Case Study
From spreadsheets to full automation — how one operation achieved pack-level traceability for 1M+ eggs per day
A large-scale egg grading and packing facility replaced disconnected systems and paper records with EggLink — unifying supply, grading, packing, and dispatch into a single automated workflow. Here's what changed.
Key results at a glance
1M+
Eggs graded per day
Full production volume managed end-to-end — from farm supply intake through production into dispatch.
2
Grading machines
Two high-speed grading lines running simultaneously, unified under a single EggLink system.
28+
Connected devices
Printers, scanners & grading machines — all coordinated by EggLink Gateway, orchestrated by EggLink system.
100%
2-Way Pack-level traceability
Every pack, case, and pallet traced back to its originating farm, supply batch, and grading record, forward to it's final destination.
80%
Faster audit response
Traceability queries that once took hours are now resolved in seconds through instant system lookups.
90%
Less manual intervention
Automated workflows across labelling, scanning, and reporting — virtually eliminating human error.
The Challenge
The operation was processing over one million eggs per day across multiple grading lines and shift patterns — but its systems hadn't kept pace. Supply records lived in spreadsheets, grading data was captured in isolation, and pack printing was driven manually on devices interfaces. There was no single source of truth connecting what came in from the farm to what went out on the lorry.
End-of-shift reconciliation meant staff cross-referencing paper logs, spreadsheet files, and standalone system exports — a process that was slow, error-prone, and increasingly unsustainable at scale. When a traceability query came in, finding the answer could take hours of manual searching, and the results were often incomplete.
On the production floor, there was no coordination between the ERP system, grading machines, label printers, scanners, and case printers. Each device operated independently, creating gaps in data and visibility that made even basic traceability a manual effort. Adding an extra pain point on any investment and scaling proposal.
Meanwhile, it got more challenging to keep up with scaling and compliance needs as pressure was growing. Key retail customers and certification bodies were demanding faster, more granular traceability responses — some requiring pack-level data linked back to the originating farm within tight time windows. The existing setup simply could not deliver.
The Solution
EggLink was deployed across the entire operation — replacing disconnected tools with a single, centralised platform managing every stage from supply intake to dispatch. The system was installed on a central server and connected to all grading line workstations, with direct machine integration capturing grading results, weight class counts, and line performance data automatically in real time.
Every incoming supply batch was registered through EggLink's supply management module and linked to its farm of origin. As eggs moved through grading and packing, labels were generated and printed automatically — coordinated by EggLink Gateway devices — embedding full traceability data: batch origin, grade, weight class, pack date, and best-before date, all derived from the live production record.
Case scanning, case label printing, pallet composition, and pallet label generation were all handled within EggLink, building a connected chain of records from individual pack through to palletised dispatch unit. ERP integration kept production and inventory data synchronised in real time — eliminating the end-of-shift reconciliation burden entirely.
At the hardware level, EggLink Gateway devices managed connectivity across grading machines, inkjet pack printers, case scanners, case printers, and palletising robot lane scanners — providing a robust, purpose-built layer between the production floor equipment and the EggLink platform.
The Results
From day one, the difference was operational. Supply intake, grading, labelling, scanning, and dispatch all ran through a single interface — with automated workflows replacing the manual processes that had previously consumed hours of staff time every shift.
The operation now maintains complete pack-level, case-level, and pallet-level traceability across every grading line. Over one million eggs per day move through the system with an unbroken chain of custody — each pack linked to its supply batch, grading session, and originating farm.
Audit and traceability queries that once required hours of manual research are now answered in seconds. Retail compliance requests — previously a source of pressure across quality and admin teams — became a routine, single-click process.
Manual labelling errors were eliminated. Daily stock reconciliation was replaced by real-time ERP synchronisation. And production reporting — previously compiled by hand at the end of each shift — became available live, throughout the production day.
- Real-time traceability across all grading lines and shift patterns
- Unbroken pack-to-pallet chain of custody — maintained automatically
- Audit response times reduced by 80% with instant system lookups
- Manual labelling errors eliminated through automated label generation
- ERP inventory synchronised in real time — no manual re-entry
- Compliance and production reports generated directly from live data
Ready to automate your operation and achieve full traceability?
Whether you're grading 100K or 10M eggs/day, EggLink scales to fit your facility. Get in touch to see how it works.