FOOD PLANTS of the YEAR

Can you do that? Yes we can.

“Behind every successful company is a good food factory.”

Isn’t that how the saying goes?

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ 2011-12 “Food Plants of the Year” feature demonstrates just how invaluable food plants are to their parent companies. New plants and practices are helping cold food processors assure their customers of regional and national supply, new capabilities and optimum food safety.  Likewise, many new facilities are contributing internal benefits. They’re cutting costs, saving energy or using fewer environmental resources.

Read on for category-by-category profiles of:

Entrées: Request Foods now offers frozen bagged entrées – as well greater single- and multi-serve meal capacity – thanks to its new frozen entrée plant in Holland, Mich.

MEAT & POULTRY: Food safety, hands-free automation distinguish OSI Group’s new plant in West Jordan, Utah.

DAIRY: Dairy Farmers of America earns SQF “Manufacturer of the Year” honors for food safety at its Fort Morgan, Colo., milk plant.

BAKERY: A new Phoenix plant makes it a piece of cake for Café Valley Bakery to meet growth demands.

VEGETABLES / SIDE DISHES: Sabra Dipping Company’s new Virginia plant earns accolades, powers product growth and distribution.

And the award goes to…

To choose “Food Plant of Year” honorees, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods solicited nominations from industry experts and observers, industry suppliers and the editors of sister publications such as Food Engineering, The National Provisioner, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery and Dairy Foods.

R&FF evaluated plant performance – and considered new facilities – against one or more of the following criteria: