Palm Egypt, one of the major date packers from Egypt, faced a growing appetite for high-quality Medjool dates from more than 35 countries. With harvest volumes rising and international demand expanding, the company saw major opportunities to increase production and expand their customer base.
However, their reliance on manual pre-sorting made it difficult to deliver exactly what was needed, especially with last-minute orders requiring specific sizes, moisture levels, skin separation standards, and other small defect tolerances. During the short harvest season, every hour counted, but manual labor couldn’t keep up.
Palm Egypt was looking for a solution that could handle high throughput and deliver greater flexibility to meet all customer requirements at short notice. Their goal was to improve the reliability of partnership with customers by consistently delivering on time, according to spec and with a reputation for consistent premium quality. Small margins in sizes and quality levels make a big difference in revenue, both for Palm Egypt and their customers.
To achieve this, Palm Egypt invested in a Elisam grader powered by Ellips AI. The result? A fully automated, accurate, and efficient operation that consistently meets export standards and satisfies global demand.
Following are just some of the improvements that Palm Egypt achieved:
✅ Higher throughput
Achieved up to 25 tons per shift (around 4 tons per hour) with a 4-lane configuration, ensuring all Medjool dates are processed quickly during the short harvest season and meeting export demands, even with last-minute orders.
✅ Consistent quality
Accurate sorting by size, moisture content, skin separation, and defect detection (both external and internal), ensures every batch meets global customer requirements. With Ellips AI, Palm Egypt consistently complies with European Codex standards and maximizes premium value for safe and secure export to the European Union.
✅ Operational efficiency
Eliminated manual pre-sorting challenges like inconsistent quality, slow processing, and human error, streamlining operations and empowering Palm Egypt’s team to deliver exceptional results with a smaller, well-trained workforce.
About Palm Egypt
A premium producer of Medjool Dates
Palm Egypt is a leading producer of Medjool, Barhi and Saqai dates, with over 22,000 trees planted since 2017 across 500 hectares in the fertile Bahariya Oasis, in the Al Wahat region. This region is well-known for its rich soil, favorable climate, and optimal conditions for cultivating premium dates. The consistent sunshine, controlled irrigation, and ideal temperatures help produce Medjool dates with the natural sweetness and caramel-like flavor that set them apart. Palm Egypt’s commitment to quality has earned it a strong reputation in over 35 countries worldwide, from Europe and Asia to North and South America and the Middle East.
Quality from palm fields to market
Every date grown at Palm Egypt undergoes the strictest quality control throughout the cultivation process. With a modern sorting and packing hub in Sadat City and a skilled team of engineers and technicians, Palm Egypt ensures that every date meets customer expectations for size, skin separation, moisture levels and overall quality. This dedication extends to custom packaging, tailored to each market’s needs, and a robust export network that guarantees premium quality on every shipment.
Growing a diverse portfolio
Palm Egypt proudly serves more than 1,000 customers worldwide, offering a selection of over 300 products spanning 30+ varieties. From fresh dates to fruits and vegetables, the company continues to expand its portfolio to meet global demand. With sustainable farming practices, innovative solutions, and a passion for excellence, Palm Egypt remains a leader in delivering the best of Egypt’s agriculture to the world.
Key challenges driving change
As demand for premium Medjool dates continued to grow, Palm Egypt’s manual pre-sorting process couldn’t keep up. With a short harvest window, last-minute orders and strict export requirements, every hour counted. It became clear that investing in advanced AI-powered optical grading was essential to meet customer expectations, maintain Palm Egypt’s reputation for excellence, and meet the increasing global demand for the king of dates.
1. Strict quality requirements
Customers worldwide expect top-grade Medjool dates, with accurate sizing, consistent moisture content, precise skin separation, and thorough defect detection — both external and internal. Internal quality (such as moisture levels and black mold) is particularly important for meeting the strict European Codex standards, which are essential for safe and secure export to the European Union.
Even small defects impact pricing
The quality of dates can vary widely, and every grade and size have its own price point; even small variations can significantly impact product value and revenue.
