FAM Stumabo has unveiled the Flexifam.2 dicer. While designed especially for small to medium-sized processors of cheeses including mozzarella, gouda, emmental, cheddar and other varieties, it is equally suited for frozen meat and poultry products including ham, bacon, pepperoni and sausage.
The machine offers greater efficiency, high cut quality, and simplified operation across a range of cheese applications, and helps reduce the need for pre-cutting for a variety of product formats.
“Processors today are under pressure to do more with less — less waste, less downtime, fewer skilled operators and less margin for error. What we see in the field is that cutting is often underestimated, yet it has a direct impact on profitability. With Flexifam.2, we are offering a practical, accessible solution for processors who need reliable cut quality, easy sanitation, and low maintenance without complexity,” said Thijmen Put, product manager (pictured above).
The global cheese market continues to expand, with industry estimates valuing it at US$ 98.0 billion in 2025 and projecting it to reach $154.4 billion by 2034, reflecting sustained demand across retail, foodservice, and convenience sectors. Europe and the United States remain the largest and most mature markets, while countries such as China, Brazil and India are driving new growth, supported by the rapid expansion of foodservice and changing consumption habits. Mozzarella, in particular, has become the most widely processed cheese type worldwide, driven by the global popularity of pizza and ready-to-eat product formats, where consistent portioning and performance are critical.
At the same time, dairy processors are operating under increasing pressure. Rising raw material and energy costs, labor constraints, and market volatility are forcing producers to focus more than ever on operational efficiency and margin protection. According to McKinsey & Company, technology is one of the primary levers identified by industry leaders to address these challenges and improve performance across the value chain. In this context, cutting performance becomes a critical control point in the process, where even small deviations can lead to measurable losses in yield and product quality.
Evolving Cheese Processing Needs
In response to these evolving requirements, Kontich, Antwerp, Belgium-headquartered FAM Stumabo’s Flexifam.2 dicer is built to deliver consistent performance in demanding cheese processing environments, with a capacity of around 1,000 kg/h depending on the cut size.
The new model is an evolution of the Flexifam 55, further refined to meet the needs of small- to medium-sized processors seeking a robust, easy-to-use solution that combines reliable cut quality with improved hygiene, simplified maintenance, and efficient operation in continuous production environments, supported by a 5.5 kW drive system.
Addressing Key Processing Challenges
Cheese processors face a range of operational challenges, from maintaining consistent cut quality across variable products to reducing waste and avoiding unnecessary pre-processing steps. Flexifam.2 addresses these requirements through a combination of design features focused on performance and practicality.
The machine cuts product in three steps — slicing, strip cutting and dicing — using fast-rotating knife spindles rather than forcing product through a cutting grid. A shear plate enables a very small tolerance between the crosscut knives and the shear edge, reducing friction and delivering clean, consistent dice with minimal fines across a wide range of cheese types and textures.
Variations in product size are accommodated by the large drum diameter — one of the largest in its category — enabling processors to feed larger formats without the need for pre-cutting. At the same time, a 5.5 kW drive system and precise knife positioning contribute to stable, repeatable output, even when processing products with varying texture or moisture levels.
The dicer can process products up to 135 mm in diameter and 270 mm in length. It delivers dice sizes ranging from 3 to 15 mm.
Flexifam.2 is particularly well-suited to mozzarella processing, one of the most widely processed cheese types worldwide. Its large drum diameter accommodates the longer logs commonly produced by smaller and artisanal mozzarella makers, reducing or eliminating the need for pre-cutting. Thorough and efficient cleanability — a critical requirement in any dairy processing environment — is also central to the machine’s design.
