THOMASVILLE, GA — Fourteen bakeries owned by Flowers Foods, the parent company behind brands such as Nature’s Own, Dave’s Killer Bread and more, have earned the Energy Star certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency announced today.
This annual certification acknowledges buildings that save energy and help protect the environment through fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly half of the Flowers bakeries on this year’s list have earned certification for at least five consecutive years, and two new locations in Florida and Maine were honored for the first time.
“Energy awareness and efficiency are hallmarks of Flowers’ greenhouse gas reduction efforts,” said Margaret Ann Marsh, VP of sustainability and environmental at Flowers Foods. “Our goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2025 in our manufacturing operations is central to our sustainability strategy, and we are pleased that nearly one-third of our bakeries have qualified for Energy Star certification as a result of their efforts.”
Bakeries that achieve Energy Star certification score in the top 25% of all US commercial bread and roll bakeries for improving energy performance through best practices and cost-effective improvements. Operations in Texas, Virginia, Arizona, Oregon, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Nevada and California were all awarded the honor.
Flowers tracks energy and emissions with an online energy management program at all its locations to identify and resolve unusual changes in energy consumption. The company puts the planet first through energy-saving measures such as using LED lighting, compressed air upgrades, and heat recovery projects that reuse waste from ovens to heat water and warm the bakery.
