Sustainability
Reser’s Fine Foods Completes Energy Efficiency Projects at Oregon Facility
Tyler Weber, account manager at Energy Trust of Oregon (left), and Faith Nicholas, sustainability manager at Reser's (right) close on energy efficient upgrades at new Don Pancho facility in Salem, Oregon.
Reser's Fine Foods has completed two energy efficiency projects with Energy Trust of Oregon at its new Don Pancho West facility in Salem, Oregon.
The upgraded refrigeration and compressed air systems are expected to reduce the facility's overall electricity use by more than 20%, or nearly 1.9 million kilowatt-hours annually, and reduce facility emissions by 8%. The projects will help reduce the facility's environmental impact while supporting reliable operations, food safety and product quality.
Don Pancho moved its operations to the new, 300,000-sq.-ft. facility in September 2025, gaining additional production space and capacity. Planning the new facility gave Reser's an opportunity to incorporate energy efficiency into key equipment and system decisions, helping position Don Pancho West for efficient, reliable operations and future growth.
Energy Trust provided technical expertise, a no-cost energy study and post-installation performance analysis. The study helped Reser's evaluate energy saving opportunities, while subsequent data collection verified the performance of the completed projects.
The facility's new centralized refrigeration system uses carbon dioxide as its primary refrigerant, replacing six systems that used a refrigerant with a higher global warming potential. The system is expected to use 41% less electricity than the modeled baseline while providing more consistent temperature control and 114% greater refrigeration capacity. The project also positions Reser's as an early food manufacturing adopter of carbon dioxide refrigeration, a technology gaining attention for its environmental and operational advantages.
The compressed air project added a variable speed compressor and an energy efficient heated-blower dryer. By adjusting output to match facility demand and reducing air losses, the system is expected to use 44% less electricity than the modeled baseline.
"Energy efficiency was an important consideration as we planned and built this facility," says Rusty Corriell, director of capital projects at Reser's Fine Foods. "Energy Trust brought valuable technical expertise to the process and helped us evaluate solutions that support efficient, reliable operations. These projects will help Don Pancho West operate efficiently and thrive for years to come."
The projects continue a longstanding relationship between Reser's and Energy Trust. Since 2003, the organizations have worked together on energy efficiency improvements at multiple Reser's facilities.
"Energy Trust is proud to support Reser's in incorporating energy efficiency into the new Don Pancho facility," says Laura Schaefer, senior program manager at Energy Trust. "Considering energy performance early and verifying results after installation creates lasting environmental and operational benefits."
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