Rimon has steadily grown into one of the largest date packinghouses in Israel. Founded in 2007 as a small packhouse for peppers and grapes, the company made a strategic move into Medjool dates as demand rose and market dynamics shifted.
Today, Rimon specializes in grading, packing, and logistics for over 100 farmers and marketing companies. Growers across Israel entrust their dates to Rimon’s operation, while sales and export organizations value its flexibility, reliability and quality consistency. During the season, Rimon processes about 150 tons daily and expects to handle nearly 12,000 tons in the upcoming season alone.
- Manual sorting required significant labor in a tight market.
- Medjool dates present many different defects, and even small distinctions between grades directly affect grower earnings.
- Processing large volumes was also essential to remain competitive, while flexibility was needed to meet diverse market and export demands.
- Later, accuracy over time became a challenge, as relying on workers to constantly adjust machines led to inconsistency. Advances in AI grading have since minimized these deviations, delivering far greater consistency throughout the season.
To overcome these challenges, Rimon invested step by step in Elisam graders and Ellips AI grading technology:- 2014 – Installation of the first Elisam 8-lane grader, opening the door to higher throughput, consistent quality and less labor.
- 2023 – Installation of the second Elisam 8-lane grader, expanding daily capacity and further improvements in detection loose skin, moisture levels and black mold.
- 2025 – Third Elisam 8-lane grader, the world’s first fully automated grading line with automatic fillers. A breakthrough eliminating the need for human intervention in the sorting process. For a labor-challenged industry, it is nothing less than a game changer.
With three Elisam grading machines installed in just nine years, Rimon has evolved into one of the most advanced Medjool dates packhouses in the world.
Following are just some of the improvements that Rimon achieved:
✅ Higher throughput with consistent quality
From a few hundred tons in the early years to nearly 12,000 tons in the upcoming season, Rimon has scaled volumes dramatically while keeping quality steady. With the latest Elisam grader, daily capacity now reaches 150 tons.
✅ Exceptional accuracy powered by AI
Ellips True-AI minimize grading deviations and ensure uniform results throughout the entire season. Critical defects and quality characteristics such as black mold, moisture levels, loose skin, yellow cap, sour or fermented dates, and subtle color variations are detected with high precision. Even the smallest distinctions between grades are identified accurately, directly maximizing grower earnings.✅ Reduced dependence on labor
Where manual sorting once required large teams, automation now carries most of the workload. Labor requirements have been cut significantly, reducing costs and removing the uncertainty of seasonal worker shortages.✅ Greater flexibility for markets and exports
Rimon can adapt grading settings quickly to meet diverse specifications across Israel and export markets worldwide. This flexibility helps them serve both small growers and major marketing companies with the same high standards.✅ Trusted partner for growers and marketers
With consistent performance and professional service, Rimon has become one of the go-to packhouse for more than 100 growers and marketing organizations, reinforcing long-term loyalty and industry leadership.
About Rimon
A leading packhouse of Medjool dates
Rimon was founded in 2007 as a small packing house for bell peppers and grapes. Privately owned, the company is led by three managing partners: EfI Shlao, Matan Alon, and Gilad Adler. From the beginning, Rimon focused on professionalism, accuracy, and uncompromising service, always aiming to maximize grower and marketing company returns. Over time, the company made a strategic move into Medjool dates, step by step becoming one of Israel’s leading packhouses.
Strong partnerships with growers
Today, Rimon expects to handle about 12,000 tons in the upcoming season from 100+ farmers. The smallest partner delivers 10 tons, while the largest contributes 1,700 tons. Every grower, regardless of size, receives the same quality and service. This fairness is a cornerstone of Rimon’s reputation and one of the main reasons growers choose to work with them.
Technology as a differentiator
Rimon’s choice for Elisam graders powered by Ellips technology has become another defining advantage. In recent years, the Elisam name itself has set Rimon apart from competitors during decision-making processes with both growers and sales organizations. Its superior capabilities, supported by Rimon’s strong reputation and Elisam’s trusted standing in Israel, make it a perfect match that reinforces confidence at every level.
A broad sales and export network
Unlike many large packhouses that rely on a single sales and export organization, Rimon works with multiple partners. This approach is more complex operationally but reduces dependency and creates greater resilience. About 40% of the dates are sold into the Israeli market, while 60% are exported across Europe, the USA, Canada, Dubai, Brazil, and Australia. This broad network ensures that Rimon’s growers reach markets worldwide.
Key challenges driving change
1. Increasing throughput to transform capacity
From the start, maintaining high volumes was critical to survival. As Gilad explains, “Achieving substantial volume is the top priority for growth. Since we don’t have our own dates and rely entirely on growers, building strong relationships with them is essential.” Processing large daily volumes within a limited season required machines that could combine speed with accuracy. Without that throughput, Rimon could not have grown into a leading packhouse.
2. Detecting every quality aspect to maximize grower revenue
Medjool dates present many challenges. Defects such as black mold, moisture, loose skin, yellow cap, and sour or fermented dates are difficult to detect with consistency. With field intensity increasing, black mold is becoming more common every year. On top of this, the market distinguishes between many quality grades, where small differences can mean a significant price gap of 1 to 1.5 euros per kilo. “To address these challenges, a sophisticated vision system with accurate defect detection, moisture assessment, color analysis, weight measurement, and skin separation is essential,” says Gilad.
3. Reducing dependence on labor
Manual grading required large teams and created high operational costs. At peak season, Rimon employed around 100 workers daily, including 70 in the warehouse. Gilad highlights the issue: “Labor is getting harder every year. We don’t want to be dependent on this anymore. Without accurate vision technology, automation isn’t feasible. But when the machine performs better and more efficiently than people, we can truly cut our dependence on labor.”
4. Sustaining accuracy over time
Consistency across the entire season was another challenge. Relying on workers to continually adjust machines created deviations and quality fluctuations. “If we want to deliver a product that is precise and uniform throughout the entire sorting season, we need machines that can handle that level of work on their own,” Gilad notes. With the introduction of Ellips True-AI, grading deviations were minimized and results remained stable without constant human intervention.
5. Flexibility for diverse markets
Rimon serves both the domestic Israeli market and exports to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and beyond. Each market has different specifications, making flexibility essential. The ability to adjust packouts quickly and deliver to varied customer requirements has been key to keeping growers and marketing partners satisfied.
What were the main motivations for choosing Ellips and Elisam?
Rimon selected Ellips and Elisam because their solution addressed all major challenges: higher throughput, accurate grading, labor reduction, and long-term consistency, while aligning with the company’s ambition to remain at the forefront of Medjool date packing. The decision was shaped by three decisive reasons.
1. A trusting relationship that feels like family
Rimon’s partnership with Ellips and Elisam began in 2016. “We first connected with Assaf when we were looking for an improved machine,” Matan Alon recalls. “We had several options in mind, but when we met Assaf and later Daniele, Alessandro, and the rest of the Elisam team, it just clicked. There was an immediate understanding and shared enthusiasm. When it comes to business, it is not just about the product, it is about the people you choose to work with.”
From the very first Elisam grader, Rimon realized they had made the right choice. The team listened, responded, and worked side by side to solve challenges, proving they understood Rimon’s needs from day one. “Their willingness to understand our needs and turn them into real solutions is the main reason we chose Elisam."
2. The best date grading machine in the industry
Few graders are purpose-built for Medjool dates. After seeing all the available machines, the difference was clear. “Elisam is the best Medjool date grading machine in the world,” says Matan. “Ellips and Elisam have a strong vision for dates and they are committed to constantly improving. They are always three steps ahead, identifying what is not good enough and making it better.”
3. The most advanced vision and AI technology
Rimon carried out a thorough evaluation process, comparing solutions, visiting other packhouses, and testing systems in real working conditions. “It was important for us to see not only how the machines perform, but also how reliable and consistent the results are over time,” Gilad explains.
