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transforming-hygiene
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news 05 Aug 2025

How One Food Manufacturing Site Transformed Hygiene Practices and Cut Costs Dramatically

Chris Boardman, Site Director at Humdinger Foods, recently shared a compelling story of transformation at the FSI Conference. Drawing on his experience working with New England Seafood, Chris offered an honest and detailed look at how rethinking hygiene operations led to substantial improvements in efficiency, sustainability, and employee engagement.

The Business Context: Costs, Efficiency, and Sustainability

As in many industries, rising labour costs have squeezed margins across UK manufacturing. Chris emphasised that in this climate, businesses must critically assess every area of spending, not just the obvious cost centres like operations, but areas often considered non-negotiable, such as hygiene. 

Sustainability, too, was a central theme. For Chris, true sustainability isn’t just about managing waste; it’s about optimising labour, reducing water usage, minimising chemical consumption, and leveraging automation wherever feasible. 

The Hygiene Overhaul: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

At New England Seafood, Chris and his team took on the challenge of rethinking hygiene from the ground up. Here’s how they did it: 

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1. Process Review

It started with the basics: reviewing the Master Sanitation Schedule, a document most businesses dust off for audits but rarely update. Time and motion studies revealed inefficiencies in frequency and focus. Rather than cleaning “because it feels safer,” the team began asking whether every action was truly necessary. 

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2. Labour Engagement

Chris noted that hygiene teams, especially night shift workers, often feel overlooked. Training had been stagnant for years, and expectations were unclear. By revisiting training, providing clear goals, and re-integrating hygiene staff with broader operations and planning teams, the company saw a marked boost in morale and effectiveness. 

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3. Equipment Evaluation

Many hygiene tools in use had deteriorated over time or become outdated. Worse, the team found their technology lagged industry standards. Whether making small upgrades or investing in automation, Chris stressed the importance of evaluating equipment against current best practices. 

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4. Chemical Rationalisation

The company had been using nine different chemicals for largely the same tasks – leading to confusion, inefficiency, and unnecessary physical strain. By reviewing chemical use and standardising where possible, they not only improved hygiene outcomes but made life easier for staff. 

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5. Collaborative Innovation

Recognising their own limits, the company reached out to suppliers and subject matter experts. They trialled everything – automated systems, fogging units, centralised pump systems, and empowered their hygiene teams to test new tools and provide feedback. This grassroots approach fostered deep employee engagement. 

The Results: Hard Data, Real Impact

While the initial goal was a hygiene process review, the outcomes far exceeded expectations: 

  • 27% reduction in hygiene labour through smarter scheduling, automation, and process refinement. 
  • £400,000+ in cost savings, including £114,000 in labour alone. 
  • 35% water savings, despite fears that medium-pressure cleaning systems would increase consumption. 
  • 84% reduction in hygiene-related energy usage by centralising pump systems. 
  • 40% reduction in chemical usage, driven by improved application techniques and training. 
  • Significant boost in employee engagement, with hygiene staff providing enthusiastic, firsthand feedback on new tools and systems. 

Lessons Learned

Chris’s story is a reminder that meaningful change doesn’t come from sweeping statements or grand sustainability goals – it comes from reviewing what we take for granted, listening to frontline teams, and acting on data. 

He summed it up well: “The devil really is in the detail.” And for those willing to dive into that detail, the rewards – in cost savings, sustainability, and culture – can be substantial. 

last update 5 August 2025

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