Developing healthy value chains

We're here for you

“We want to see you succeed in effectively processing fruits, vegetables and nuts to preserve their quality while reducing food waste.”

Our vision

“We drive positive change by establishing sustainable agribusinesses that build value chains and empower entrepreneurs.”

Why choose us?

When you choose us, you choose more than just consultation: we’re with you every step of the way.

Our solutions

Primary equipment

The button below will redirect you to our new and used agricultural equipment marketplace.

Cold Storage

Cold storage facilities keep vegetables and fruit fresh much longer than simple refrigeration. 

Drying

Agricultural drying facilities are used for processing fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices to increase shelf life and transportability while intensifying flavor.

Nut Cracking

Industrial nut cracking machines effectively process whole nuts to remove the shells and separate shells from intact kernels.

Chopping and Slicing

Chopping and slicing equipment is used to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables for drying or freezing before packaging.

Sorting

Sorting machinery separates components by quality, physical characteristics or color as an indicator of ripeness and other factors.

Packaging

Every item we purchase, whether online or in person, local or international, is packaged to protect goods.

Market Acces

Market access is simply your ability to sell your product, either locally or internationally. 

Cold Storage

What it is

Cold storage facilities keep vegetables and fruit fresh much longer than simple refrigeration. These facilities are a great investment for produce with a naturally short harvest season, since they allow for longer market availability and decreased product losses due to spoilage.

 

How it Works

In cold storage, both climate and atmosphere are optimally controlled to prevent fungal and bacterial growth, greatly increasing the shelf life of fresh produce. By decreasing the concentration of oxygen and adding certified gasses to a low temperature environment, conditions are such that spoilage is slowed and produce stays marketable longer. Depending on the product, freshness can be maintained for up to a year.

You can read more about training we provide on this topic on our agribusiness training page.

 

Curious if a cold storage unit is the right investment for you?

Contact us and we will figure it out. We discuss the optimal parameters to suit your storage needs and do a ballpark calculation to determine feasibility before performing more comprehensive calculations based on market data, your current resources, and required production capacity. Once a plan is formalized and you decide to move forward, we take care of sourcing and helping you install state-of-the-art cold storage facilities which meet your needs with full climate-control capabilities and continuous monitoring of atmospheric composition and temperature.

Call us

+31 (0) 317 31 12 12

E-mail

Info (@) tgsbusiness.com

Drying

What it is

Agricultural drying facilities are used for processing fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices to increase shelf life and transportability while intensifying flavor. A typical drying line will also include washing units and slicing, chopping, or de-pitting machinery, depending on the product. Chopping or slicing equipment is often necessary when drying larger fruits or vegetables (like apples, zucchini, carrots, or pears) but is not always necessary for cherry tomatoes, persimmons, and any small fruits or vegetables with high water content. De-pitting is done either before or after drying, depending on the fruit. Some important concerns when determining drying parameters include maintaining flavor profiles, setting parameters to avoid over-drying, and maintaining hygienic conditions.

 

How it Works

The two main types of industrial dryers used for agricultural applications today are static dryers and continuous dryers, compared below. 

Quick comparison

Static dryer

  • Relatively low initial investment
  • Production in batches of ~800-5000 kg per day, 2-3 batches per day
  • Slightly lower product uniformity
  • Somewhat labour intensive
  • Does not have modular capacity for processing line
How do static dryers work?

Static dryers (or batch dryers) are heated stainless steel chambers containing mesh wire shelves for the produce to be dried on. Static dryers work by producing a constant stream of hot, dry air that enters the unit, flows through the chamber, and is vented to be dehumidified and reheated before re-entering the unit. Constant airflow dries the product uniformly, and automatic monitoring and shut off result in properly dried, hygienic fruit and vegetables.

This system ensures that no condensation is formed and the product is not over-dry and tough, while decreasing operating costs through sustainable power usage.  While this drying method does result in a slight decrease in product uniformity, the initial investment is relatively low, and these units can process 800 – 5,000 kg per batch with  2-3 batches completed each day. Depending on the product, required production capacity, and uniformity requirements, this could be an excellent choice for your production line.

Continuous dryer

  • Higher initial investment
  • Can produce between 3000 kg – 50,000 kg of dried fruit per day
  • Highest possible product uniformity
  • Low labour requirements
  • Can directly feed into next step in processing line
How do continuous dryers work?

For a continuous dryer, fresh produce is constantly fed into the partially sealed hot air chamber via a conveyor belt and slowly dried. The dried fruit exits the chamber and either feeds into the next unit for further processing or is fed directly into a packaging unit. Though it involves a higher initial investment, given the increase in product quality, higher throughput, and lower operational costs, the initial costs incurred can be captured relatively quickly depending on production capacity.