The combination of Ellips’ external and internal quality systems with True-AI technology proved decisive. “We saw the Ellips True-AI module several times and it seemed almost perfect. AI improves everything you can see on the image and the data you can collect. It enhances every aspect of the machine.”
After only a short trial, the results confirmed the investment. Sorting accuracy improved significantly, deviations became almost negligible, and throughput increased, enabling Rimon to process much larger daily volumes.
Powerful AI benefits for date grading
✅ Sensational accuracy in detecting skin separation and yellow cap, with near-perfect grading accuracy. Even on multi-colored dates.
✅ Excellent detection of moisture levels.
✅ Outstanding grading improvements in detecting black mold and fermented or sour dates.
Strategic partnership and support
For Rimon, choosing Ellips and Elisam was never only about the machines but also about building a partnership they could trust. The collaboration began years ago with Assaf, who played a key role in introducing the first Elisam grader to Israel and supporting Rimon’s early leap in capacity. Today, that partnership continues with Gadi, ensuring that the same level of dedication and expertise is always available.
“The Elisam team really understands the way we think and is deeply connected to the day-to-day reality of our operation,” says Gilad. “They always come, listen, and work with us to turn our goals and ideas into real solutions. If we face a problem and Gadi is not available, I can reach out to Alessandro, Daniele, Tommy, or Marco in Italy. They respond immediately, offer assistance, and resolve the issue. This personal connection is crucial for smooth business operations, especially since every minute counts.”
This ongoing collaboration goes beyond service. Feedback from Rimon is actively used by Ellips and Elisam to refine defect detection, automation, and reliability. The result is not just a supplier–customer relationship but a true strategic partnership that has supported Rimon’s growth step by step.
Results
Following are just some of the improvements that Rimon achieved:
✅ Higher throughput with consistent quality
“From a few hundred tons in the early years, Rimon has scaled volumes dramatically and now expects to handle nearly 12,000 tons in this upcoming season, while keeping quality consistent. With the latest Elisam grader, daily capacity now reaches 150 tons, giving the packhouse the ability to complete the harvest faster while maintaining uniform quality standards. But throughput is not only about finishing the season earlier or handling more dates. It expands the overall capacity the packhouse can manage, strengthening Rimon’s role as a reliable partner for growers and marketers alike.”
✅ Exceptional accuracy powered by AI
“Ellips True-AI minimizes grading deviations and ensures consistent results across the entire season. Critical defects and quality characteristics such as black mold, moisture levels, loose skin, yellow cap, sour or fermented dates, subtle color variations, and precise weight categories are detected with high precision. Even the smallest distinctions between grades are identified accurately, directly maximizing grower earnings.” Gilad explains.
✅ Reduced dependence on labor
The fully automated line installed in 2025 represents a world-first in Israel: a grading system complete with automatic fillers that requires no human intervention in the sorting process. Where hundreds of seasonal workers were once essential, automation now carries the majority of the workload. “This breakthrough reduces costs and removes uncertainty around labor shortages,” Gilad says.
✅ Sensational cost savings and efficiency gains
The new Elisam machine has delivered significant financial benefits. Cold storage costs have been reduced by up to 40%, while smarter automation has also cut expenses in other areas, such as fewer plastic trays during harvesting. Together with increased throughput and reduced labor, these gains make Rimon’s operation more efficient and cost-effective.
✅ Greater flexibility for markets and exports
Rimon can quickly adapt grading settings to meet diverse specifications for both domestic and international markets. With 40% of dates sold in Israel and 60% exported worldwide, flexibility is critical. “Ellips technology makes it easy to dynamically grade products based on customer needs,” says Gilad. “We have full control to respond swiftly to changing demands while keeping complete oversight of our sorting lines.”
✅ Trusted partner for growers and marketers
With more than 100 growers and marketing organizations relying on them, Rimon has become one of the go-to packhouse in Israel. Consistent performance, fairness, and advanced technology have built strong long-term loyalty. “By maximizing the yields from the growers we work with, everyone involved earns the maximum return for their hard work,” Gilad notes.