PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2019

BOTTLING / FILLING PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 03/19 www.petpla.net 20 Kassatly Chtaura SAL adopts EBS K Ergon solutions to cope with surges in demand for Jallab Juice Automated filling of “local favourite” fruit blend drink Lebanon is where Europe meets the Arab world; where Beirut’s Corniche is just a few blocks from the bazaar and the souk. The country’s food and beverages reflect the mix- ture of influences, where meals centred on Turkish and Arab ingredients are presented with French refinements. One of the most popular drinks in the country is “Jallob Juice”, which is made from carob, fruit syrup, dates, grape molasses and rose water, incense smoked. Kas- satly Chtaura, founded in 1974 by current CEO Akram Kassatly, was the first company to bottle this syrup in modern production plants and make it commercially in a modern way. The company now offers a wide variety of beverages in addition to fruit syrups like Jallab, including liqueurs, alcoholic and Buzz and Freez brands of non-alcoholic beers. In 2015 the company launched Beirut Beer. Throughout its existence, Kassatly has continually invested in upgrad- ing and modernising its machinery. Its most recent investment, necessary in order to meet high market demand for Jallob, has been to completely automate the bottling process. It now has installed a system of the Ecobloc Ergon 2-9-3 K EV range, provided by SMI, which combines stretch-blow moulding, filling and capping of 1 l and 2.65 l PET bottles in a single machine, at up to 3,200 bph. Kassatly Chataura has worked with SMI since 1997. It currently has more than 10 SMI packers from the WP, SK and MP ranges, used to secondary pack a wide range of wrap-around boxes, shrink-wrapped bundles and card multi-packs. Originally from the Middle East, Turkey and Iran, Jallab is a syrup served diluted with water, ice, Zibibbo wine and pine nuts. It is presented as a deli- cious, refreshing beverage, which can be consumed on its own or with a meal. The combination of fruits, rose water and incense gives it a unique, sweet aroma. It is traditionally a summer drink but it has seen a significant rise in popularity as a drink to break the fast during Rama- dan, the great Muslim period of fasting and penance. During Ramadan, Mus- lims are not allowed to eat or even drink while the sun is up. The fast is broken at the end of each day with dates and jallab syrup. The word Ramadan derives from the Arabic “ramiḍa” or “al-ramaḍ”, which means “burning heat” or “dryness”. It begins with “l’hilal”, which in Arabic means “new moon”, in the ninth month of each year and lasts 29 or 30 days according to the waxing moon. As the Islamic calendar has 354 or 355 days (10 or 11 days fewer than the Gregorian solar year), the month of Ramadan falls at a different time of the solar calendar each year. It gradually moves backwards against the Western solar year and changes season, sometimes falling in summer, when the days are longer and hotter and fasting becomes even more demanding. Drinking jallab syrup at the end of a day of fasting becomes an impor- tant way to replenish energy and re-hydrate. This tradition sees sales increase significantly during Ramadan. Lebanese Kassatly Chtaura’s product range includes liqueurs, beers and syrups. The 1 l and 2.65 l bottles are stretch- blow moulded, filled and capped in a single machine. Easy-Cap cap grabber Filling Special