A pioneer in pea processing

It may be the most advanced farm of its kind in the region, but Helvét also harks back to classic agricultural lore. “You might call us progressive,” says Mr. Szemerey. “But our approach means we are going back to the traditional methods of farming, where we place much more emphasis on crop rotation. We fight against weeds with metal and not with chemicals. It’s progressive in that finding the market might be more difficult, but it’s a more traditional way of farming.”

This also respects Helvét’s origins, not only offering the local workforce around the main town of Orosháza the chance to return to farming after the collapse of heavy industry in the 1990s, but in terms of the business itself. The clue is in the name. “Helvét-Farm was created 35 years ago by a Swiss-Hungarian joint venture with 50 percent Swiss ownership and local Hungarian farmers,” says Mr. Szemerey. “My father then bought the company and it’s been in Hungarian ownership ever since.”
 

"When we started in-depth discussions with Helvét about their ambitious plans and how we could partner with them, it became clear that this partnership is the perfect fit. We both strive for maximum control of the value chain to ensure the highest quality in all processes. That’s why negotiations were so smooth, and we could start the groundwork soon after agreeing terms,” explains Martin Krenn, Sales Manager Central Eastern Europe at Bühler. “Helvét has been such an interesting partner because they can cover the whole chain from farm to fork. It is quite rare to have these capabilities within one company.”

“The vision of Helvét-Farm is to be a fully integrated end-to-end production line, from the field to the table, and to serve the new demands of the market,” says Norbert Aradi, whose company, ProcessTrade, oversaw the creation of the new factory. “I first became aware of Bühler in 2012,” says Aradi. “I knew about their quality and reliability, not only in terms of equipment but also for investors – they are easy to partner with, and they have the widest knowledge of the market situation and how to put it into practice. If the Bühler name is involved, it’s also a guarantee for investors and the financing banks. If we are working on the future of food, who could be a better partner than Bühler?”

Construction began in September 2023 and was completed a year later, the finer details smoothed out over the winter. When at full capacity, the plant will process 30,000 tonnes per year. Just as his father had set the direction of travel a decade or so ago, now Mr. Szemerey is looking at the bigger picture. “Most producers either do dry fractionation or extrusion – very few do both under one roof, which makes us much more efficient,” he says. “As farmers, we also control the whole chain. We keep to a 70/70 rule, which means we source 70 percent of our raw materials from within a 70-kilometer radius. Our total capacity of 30,000 tonnes requires farming approximately 9,000 to 10,000 hectares, which is certainly viable within the area.”
 

The factory requires a core operational team of around six people per shift. Mr. Szemerey was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly the recruitment process went. “I had been worried about the challenge of attracting people to Orosháza,” he says. “But since this is a greenfield investment, people can see that we are prioritizing quality. Once they understand this, they’re much more open to explore the possibilities we can offer here.”

For example, Helvét-Farm employee Bianka Szőke-Molnár came to Orosháza from a canning factory in Kecskemét, 100 kilometers away. At Helvét, she helps to plan production and works in development technology, learning on the job since arriving in August 2024. “My responsibilities cover so many areas – receiving the raw material, helping with supply, displaying machine specifications, dealing with customer questionnaires, quality control, and preparing areas for inspection,” she says.

For Mr. Szemerey, the new extruder is a great attraction for experienced members of the industry, too. “We consider our extrusion machine to be the Steinway piano of its genre, which we must learn how to play. And if somebody’s a musician, they don’t mind where it is,” he says. Helvét’s virtuoso in the plant is Balázs Domján. “Machines need to be organized into one network,” says the plant manager. “The essential thing is control. Bühler binds the whole system together. They’re the mercury.” Domján gains great satisfaction out of getting the most out of every pea. “Once it’s broken down into starch, protein, and husk, pea is such a rewarding plant, with so many uses,” he says. “It’s like a blank canvas. It’s good for food, feed, and pet food – as well as plant-based proteins.”

Thanks to the full value chain solutions from Bühler, Helvét-Farm benefits from maximum flexibility – a key advantage in the rapidly developing alternative protein market. Decisions are being made on the final products, but with their one-of-a-kind setup providing them full control from farm to fork and their mindset of exploring new markets on the go, Helvét-Farm is perfectly suited to continue driving the future of food in Hungary and beyond.