Slice & Apply: Streamlining Food Processing

Food manufacturers are continuously looking for ways to increase production and efficiency. For many, this includes industrial food processing equipment like slicers. However, some slicers can take automation a step further with “slice and apply” functionality.

Jim Grote invented this slice-and-apply technology with the Peppamatic, which slices multiple sticks of pepperoni directly onto pizza bases simultaneously in a full pattern. Learn how this functionality helps assemble a wide range of food products on production lines today and how it compares to other methods.

What is Slice & Apply?

Slice and apply functionality allows a food processor to slice a food product directly onto food bases, processing belts, and passing screens and trays with accurate laydown and targeting.

This eliminates the need for an additional handling step in the manufacturing process, increasing efficiency and throughput. It also reduces labor and increases food safety because no one has to manually place the sliced material onto the next step of the process.

Slice & Apply Applications

Slice and apply can be used in a wide range of food industries, applications, and with many food products. Some of the most common applications are:

• Slice meat and cheese onto bread to make a sandwich
• Slice pepperoni directly onto a pizza base in a complete pattern
• Slice bacon onto a tray or oven belt
• Slice bread onto trays to bake into bread crisps and cookies
• Slice meat or alternative meat onto a screen to make jerky
• Slice meat and cheese onto dough for savory bakery items or onto chicken for cordon bleu

The Slice & Apply Advantage

Slice and apply functionality on food slicers can bring many advantages to a processing line. Prepared food manufacturers choose it to increase efficiency and production rates, reduce reliance on manual labor, and improve product quality.

Increased Production and Efficiency

Applying food slices directly onto food and other bases automates another step on food processing lines, streamlining production and increasing operational efficiency. Automation also standardizes production. Equipment runs at a fixed rate, while manual labor can fluctuate up and down based on the number of employees on the line and how well-trained and experienced they are.

Improved Accuracy & Consistency

Not only are production rates higher and consistent, but slicers perform with higher accuracy over long production runs. Accurate slice thickness reduces ingredient giveaway and costs–key for higher-priced products like raw meats, pepperoni, and salami. Correct laydown and targeting improve quality and reduce rework and waste, which impact costs and production.

And this performance is consistent from hour to hour, shift to shift.

Why Grote is the Slice & Apply Leader

Experience Matters

Grote Company’s founder Jim Grote invented slice and apply functionality with the Peppamatic slicer in the 1960s. His pizza restaurant, Donatos, needed a faster and more consistent way to apply 100 slices of pepperoni on every pizza. Today, we offer a range of slicers with this functionality for food processors of various sizes in multiple industries.

With over 60 years of experience, we’ve either performed an application or have the capability to find and test the right solution. Demo facilities in the United States and UK with a controlled cold room allow processors to test slicers with their specific products and operating conditions.

Flexibility

Grote's versatile slicing machines are designed to handle a wide range of products, including cheese, meat, and vegetables, with simple product holder, blade, and set-up changes. This flexibility makes them indispensable for food processors and co-manufacturers that make a variety of recipes, SKUs, and prepared food products. Quick changeouts get them back to production fast.

Integration into Turnkey Processing Lines

Grote slice and apply slicers can be incorporated into our sandwich assembly and pizza topping lines, fully automating these processes and giving food manufacturers a single point of contact from project kickoff through commissioning and into the complete lifecycle of the equipment.

Technical & Field Support

Grote has experienced and robust service teams to support our customers all over the world. From fulfilling parts and blade orders to troubleshooting support, training, preventative maintenance, and more–our lifecycle programs ensure our machines and our customers are always running optimally.

Grote vs. Alternatives

When comparing Grote's slice and apply slicers to alternative methods, the advantages are clear.

• Manual slicing and applying: Labor-intensive, leads to inconsistencies in quality and production volume
• Bulk slicing followed by manual application: Inefficient use of space and labor, lower production and quality
• High-speed slicers with separate application systems: Often complex with larger footprints; additional components lead to maintenance and downtime risks
• Similar technology from competitors: Inferior due to their lack of expertise, less durable machines, and insufficient end-to-end support

Elevate Your Food Processing with Grote

Slice and apply functionality on food slicers has proven to reduce labor costs, increase production output, and enhance product consistency—all while minimizing downtime and operational footprint. Whether you're looking to streamline your pizza, sandwich, or prepared foods production or to improve efficiency across your entire food processing line, Grote has the expertise and technology to deliver solutions tailored to your needs.

See our Slice & Apply Machines