As the first food industry company in Estonia, Nõo Lihatööstus (Nõo Meat Factory) is collaborating with the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Tartu to test novel artificial intelligence and robotics solutions. These solutions aim to optimise the meat production process and enhance product quality control.

During their idea collection phase, the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Center (AIRE) selected Nõo Lihatööstus and the University of Tartu’s joint project. Together, they will explore possibilities for implementing quality control using artificial intelligence on the production line. Participating in this demo project allows manufacturing companies to test AI and robotics solutions before making investments, thereby encouraging further technological advancements.

“The digitalisation of production is unavoidable for food industries if we want to expand to foreign markets, optimise our costs and make production more efficient,” said Ragnar Loova, the CEO of Nõo Lihatööstus. The project’s results are expected by the end of the year.

According to Loova, Nõo Lihatööstus has increasingly invested in innovation and process automation in recent years, aiming to introduce novel products and more environmentally friendly packaging. This need arises from economic conditions, environmental requirements, and consumer expectations.

The digitalisation of production is unavoidable for food industries if we want to expand to foreign markets, optimise our costs and make production more efficient.
Ragnar Loova, the CEO of Nõo Lihatööstus

Ardi Tampuu, a lecturer in artificial intelligence at the University of Tartu’s Institute of Computer Science, stated that machine vision technologies are mature enough to monitor processes and detect errors in the industry. “Thanks to open-source models, machine vision solutions will soon be as accessible as websites. It only requires adapting existing tools to specific use cases and packaging them correctly for users,” said Tampuu. AIRE’s demo project serves as an excellent way to showcase the availability of this technology, he said.

Nõo Lihatööstus is a domestic capital-based meat processing company in Estonia, exporting its production for example to Latvia and Lithuania. The company employs over 200 workers, making it one of the significant employers in Southern Estonia and a contributor to the local community.

In 2021, Nõo received the title of the Family Enterprise of the Year in Estonia, awarded by Enterprise Estonia, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Estonian Employers’ Confederation.

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