Get advice on choosing the best drying facility now!

When it comes to choosing the best machinery for your production line, there are many variables to consider. There’s the initial cost, but also setup and maintenance costs, depreciation and repair costs, compatibility with the equipment you already have, as well as maintaining hygienic production conditions, your production rate–the list goes on. Optimizing all of these parameters at once can be challenging.

It can be helpful to work out the math with someone who’s done it many times before and knows the ins and outs of the industry, is able to effectively address your needs and fulfill them while helping you become self-sufficient along the way. With experience in sourcing and installing industrial food dryers, we have an established network to source high quality dryers from and the know-how to ensure the process runs smoothly, regardless of your context.

Call us

+31 (0) 317 31 12 12

E-mail

Info (@) tgsbusiness.com

Nut Cracking

What it is

Industrial nut cracking machines effectively process whole nuts to remove the shells and separate shells from intact kernels.

 

How it Works

The nuts are cracked either by a series of rollers or concentric metal drums, either of which use friction to split and shear off the shells while allowing the whole kernels to freely drop into a hopper for collection. Nut cracking machinery is necessary for any industrial or scale-up nut production, with different specifications required depending on the type of nuts being processed. A nut production line generally involves washing machinery, nut shelling machinery, kernel shell separators, grading machinery (either mechanical or manual), and packaging facilities.

Types of nuts: hard or medium-hard shell nuts, such as palm, macadamia, walnut, pecan, almond, hazelnut, chestnut.

Find the solution to your nut processing needs today!

We specialize in finding practical solutions to your unique nut processing needs. Whether you’re an experienced orchardist looking to expand your business or just starting out as a nut grower, we can help with everything from effective growing and harvesting techniques to sourcing and installing the right processing and nut cracking equipment and connecting with local and international customers. Looking to succeed in the nut industry? Look no further. We provide you with all the know-how and practical support to succeed in the nut industry.

Call us

+31 (0) 317 31 12 12

E-mail

Info (@) tgsbusiness.com

Chopping and Slicing

What it is

Industrial chopping and slicing equipment is used to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables for drying, freezing, freeze-drying, or as a final step before packaging. Whether you’re wanting to sell dried fruit slices for healthy snacking or the tastiest veggie chips, chopped fresh salad or cubed frozen fruit for smoothies, you’ll need high-quality chopping or slicing equipment in your processing line that is compatible with your pre-existing equipment, can keep up with your throughput, and doesn’t break the bank.

Want to make the best choice for your processing line?

Let us help you define your parameters, source the necessary materials and machinery, coordinate the delivery, and ensure that installation is quick and correct so you can keep doing what you do best.

Call us

+31 (0) 317 31 12 12

E-mail

Info (@) tgsbusiness.com

Sorting

What it is

Sorting machinery separates components by quality, physical characteristics (like weight, size, firmness, or physical defects), or color as an indicator of ripeness and are typically included in any fresh fruit, vegetable, or nut processing line. A washing line is normally incorporated with sorting machinery and a pallet tipper to pour the fruit or vegetables into the water, before they are fed into the sorting machinery, generally while still wet. The three primary types of sorting are mechanical sorting, manual sorting, and optical sorting.

 

 

Quick comparison

Physical sorting

  • Low initial investment
  • Moderate labour cost
  • Products: apples, …
  • Accuracy for weight
  • Throughput: …
How it works

Mechanical sorting equipment sorts vegetables, fruit, and nuts by weight or size. This equipment involves a smaller initial investment and lower labour cost compared with manual sorting. For fruits and vegetables which are graded based on size, this type of equipment is a good choice. For example, apples and watermelons can be mechanically sorted with good fidelity. For fruits and vegetables with multiple relevant parameters for determining grade, an optical sorter is preferable. 

Manual sorting

  • Low initial investment
  • High labour cost
  • Products: nuts, …
  • Moderate accuracy for ripeness and damage
  • Throughput: …
How it works

Manual sorting equipment involves the lowest initial investment but involves ongoing labour costs as the product is manually separated by individuals along a vibrating or roller table. This method involves a certain amount of error since not everyone will be as observant and sort in the same way. This method is ideal if labour is readily available and for products which are easily damaged, underripe, or exhibit spoilage or bruising in a visually obvious way.

Optical sorting

  • High initial investment
  • Low labour cost
  • Products: cherry tomatoes, blueberries, tomatoes, bell peppers,
  • Maximum accuracy for ripeness, damage, size, and weight
  • Throughput: …
How it works

Optical sorting equipment is highly effective at grading agricultural products based on indicators of quality such as size, color, firmness, and the absence of spoilage or physical damage. Though they involve the largest initial investment, optical sorters have the highest fidelity, sort based on multiple parameters, and involve the lowest long-term costs in terms of labour. Optical sorting is ideal for tomatoes which are going to be sold fresh and blueberries, since ripeness indicators can be easily determined with optical sensors.

