Insights

Dutch Plant-Based Producer Sparckitchen Upgrades Labelling Process with SATO FX3-LX Printer

Sparckitchen, a Netherlands-based producer of chef-developed plant-based products, supplies more than 1,000 restaurants across the Dutch HoReCa sector. With a focus on taste, transparency, and ingredient integrity, the company has built strong relationships with chefs and major food wholesalers alike.

But as demand increased, the manual labelling process they relied on—multiple stickers for each box—became a bottleneck in production.

“We needed a clear and efficient way to label both our fast and slow-moving products,” says Schelte Lettinga, Director and Owner of Sparckitchen BV. “Everything had to be accurate and easy to apply, whether we were using printed or unprinted boxes.”

Moving from Manual to Efficient

Previously, boxes were labelled with three separate stickers: one for the product variant, one for the best before (THT) date, and one for the ingredient list. The process required constant switching between sticker rolls and systems, which slowed things down and left too much room for error.

After a recommendation from one of their customers, Sparckitchen turned to SATO’s FX3-LX printer.

“We needed a more flexible setup that didn’t depend on a connected PC,” says Famke van der Leij, responsible for sales and marketing. “The FX3-LX let us keep one universal box design and adapt the label content depending on the product.”

One Device, Multiple Labelling Needs

The SATO FX3-LX is a compact, touchscreen printer that supports batch code printing, THT labelling, and complete ingredient declarations—all from one device. Staff can select pre-programmed templates on the printer itself, removing the need to link it to a computer or manage multiple machines.

Even for smaller production runs, Sparckitchen can now print a single long label that includes all required information, reducing material waste and simplifying inventory handling. Whether boxes are pre-printed or plain, the label is applied consistently and quickly.

“We can’t tie it to a specific number of hours or euros saved,” says Famke, “but the efficiency speaks for itself. The FX3-LX has already paid for itself in ease of use alone.”

Supporting Horeca Growth Across the Netherlands

Sparckitchen supplies plant-based food to national distributors including Bidfood, Sligro, and Hanos, as well as smaller wholesalers like Orca. The upgraded labelling process ensures that every product—whether bound for a high-volume chain or an independent kitchen—arrives with clear, consistent information chefs can trust.

The FX3-LX gives the production team the flexibility they need without slowing down operations.

Need a faster, more flexible way to label your food products?

The SATO FX3-LX printer is purpose-built for food environments, from ingredient labelling to compliance with European HoReCa standards. Talk to our team to find a solution that fits your workflow.