Protecting brand reputation means defect-free dates
Issues like skin deformation, mechanical damage, and hidden defects can quickly downgrade a batch from premium to lower grades. Meanwhile, defects like black mold and insect damage absolutely must not reach the market due to the serious reputational risk.
Delicate produce requires extra care to preserve value
Medjool dates are a delicate fruit, highly susceptible to bruising and skin damage. Even minor handling mistakes can result in product devaluation and customer dissatisfaction. Manually achieving consistent quality, both inside and out, was a constant challenge for Palm Egypt’s team.
2. Tight harvest window and customer flexibility
Medjool date production is highly seasonal, with the harvest window lasting just three months. Every hour during that time is critical to meeting export demand, especially with last-minute orders requiring specific sizes, moisture levels, skin separation standards, and other defect tolerances. Manual sorting and pre-sorting processes simply couldn’t keep pace with the volumes coming in from the field, nor did they offer the flexibility to adapt quickly to customer demands.
3. Manual sorting limitations and labor dependence
Manual pre-sorting, relying heavily on the human eye, led to slow throughput, inconsistent quality, and variable outcomes from one human sorter to another. Different packers might sort the same fruit differently, creating inconsistency within and between batches. This impacted customer satisfaction and made it difficult to guarantee the high standards Palm Egypt is known for.
Choosing the right partner & technology
Palm Egypt’s leadership team needed a faster, smarter way to handle high volumes during the intense three-month harvest window, and to stay flexible for last-minute weekly orders. Maintaining top quality and meeting strict customer standards were non-negotiable. Ellips-Elisam was the clear choice. Known as the best machine for Medjool dates, it’s trusted by the largest packhouses across North Africa, the Middle East and USA. The initial investment was significant, but the payoff was clear: faster throughput, less manual labor, and consistently premium quality. Dr. Maamoun Mansour worked closely with the finance team, packhouse manager, and operators to ensure everyone’s needs were met, from budgeting to training and daily use.
What were the main motivations for choosing Ellips-Elisam?
1. Accuracy and consistency
Palm Egypt are dedicated to quality, especially in Medjool dates, where even small variations in size, moisture, and skin separation can affect product value and reputation. With quality grades like premium, delight, and third degree, accurate sorting is critical to matching each product to the right customer specification. Elisam-Ellips’ advanced AI-powered system ensures precise sorting and grading, producing consistent results across every batch. This precision allows Palm Egypt to meet export standards and customer expectations with confidence, while maximizing revenue across all quality levels.
2. Flexibility to meet customer requirements
3. Higher throughput during the harvest window
4. Delicate handling preserves premium quality
5. Reduced labor dependence and human error
Strategic partnership and support
Palm Egypt value a strong partnership with technology providers. Ellips-Elisam offered not just a machine but a collaborative relationship, providing local support and training to integrate the new system seamlessly. Hazem, their local representative, proved to be an invaluable partner. Always cooperative, quick to solve problems, and responsive whenever issues arose. This level of local support made the transition easier and gave Palm Egypt confidence that help was always just a call away.
Results
Following are just some of the improvements that Palm Egypt achieved:
✅ Higher throughput
Achieved up to 25 tons per shift (around 4 tons per hour) with a 4-lane configuration, ensuring all Medjool dates are processed quickly during the short harvest season and meeting export demands, even with last-minute orders.
✅ Consistent quality
Accurate sorting by size, moisture content, skin separation, and defect detection — both external and internal — ensures every batch meets global customer requirements. With Ellips AI, Palm Egypt consistently complies with European Codex standards and maximizes premium value for safe and secure export to the European Union.
✅ Operational efficiency
Eliminated manual pre-sorting challenges like inconsistent quality, slow processing, and human error, streamlining operations and empowering Palm Egypt’s team to deliver exceptional results with a smaller, well-trained workforce.
✅ Delicate handling
Elisam delicately handles each date without ever damaging them, ensuring that even the most sensitive varieties are processed safely. Its unique rotating carrier gives a perfect 360° view of every date, capturing every angle while preserving the fruit’s quality and maximizing the return on each harvest.
✅ Customer confidence
By delivering consistent quality and reliable supply, Palm Egypt strengthens its reputation and builds long-term partnerships with international buyers who can trust every shipment meets their specifications.