Do you want to purchase the right sorting equipment?

Getting the right sorting equipment depends largely on your production line and pre-existing equipment, throughput, quality requirements, and labour costs. With experience in optimizing all of these parameters, we are able to determine your exact needs and timeline, source the ideal sorting equipment for your production line, and make sure it’s set up properly and production-ready.

Call us

+31 (0) 317 31 12 12

E-mail

Info (@) tgsbusiness.com

Packaging

What it is

Every item we purchase, whether online or in person, local or international, generic or custom-made, is packaged to protect goods, preserve quality, and make it easy to transport. Packaging is especially important in the food industry, where 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted  each year due to spoilage or damage during transport. By choosing the right type of packaging and equipment for your processing plant, you  not only reduce waste by protecting your product and increasing ease of transport, but also add value by keeping it fresh. Packaging is especially important  for international exchange, as it ensures that products arrive in the same condition they left the production facility–organized, hygienic, and intact–and that they meet the hygiene and safety requirements for entry into the global economy.

 

How it works

Packaging equipment ranges from sterile food packaging units for vacuum sealing, bagging, and stretch wrapping, to boxing and bundling for delivery to local markets or export. Depending on your product, production rate, and market, your processing line may require multiple different types of packaging and packing machines which integrate seamlessly with each other and into your current setup. For example, your fresh tomato line may require measuring and boxing your product in plastic seal-top containers, printing and adhering labels, and packaging in corrugated cardboard boxes for transport. All of these machines must be integrated properly to prevent product loss and damage while maximizing efficiency. 

How we help you make the most informed decision that works for your context and fits into your supply chain: 

R

Determine your packaging needs based on your unique setup

+

Source equipment

Ensure equipment is properly installed and fully operable

Training employees in operation and maintenance

Ongoing support

Want to find the right packaging and equipment for your production line?

 

Let us help you identify your needs, source your equipment and packaging materials, and increase the value of your fresh or preserved product. We source standard equipment which combines seamlessly into your current environment, complies with your client requirements in terms of hygiene, size, and sustainability, and meets your labour and budget requirements.

 

Call us

+31 (0) 317 31 12 12

E-mail

Info (@) tgsbusiness.com

Market acces

What it is

Market access is simply your ability to sell your product, either locally or internationally. Having access to the market involves overcoming barriers to trade, which includes meeting local or international regulations and standards and obtaining certifications which add value and validity to your product.

 

How we help

We have experience helping clients in the following three main areas of market access:

  1. Identifying and complying with local and international standards, and meeting the criteria for certifications which increase market access. Depending on your market, obtaining organic, ISO (International Organization for Standardization), and/or GLOBAL G.A.P. certifications will increase your market access and the legitimacy of your business.
  2. Transport of goods and meeting transport requirements.
  3. Discovering wholesalers and potential purchasers for client’s products and making the connection in an efficient and effective manner that gives you the best chance of success.

Contact our experts

Get in touch with one of our experts, to help you get acces to your (local) markets.

     

    Call us

    +31 (0) 317 31 12 12

    E-mail

    Info (@) tgsbusiness.com

    Our approach

    With our clients, we usually go through a 3-step proces to help them find the right solution.
    Find out more below about how this works.

    Quick-Scan

    Business calculations

    Bussiness development plan

    Click the tabs above to read more about our 3-step approach.

    Quick-scan is a short consultation that will take you from a basic outline to an understanding of the investment required for your business plan and the steps to get there. We perform back-of-the-envelope calculations based on our extensive experience to determine the feasibility of your business idea or potential investment. If you have already done some research and collected information such as your operating costs, utility prices, product prices, and labour requirements and wages, we can do a free quick-scan very quickly. However, if we have to collect the data for you it will take a bit longer and there will be a small fee involved.

    Please contact us or fill out one of the contact forms and we’ll get back to you to set up a meeting time!

    Business calculations give you insight into the local and global market, help you choose the right investment strategy, and show what growth could look like for you. At TGS, we help you ensure that your plan is profitable before you even begin, or change a plan that is not working the way you want it to.

    The first thing is to look at your investment overview, which is the initial cost of starting your business or making a new investment. This could include purchasing new machinery or equipment, land, buildings, or other capital, but does not include any operational costs.

    Next, we want to look at all the variables for your production line. These are costs that you expect to change month by month or year to year, like labour, the selling price of your product, delivery charges, utilities, or sourcing raw materials. These are costs that fluctuate based on market conditions.

