“Traceability is a must”: How Marel software is empowering Arasco Entaj Poultry

During the recent Marel Software KnowHow event in Copenhagen, Michel de Jesus, Senior Production Plant Manager at Arasco Entaj Poultry, talked about the company’s journey. He shared his insights on how Marel software is supporting their need for full traceability and efficiency in their next stages of growth.

Enhancing Saudi Arabia's food security with cutting-edge and more sustainable technology

Established in 2004 in Riyadh as part of Arasco Food, Arasco Entaj Poultry began as a mid-sized operation with a processing line handling 6,000 birds per hour. Since then, the company has continued to expand and thrive, spurred by the region’s demand for local poultry production.

“One of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's visions is to secure food for its people, and currently, they are importing a significant amount of chicken. In response, we started building a new plant attached to the existing one, which we just commissioned last October,” explains de Jesus.

Between 2021 and 2024, Arasco Entaj Poultry expanded rapidly, largely facilitated by Marel’s high-speed processing lines and advanced food processing software. “I would say 90% of our solutions are from Marel, allowing us to double our capacity with the best technology available,” says de Jesus. “We now operate two lines each with a capacity of 13,500 and can process up to 500,000 birds per day.”

Focusing on quality and compliance

“Running Marel solutions in our plants has improved our capacity and supported our quality and performance, which is great news for me!” says de Jesus.

“From what I’ve seen at the Marel Software KnowHow and from other clients using Marel equipment and traceability software solutions is that there is a huge potential for improvement—not just in quality but also in yield. Marel software will allow us to better control our process, understand what is happening, and make better decisions about where to send our products.”

Ensuring traceability and efficiency with Marel software 

One of the most significant challenges Arasco Entaj Poultry has faced is ensuring full traceability across its production line—a critical requirement for compliance with the strict standards set by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), as well as international standards.

"It’s a 'must' for us to have all the data in a few seconds or a few minutes," says de Jesus. "Not only for responding to orders or any customer complaint, but also to make sure we are managing our process well and have all the necessary control in our hands. One of the main goals of our operation is to improve traceability. Marel’s software has been instrumental in addressing this need.” Arasco Entaj Poultry is already utilizing Marel’s PDS (Production Distribution System) software, which tracks each product from shackling to cut-up, providing real-time data at every stage.

Marel offers a wide range of software solutions that transform operational efficiency, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, Real-time reporting enables processors to make informed, data-driven decisions to improve performance and ultimately profitability. The software is designed to be highly scalable, so Arasco Entaj Poultry has the option to add more capabilities as its production grows.

Valuable support with maintenance and training

Marel’s service and support have played a critical role in ensuring smooth operations at Arasco Entaj Poultry. When the company encountered an issue in the selection line, Marel’s online support team quickly diagnosed the problem by examining data recorded by the software.

“They found that we had a stretched chain, which was causing a wrong reading in the SmartWeigher,” explains de Jesus. “The decision was to stop the operation immediately, which avoided a major breakdown. This was crucial because 80% of our production is whole chicken, about 300,000 chickens per day. Thanks to their support, we were able to detect the issue in minutes and take the right action.”

Marel Service also provided comprehensive training for the team, training them both on the new equipment and the software. “We underwent an intensive two-week on-the-job training program, which added tremendous value to our operations. Additionally, we received a week of specialized training from Marel experts on operating the PDS software.” Now, Arasco Entaj Poultry is working with Marel to offer additional training to ensure operators are fully prepared to manage the advanced systems, helping the company maintain its efficiency and high production standards.

Together, Arasco Entaj Poultry and Marel are proving that a strong partnership fueled by innovation can turn ambitious visions into sustainable growth.

Want to learn more about how Marel solutions and software can drive success in your poultry business? Contact us below! Our experts are ready to answer all your questions.