Redcliffe Oxley Meats is an award-winning retail butcher shop located in the bayside region of Redcliffe, Brisbane, Queensland. After two decades of trading in this location, the business has earned a reputation for top-quality meats.
Background
For owner and manager Paul Robson, product presentation and display in the shop is crucial. He knows an attractive display creates a positive first impression, drawing customers in and showcasing his commitment to quality, hygiene, and stocking a variety of products. A well-organised shop layout — with clearly labeled and neatly packaged products — makes it easy for his customers to find and choose what they need.
Like many other butchers, Paul works diligently to keep his display fully stocked at all times. Ensuring the meticulous presentation of his products is a daily commitment that involves careful wrapping, weighing and labelling of each tray of meat, chicken, or pork product. Each tray must be adorned with a sticker highlighting price, new products, prime cuts, or special offers.
The Challenge
The business relied on a manual process to wrap and weigh their extensive selection of meat products. Maintaining high standards of weighing, packaging, and presentation was time-consuming and labour-intensive. The 25-year-old manual hand wrapper used by Paul and his staff was prone to bubbles and leak, impacting presentation, and adding to their workload when products needed to be rewrapped.
These challenges were especially pronounced during weekend shifts when fewer staff members were available. A significant portion of the workload during these times was dedicated to weighing and wrapping products, demanding considerable time and effort. It prevented staff from focusing on other essential tasks, like assisting customers, or resetting the store for the week of trade ahead. These challenges impacted the amount of time staff could be on the counter to serve and reduced the overall efficiency of the store.
The Solution
To rise above these challenges, Redcliffe Oxley Meats opted to automate their manual wrapping process by acquiring a semi-automatic wrapper from Ishida. The business invested in an Ishida WM-Nano Wrapper supplied by Commercial Products (ICP), a division of Heat and Control, a leading equipment manufacturer for the global food industry.
The WM-Nano stood out as the world’s first tabletop wrapper equipped with a scale and printer. Paul selected the equipment for its fast and consistent wrapping capability, processing up to 15 packs per minute — and its ability to produce flawlessly wrapped trays without bubbles or leaks — every time. Meeting Paul’s exacting presentation standards, the WM-Nano Wrapper guarantees each tray is wrapped to the same standard, with reliable high-speed precision, and no imperfections. In addition to being fast and effective, the wrapper also saves on film use and reduces wastage, with savings on film usage around 30% compared to wrapping meat trays by hand.
In addition to its practical application, Paul was able to claim an immediate tax deduction for the equipment, under Government’s instant asset write-off scheme, currently applicable for the 2024-2025 income year.
Redcliffe Oxley Meats now has the high-quality wrapping equipment solution they needed — to elevate their weighing and packaging process — enhancing both efficiency and product quality.
Installation
After initially contacting Heat and Control, Paul was referred to the local sales and service division of ICP in his area. As the exclusive suppliers of Ishida commercial products in Australia, ICP are experts in commercial scales, weigh-wrapping, and weigh-price-labeling solutions for retail applications. A local agent worked closely with Paul to understand his challenges and requirements, before recommending WM-Nano as an ideal solution.
During installation, the ICP representative meticulously downloaded, inspected, and cleaned all of the butcher’s PLU data from the old scale before uploading it to the new Ishida WM-Nano auto-wrapper. Additionally, they ensured that all of the wrapper’s data, including tray, label, and PLU data, was securely backed up via a USB memory stick, ensuring data integrity and swift recovery in case of emergencies.
While the Nano Wrapper has WiFi capabilities (making it easy to connect to a back-office computer and allowing unlimited PLU storage) Paul opted for a stand-alone setup.
The Result
Following implementation of the WM-Nano Wrapper from Ishida Commercial Products, Redcliffe Oxley Meats has experienced notable improvements in their day-to-day operations. According to Paul, the adoption of this equipment has significantly increased productivity, product quality, and their ability to provide customer service. The installation of the new automatic wrapper has dramatically reduced the time spent wrapping — resulting in improved overall productivity and efficiency, particularly on weekends. Moreover, the equipment has enhanced the quality and presentation of his meat products, with a steady stream of perfectly wrapped meat trays consistently filling the displays.
