Caraway Tea Company Deploys Low-Cost 'In-House' Automation to Modernise Production Lines

U.S.-based manufacturer Caraway Tea Company is challenging the capital-intensive norms of the food processing sector, implementing a strategic "affordable automation" programme designed to modernise its production capabilities without the prohibitive costs associated with large-scale industrial systems.

Operating within a highly competitive manufacturing environment, the small business has adopted a practical, in-house approach to engineering. By leveraging accessible technologies—specifically microcontrollers and modular components based on platforms like Arduino—the company is building custom solutions tailored to the nuances of tea handling.

The 'DIY' Engineering Approach

Rather than procuring expensive, proprietary automation suites, Caraway has developed purpose-built machinery internally. This strategy allows for targeted automation of repetitive tasks while maintaining the flexibility required for short-run production.

Key Innovations:

Tea Bag Counting Conveyors: Custom-built units that automatically count and stage tea bags for insertion into retail pouches, significantly reducing manual handling and improving packing consistency.
Loose Tea Portioning: Engineered compact machines designed to portion and pack loose leaf tea into small-format pouches, supporting diverse product configurations.

Michael Caraway, Founder of Caraway Tea Company, explained the competitive logic behind the strategy:

"Our goal is to be efficient, adaptable, and competitive without taking on the cost structure of much larger manufacturers. By building our own automation solutions, we can improve throughput and consistency while remaining flexible enough to serve customers with specialised or short-run production needs."

The approach has resulted in a "hybrid manufacturing model" that blends traditional blending expertise with modern, cost-effective production tools.

By focusing on scalable, accessible technology, Caraway Tea Company aims to enhance its operational execution for private-label and co-packing partners. The strategy allows the firm to remain responsive to changing market needs while avoiding the rigidity and debt burden often associated with heavy industrial automation.