Apparatus, system, and method for high speed production of food product

An apparatus comprising:

• an adjustable conveyor configured to carry a paper backing and receive, on the paper backing, a puck of product from a portioner positioned above the adjustable conveyor, wherein a slope of the adjustable conveyor relative to the portioner can be adjusted to allow the puck of product to be properly received from the portioner onto the paper backing;
• a first conveyor belt including a proximal end substantially adjacent to the adjustable conveyor, the first conveyor belt being configured to receive the paper backing and the puck of product from the adjustable conveyor;
• a second conveyor belt that is substantially co-planar with the first conveyor belt and including a proximal end that is near a distal end of the first conveyor belt;
• and
• a knife assembly mounted at least in part between the first and second conveyor belts, wherein the knife assembly comprises a die slot between the first and second conveyor belts, and a blade that is movable in a first direction perpendicular to the first plane from an upper position spaced in the first direction from the first and second conveyor belts to a lower position, wherein the knife assembly is configured to cut only the paper backing into a sheet of paper while the paper backing is transferred from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt, thereby providing the puck of product on the sheet of paper.