As the foodservice industry looks to incorporate more technology to help operators effectively and efficiently manage their businesses, more partnerships may develop between different players. Such is the case with a partnership between Frontline International and Cargill.

Known as Kitchen Controller, the solution leverages Cargill’s foodservice experience and oil quality knowledge with Frontline International’s Smart Oil Management equipment expertise to provide foodservice operators with what the companies describe as an integrated, intelligent approach to oil management.

The Kitchen Controller system automates the oil filtering and replacement process. A fry vat sensor gathers oil quality data, which the Kitchen Controller then analyzes and feeds the data to a touchscreen pad, per a release announcing the partnership. Kitchen staff uses the green, yellow and red on-screen indicators on the touchpad to take action with the oil. This helps to ensure consistency and quality of fried foods and improves profitability.

Kitchen Controller oil management system is the first digital solution offered to foodservice operators under the new Cargill Serve umbrella, an initiative to help customers streamline kitchen management, per a release. Other Cargill Serve tools are already in development, including the Kitchen Trainer oil management training program designed for foodservice employees and the Kitchen Advisor app that recommends prescriptive oil management actions to kitchen staff. Cargill anticipates both of these solutions being available to foodservice customers later this year.