Plant of the Year

Plant of the Year

Food Plant of the Year 2016: SugarCreek brings home more than the bacon

Though SugarCreek started out as a bacon processor, its newest high-tech plant is poised for growth as consumers demand more sophisticated RTE food products.

Wayne Labs

April 8, 2016

Yes, bacon has lately become a trend or fad, leaping its way out of the breakfast frying pan into food creations where it would have seemed an unlikely ingredient just a few years ago.

Plant of the Year

Food Plant of the Year 2015: Mars Chocolate is lean, green and poised for growth

Wayne Labs

April 6, 2015

As a kid growing up on a poultry farm, I couldn’t wait to help my dad truck cases of eggs to the local co-op, but I confess to an ulterior motive—hitting the candy machine just inside the door for a SNICKERS bar.

Plant of the Year

Plant of the Year 2014: Excellence and efficiency at Blue Diamond

Mikell Knights

April 8, 2014

Built from a foundation of emerging collaboration tools and a unique, cross-functional, interdisciplinary approach, Blue Diamond Growers achieves its manufacturing goals with its new “dream” plant.

Plant of the Year

Plant of the Year 2013: Chobani

Chobani's brand-new Twin Falls facility continues to evolve while keeping up with the American public's insatiable demand for Greek yogurt.

Wayne Labs

April 9, 2013

Chobani time might be defined as the time it takes a new company, which started in 2005, to rise to the top in US Greek yogurt sales in 2012, claiming 47.3 percent of the US market, according to AdAge, June 6, 2012.

Editor's Note: On the hunt for game-changing technologies

Joyce Fassl

September 10, 2012

Our industry has never been interested in maintaining the status quo.

Plant of the Year: Northeast Foods - Automatic Rolls of NC

Kevin T. Higgins

April 5, 2012

A McDonald’s supplier designs a high-volume bakery that boosts automation to new levels and recasts the role of production floor workers.

Editor's Note: Calling all innovators

Joyce Fassl

October 1, 2011

Now is the time to begin preparing your entry for FE’s top honor, the 30th Annual Plant of the Year award.

Plant of the Year: Shearer's Foods Rethinks the Food Plant

Kevin T. Higgins

April 1, 2011

Some additional upfront cost already is paying dividends to this manufacturing organization, with the biggest returns yet to come.

Plant of the Year: Keystone Foods Puts Its Best Food Forward

Kevin T. Higgins

April 1, 2010

Emerging from 40 years in the background, Keystone Foods is asserting its capabilities as a contract manufacturer at its brand new Gadsden, AL facility.