Running a snack manufacturing operation means juggling constant orders, tight deadlines, and complex production lines. Downtime, unexpected changeovers, and manual scheduling can quickly eat into margins. That’s why manufacturers are looking for smarter ways to plan ahead and react faster.
In this interview, we hear directly from Alma Ortiz, Corporate Master Scheduler at Snak King, on how advanced scheduling has transformed day-to-day operations, reduced waste, and created room for growth.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your background at Snak King?
Answer: I started with the company back in 2007, working as a packer, operator, production lead, and supervisor before moving into scheduling around 2010–2011. When Snak King acquired Vintners in 2011, I helped transition our scheduling from Excel to software-driven systems. That experience prepared me for setting up PlanetTogether a few years ago.
Q: What products are made at your facilities?
Answer: Both facilities specialize in salty snacks, but they’re slightly different. California produces cracklins in USDA rooms and nut cube clusters, while Freeport makes tortillas using cooked corn instead of masa.
Q: What scheduling challenges were you facing before PlanetTogether?
Answer: Our old software caused downtime and required a lot of manual work. Even with the data we had, the process was slow. PlanetTogether sped everything up and made it easier to react to daily changes.
Q: What were your main goals with PlanetTogether?
Answer: We wanted to:
Reduce changeovers to save time and materials.
Identify production capacity for business growth.
Provide detailed schedules for production teams.
PlanetTogether delivered on all of these.
Q: What features do you find most valuable?
Answer: The upcoming merge jobs feature will save me a lot of time when customers place last-minute orders. I also love being able to plan 2–3 weeks ahead, which helps with maintenance planning and gives purchasing visibility into what’s coming.
Q: How was the implementation process?
Answer: It went smoothly. My past experience with scheduling systems helped a lot. Working with Gavin from PlanetTogether was great, he quickly understood what I needed and always found solutions. That support made all the difference.
Q: How has PlanetTogether impacted your day-to-day work?
Answer: It saves me time by reducing changeovers and optimizing sequences, which also reduces material waste. Now, I can focus more on capacity planning and bringing in new customers. It also made scheduling easier for my backup team.
Q: If you could add more features, what would be on your wish list?
Answer: I’d love to see more automated forecasting, like capturing customer order trends to improve safety stock and further reduce changeovers.
Q: Why did Snack King choose PlanetTogether?
Answer: Because it adapts to our needs. PlanetTogether molded to fit our processes, and that flexibility is why it works so well for us.
Q: Would you recommend PlanetTogether?
Answer: Absolutely. It helped me save time managing two very different facilities. It molded our scheduling process into what it is today and made life easier for everyone involved.
This story shows how even the most complex snack manufacturing operations can gain efficiency and agility with the right scheduling solution. By reducing downtime, streamlining changeovers, and enabling long-term visibility, PlanetTogether empowers schedulers to focus on growth instead of firefighting. Her experience highlights the value of choosing a tool that adapts to real-world needs rather than forcing operations to fit rigid processes.
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