WASHINGTON, DC — Baking takes a lot of energy. From running dough through the oven to freezing products before shipment, most operations can find some way to become more efficient. Not only does this benefit the environment, but also that company’s bottom line.
When it comes to energy efficiency in the baking industry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Energy Star certification is the gold standard.
Since 2016, this national call-to-action has recognized participating bakery facilities that improve energy efficiency by 10% or more within five years. The EPA’s general Energy Star certification program recognizes any manufacturing facility in the top 25% of energy-efficient US facilities.
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is known for helping members attain these certifications and supporting the companies in the process.
Rasma Zvaners, VP of technical and regulatory services at ABA, praised this Energy Star program as a game changer for the industry. To promote this program, ABA teamed up with the federal agency for an Energy Star challenge. And it’s one that keeps evolving.
“The Energy Star program has been a success for the bakers,” Zvaners said. “The EPA is even expanding tools available to the industry to assist with reducing climate impacts from business operations. I hope more bakeries gain recognition for their achievements.”
ABA member facilities represented 44 of the 95 manufacturing plants that became Energy Star certified in 2020, which is the most recent round of recognitions. Every baking facility that was awarded certification was an ABA member.
“The baking industry has a powerful story to tell when it comes to sustainability. More ABA member facilities participated in this program than ever before,” Zvaners said.
“The baking industry has a powerful story to tell when it comes to sustainability. More ABA member facilities participated in this program than ever before,” Zvaners said.
In addition to Energy Star certification, the EPA currently offers resources to help baking facilities identify areas for improvement in their operations, especially in the freezing and baking stages, which the agency lists as the most energy intensive. These resources include an interactive Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) tool that helps measure emissions output. The EPA’s newest tool, which should be available by the end of this year, will focus on corporate-level management practices to support decarbonization across an organization.
Horsham, PA-based Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) set a record for the Energy Star achievement earlier this year. The company, which is a sustainability standard-setter for the industry, received the 2021 Energy Star Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence award from the EPA and US Department of Energy (DOE) for the fourth year in a row. The award recognizes the company’s commitment to energy management leadership and innovation.
“As the largest commercial bakery in the US, we understand how important it is to be a frontrunner in sustainability practices,” said Ramon Rivera, senior VP of supply chain, BBU. “We’re so honored to receive the Energy Star Partner of the Year Award once again.”
BBU is pushing energy efficiency to new heights, for not only the baking industry but also for manufacturing in general. In January, the company set the record for the most Energy Star-certified plants of any company in any industry, with 15 BBU facilities and one Grupo Bimbo facility across the country earning certification.
The brand has also shifted gears to find new areas of energy efficiency outside its plants. BBU expanded its electric vehicle fleet to 100 vehicles in 2021, after piloting just five of them in 2020. This expanded the company’s already robust fleet of 500 alternatively fueled vehicles, which use compressed natural gas and propane.
Thomasville, GA-based Flowers Foods is another major player that has been focused on innovative energy practices for years.
The baking company is one of the largest and most outspoken advocates for sustainable food manufacturing, but it doesn’t just talk the talk. In 2017, Flowers exceeded its 2020 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10% per metric ton of product. It is now pursuing a new goal of a 20% reduction by 2025.
Last year, 15 of Flowers’ 46 baking plants earned Energy Star certification. And earlier this year, its plant in Lynchburg, VA, got a total energy makeover. It was a 2021 Better Project Award winner, recognized by the DOE for having been successfully converted into a state-of-the-art, efficient bakery that uses 22% less energy than the year before.
But that’s not because the product flow slowed. That plant produces Dave’s Killer Bread, the No. 1 organic bread brand in the US.
While these practices were first implemented for the purpose of cost savings, Margaret Ann Marsh, VP of environmental sustainability at Flowers Foods, said they quickly became embedded in the company’s strategy.
“Over the years, we’ve been able to implement incremental change by showing the value of the work we do and by having a strong company-wide commitment to operating efficiently and reducing waste,” Marsh said. “Of course, accountability is key, and we’ve set goals, partnered across industries and measured progress in our annual sustainability report.”
Marsh credits this success to Flowers’ people and partners. By working with those closest to the brand — including the team members in the operations every day — the company has created sustainability practices that stick.
“The best ideas for helping us operate sustainably come from our own team members. They are engaged and creative, and we wouldn’t be nearly as successful without their contributions,” Marsh said. “When it comes to the design or execution of projects, our suppliers and even local and state agencies help us find new or different ways to approach a problem with a sustainable solution.”
Progress like this doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and that’s why collaboration is critical for Flowers. According to Marsh, the company’s engineering and operations teams work closely with vendors to meet ambitious timelines and make the result even better. This kind of external support can even come from organizations such as the DOE’s Better Plants Partner program or ABA’s Energy and Environment Committee, which help bakers keep up with best practices.
“Start small,” she said. “You might be surprised how much of an impact a relatively low-cost, small-scale project can have on your sustainability efforts. Plus, the successes add up and really help with raising awareness of what you’re trying to accomplish.”