    Profit and loss calculations give an indication of profitability and your margins, information that helps you understand how solid your business is and gauge your ability to generate profit over a set period of time.

    Looking at cash flow helps you understand the daily operational costs and revenue of your business. While profit and loss calculations look at long-term changes and the overall financial position of your company, cash flow is what’s going on at the micro level in your business bank account.

    Finally, a flexibility test is used to look at how secure your business case is by measuring the response to fluctuations in your production costs or the sales price of your product. This test gives you insight into the overall financial stability of your company.

    Market Data is all about understanding the demand for what you are producing. This involves finding your market niche and determining what product grade you need to attain given your market, what standards and certifications are necessary to reach your customer, and determining what equipment is worth the investment given your resources. We own four profitable farms and grow a wide variety of crops while applying these principles and utilizing the same business calculations we will use to optimize your company’s performance.

    Example:

    Suppose you are operating an apple orchard in Uzbekistan. It is September and you have a lot of apples. You have three options: you could sell them immediately on the local market at a low price, store them in cold storage facilities and sell them later when demand is higher, or package them for export and sell your apples for a better price to a wholesaler in Russia. Determining which option is best involves understanding the local and global market and choosing what equipment to invest in and which certifications and permits to apply for.

    A. Bankable Business Plans

    A bankable business plan is one which is created with financial health in mind. It is seen by banks as a “good bet” in terms of your ability to handle assets, pay off loans, and manage debt. By working with us to create a bankable business plan, you give yourself and your business the best possible chance of success when applying to funding agencies or investors. We help you in the same way we’ve helped many other businesses to set your company apart in terms of financial security and make a strong case to the bank of your financial health and security. Not only does this give you the best chance of being granted funding, but gives you confidence in your ability to handle assets and grow your business for years to come.

    Disclaimer: We cannot ensure that your application will be accepted since it is purely the discretion of the funding agency whether to accept or reject an applicant. However we give you the best chance of being accepted.

    B. Subsidies and Funding Opportunities

    When it comes to locating and applying to subsidies, grants, and other funding opportunities for your business, the number of funding bodies, rules, regulations, and contingencies can be really challenging to navigate. Subsidies tend to be extremely specific and have a daunting level of complexity, making it easy to make a mistake or not realize that you do not meet the criteria for applying and be rejected without consideration. We have gone through this process many times before with clients and have gained the necessary experience to make locating and applying for funding as smooth as possible, and have built up a network of trusted contacts. While it can still feel like a maze at times, we’ve learned how to navigate the process of locating and applying to subsidies and grants in a way that maximizes your chance of success while minimizing mistakes and wasted time. Let us help you find your way through the maze and apply for the right grant or subsidy–as efficiently as possible, without the frustration of repeated rejections. Let us help you locate and apply for relevant grants, subsidies, and other funding opportunities and use them correctly to maximize benefit while being careful to follow all relevant laws and expectations.

    Disclaimer: We do not guarantee funding. We have experience in locating additional funding sources and subsidies, but the availability of funds depends on your unique circumstances and is ultimately at the sole discretion of the funding body.

    Find out more

    Are you looking for other solutions for your agribusiness?
    We just might have the right solution for you. Check out our other brands.

    TGS Post-harvest solutions is a sub-brand of our company TGS agribusiness solutions.

    Our mission is to drive positive change by establishing sustainable agribusinesses that build value chains and empower entrepreneurs.

    We provide all the software and hardware you need to start a company from the ground up. By delivering both equipment and business consultation, we are able to ensure your company is sustainable, profitable, and purpose-driven.

    If you are looking for other products and services, we might be able to help you.

    Find out more about our other products and services by visiting our main corporate website.

    One of our other sub-brands is TGS Sustainable Irrigation Solutions

    Our goal is to create climate resilient farms with water efficient irrigation systems tailored to the local context–economically viable, relevant to the local market, and ideal for regional ecological conditions.

    We provide a variety of innovative irrigation solutions from low-tech drip systems to fully integrated aquaponics farms, optimizing your water management for precision control of water and nutrients, increased yield and product quality, improved water use efficiency, and reduction in weeds and insects

    Find out more about Sustainable Irrigation Solutions by visiting the website.

    One of our other sub-brands is Fruit and nut solutions.

    We want to help you plant a high-yielding orchard of resistant trees and design and install irrigation tailored to your local context, as well as providing training on proper maintenance equipment and practices

    Our purpose is to provide everything you need for successful fruit and nut cultivation, from high-yielding resistant trees to irrigation tailored to your unique context, along with all the proper maintenance equipment and best-practice advice to ensure that your orchard succeeds year after year.

    Find out more about Fruit and nut solutions by visiting the website.