but QUPAQ’s was the simplest. The drop‑in, drop‑out tooling and a changeover time of just two minutes was huge for us. QUPAQ didn’t try to reinvent the wheel – they just made it simple, effective, and reliable.”
Alex Nelson, Process Integrations Engineer- and Maintenance Manager at Dakota Provisions
The Smart Buffer Servo tray denester was the first QUPAQ solution Dakota Provisions decided to buy, and after seeing how well it performed, they expanded the collaboration to include an Easy Loader 90 as well. With this loader, Dakota Provisions was now able to load 90 trays with minced turkey per minute.
Fast Implementation & Proven Results
From the moment the equipment reached the production floor, installation was completed within a day to a day and a half, which was faster than planned.
“It arrived early, sat on our docks briefly, and once it hit the floor, it was up and running quickly,” says Alex. “We had two days scheduled for installation, and it finished ahead of that, so it exceeded the expectations.”
QUPAQ technicians remained onsite for several days to ensure stable operation and train operators. “It worked like it said it would,” Alex adds simply.
Today, the QUPAQ equipment runs roughly 20 hours a day, stopping nightly for cleaning. Reliability has been a defining factor in daily operations. Operationally, the impact has been significant. In combination with additional equipment installed elsewhere on the line, production that previously took seven days can now be completed in four. When isolating the contribution from QUPAQ’s solution alone, Dakota Provisions estimates that rework has been reduced by at least 25 percent.
Looking back at the full project, from selection and installation to daily operation, satisfaction is clear.
“I’m very satisfied,” Alex says, a sentiment shared by Jack: “and when Alex is satisfied, I’m satisfied.”
For Dakota Provisions, the QUPAQ solution has proven to be exactly what was needed: a dependable, straightforward piece of automation that supports current demands while preparing the operation for what comes next.
