Cold Link Africa VOL. 01 - No.01 | September / October 2015 | Page 29

PROJECT
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

BRM: Driven by consumer quality
By: John Ackermann – editor
#PromisingProjects

Cold Link Africa visits the new BRM plant where their famous rib operation is
now supported by a modern natural refrigeration plant

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2

T

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3

he steady growth of BRM

days, the company is not only

Change to natural refrigerants

Brands over the past 30 years

famous for their sensational ribs,

The refrigeration plant in Honeydew

stems from our strong focus

but also produces an entire range

is charged with R404A and R22.

on providing the consumer with

of fully cooked and marinated

When planning the new, much

quality value added meat products,”

meat and poultry products under

larger plant at Kya Sands, ammonia

explained by one of BRM’s founders,

the brand name of BRM Brands.

was selected for the refrigeration

Seymour Talpert, during the visit. “With

Pork loin ribs, pork belly ribs,

plant based on its environmental

a positive attitude and a continuation

beef spare ribs, lamb spare ribs,

friendliness, lower energy usage, high

of the entrepreneurial spirit of our two

marinated chicken wings, chicken

coefficient of performance (COP)

founders, BRM Brands has become a

spatchcocks and cooked ox tail in

and suitability for future expansion.

true market leader in cooked meat

red wine sauce are but some of the

The ammonia refrigeration

products and food safety. With strong

innovative products in the extensive

plant, designed and installed by

customer satisfaction support, BRM

BRM range.

Multistage Cooling, comprises

has also ward off many price wars.”
Barbeque Rib Manufacturers

Raw meat products are mainly

three Grasso V series reciprocating

imported by BRM Brands from the

compressors. The low stage

(BRM) was founded by Seymour

EU and Brazil as frozen and shipped

compressor has a 45kW motor, the

Talpert and Johnny Candelaria in

to Durban in reefer containers.

high stage a 110kW motor and the

1985. Their mission was to source and

Product is packed in 1 000kg lots

third compressor, also with a 110kW

produce the perfect tasting ribs. Over

on 1m x 1,2m pallets. In Durban,

motor, serves as a swing machine.

the course of the almost 30 years, the

the product is checked for quality

BRM recipes have been perfected

and temperature and then trucked

circuits (-34°C and -10°C), each with

and their dream of the ‘perfect rib’

to Johannesburg in refrigerated

a surge drum from which ammonia

has been made a reality.

vehicles. BRM Brands has had a

is pumped to three holding rooms

plant in Honeydew since late 2014,

(-25°C), a blast freezer (-30°C), blast

Jacques Talpert (the son of Seymour

and now, a second 15 000 m2

chiller (1°C), water chiller (1-2°C)

Talpert) as the executive director

modern plant has been established

and glycol chiller (-6°C).

and David Candelaria (Johnny

in Mostyn Park (Kya Sand,

Candelaria’s son) by his side. These

Johannesburg).

Today, BRM Brands is run by

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The ammonia system has two

The chilled water from a
plate heat exchanger is used as
Continued on Page 31

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Seymour Talpert has a hands on approach to management.
Local deliveries is done by a fleet of company owned
refrigerated vehicles.
Loading bays are equipped with insulated docking seals,
dock levellers and reversing guides.
Storage tanks of water and pump station to meet local fire
regulations.
Regulatory warning signs, gas mask and shower at entrance
to ammonia refrigeration plant room.

A new landmark in Kya sands, the BRM Brands plant.

COLD LINK AFRICA • September | October 2015 www.coldlinkafrica.co.za

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