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Apogee Foods Production Line Expansion

  • Featured Article Order: 4
  • Project Header: Apogee Foods
  • Project City, State: Dallas, Texas
  • Project Description: Natural foods manufacturer of gluten free products adds production lines and manufacturing capabilities
  • Project Highlight 1: Master plan created to allow for phased implementation of growth plan
  • Project Highlight 2: Processing line for gluten free products to be coated in vegan chocolate
  • Project Highlight 3: Upgraded utility and ventilation systems
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 1 Units: vegan chocolate melt/tempering unit
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 2 Units : cooling tunnel
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 3 Units: vegan chocolate enrobing line

Calico Cottage Candied Nut Snack Production

  • Featured Article Order: 1
  • Project Header: Calico Cottage
  • Project City, State: Amityville, New York
  • Project Description: Fudge mix manufacturer adds candied nuts production capability creating a competitive advantage with expanded product line offering.
  • Project Highlight 1: Processing plan developed for production of flavored, roasted nuts in underutilized portion of facility
  • Project Highlight 2: Production and packaging equipment selected, sourced, and procured
  • Project Highlight 3: Start-up and commissioning occurred while maintaining production
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 1 Units: packaging line
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 2 Units : nut roasting line
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 3 Units: coating line

Coffee Cafe Bakery New Central Production Facility

  • Coffee Cake Bakery
  • 3528 Browns Mill Rd SE
  • Atlanta
  • GA
  • 30354
  • United States
  • Featured Article Order: 5
  • Project Header: Coffee Cafe Bakery
  • Project City, State: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Project Description: Storage facility transformed into high-volume donut bakery
  • Project Highlight 1: Bakery operation consisting of a thoroughly automated process of mixing, proofing, and frying product
  • Project Highlight 2: Specialty production area featuring cooling, icing, and filling a small variety of donut products
  • Project Highlight 3: An additional power transformer and generator with an automatic transfer switch provided supplemental power to facility
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 31,000
  • Project Counter 1 Units: sf facility build-out
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 2
  • Project Counter 2 Units : high-volume, automated donut fry lines
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 3 Units: specialty production area

Project Overview

With the goal of producing donuts in a central facility for their network of franchise stores, a group of  owners reached out to FPE to build out a former storage facility. Although the 31,000 sq. ft. building once housed a food warehousing operation, significant infrastructural upgrades had to be made to accommodate a commercial baking process as a Dunkin Central Manufacturing Location. Notable among these accommodations were a new plumbing system, the demolition of several coolers/freezers, and upgraded rooftop HVAC equipment.

The project site was landlocked between two neighboring buildings and a decommissioned railroad at the facility’s rear, each within several feet of the property line. With limited space for construction materials and equipment in the parking lot, the scheduling and execution of key phases of facility construction and process installation was critical. Another factor our team had to consider was the facility’s proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, whereby an FAA permit was obtained to lift and install rooftop HVAC units.

All project planning, design, permitting and construction for the project were implemented by FPE.

HEB Grocery Commercial Bread and Bun Bakery

  • Featured Article Order: 2
  • Project Header: HEB Grocery
  • Project City, State: Houston, Texas
  • Project Description: Grocery chain adds central bakery for production of store-brand bread and buns
  • Project Quote: Your competency in the bakery was clear...your design/build format excellent.
  • Project Quote Author: Greg San Marco, Project Manager
  • Project Highlight 1: Brownfield project to renovate and expand former bakery building into modern operation
  • Project Highlight 2: Design-build project delivery
  • Project Highlight 3: Integrated automated ingredient handling system including wet and dry ingredients
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 115,000
  • Project Counter 1 Units: square feet
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 2 Units : automated high speed bun line
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 3 Units: automated high speed bread line

International Delights Breakfast and Snack Pastry Facility

  • Featured Article Order: 1
  • Project Header: International Delights
  • Project City, State: Clifton, New Jersey
  • Project Description: Bakery expands artisan production capacity by relocating operation to adaptive reuse site
  • Project Quote: You listen - The people doing the work are the great value of Food Plant Engineering. It’s not something you find everyday--such capability, personality and character
  • Project Quote Author: Spiro Sayegh, Managing Partner
  • Project Highlight 1: New production facility for pastries, croissants and muffins
  • Project Highlight 2: Implementation of automated oven and packaging lines
  • Project Highlight 3: Implementation of jam and chocolate topping production and sourdough capabilities
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 1 Units: automated lamination and oven line
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 180,000
  • Project Counter 2 Units : square feet bakery
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 3
  • Project Counter 3 Units: automated packaging lines

Process improvements for a repeat client

International Delights has continuously added processing capabilities since our firm designed the original 180,000-square-foot bakery in 2010. Innovation has always been at the core of the company’s mission, and when they determined that the industry did not produce fillings and toppings to meet their needs, International Delights decided to begin producing their own. This vertical integration allows the company to control the quality and cost of their fillings, icings, and jams. The company also decided that roasting their own nuts would allow them to create a better chocolate filling and spread from scratch. The new production capability enables them to produce their own chocolate and hazelnut spreads and to produce jam with 70 percent fruit content. Additionally, packaging machinery was installed to produce stick packs, thus allowing for the sale of single-serving squeezable spreads with the bakery products.

The company also added a sourdough operation to incorporate this fermented dough into select products. This addition will extend shelf life and provide a cleaner label for these items. Three tons of sourdough are made daily using International Delight’s proprietary system.

Fermentation System

Food Plant Engineering’s team worked with the equipment supplier to create a process layout for the sourdough production. The fermentation system included fermentation vessels, flour scaling and feed systems, circulation and feed pumps, a heating and cooling system, and product pumping. Our firm developed the design and layout for the cooling, heating, and vessel feed systems using the parameters and technology from the equipment manufacturer. The chillers and boilers for the process control were also selected and specified. Room environment is also important to produce sourdough. Proper control of the air is necessary to prevent phage proliferation within a plant and limit potentially problematic phages from creating issues with the sourdough cultures. Thus, a hygienic room environment with positive air pressure-that utilizes filters and conditioned air was designed for this operation.

Filling Production

Equipment for the roasting of nuts, ball mills for creating the nut paste, and the stick pack machine for filling were selected for the batch production of nut pastes. Our firm assisted International Delights with the application of the equipment, providing advice on options, layouts, and production methods. The layout and design of all the process utilities including gas, equipment venting, and sanitation were performed by our firm. The room finishes and air flows were designed by Food Plant Engineering as well.

Jam Production

A vacuum cooking process to produce jam was installed. The equipment included fruit cutting/chopping, vacuum cooking, and mixing. Our firm provided the engineering for the process equipment utilities systems including vacuum, heating, and cooling equipment selection and installation design.

Killer Brownie Expansion and Relocation

  • Featured Article Order: 3
  • Project Header: Killer Brownie
  • Project City, State: Dayton, Ohio
  • Project Description: Bakery for premium multi-layer desert brownies expands into new facility to meet nationwide demand for product
  • Project Highlight 1: Master plan created for site search and building evaluation prior to relocation
  • Project Highlight 2: Hygienic design for the mixing and make line rooms
  • Project Highlight 3: New ventilation and cooling system for operation
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 3
  • Project Counter 1 Units: make lines
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 28,000
  • Project Counter 2 Units : sf facility
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 3
  • Project Counter 3 Units: packaging lines

Malt Products Finished Goods Warehousing Project

  • Featured Article Order: 4
  • Project Header: Malt Products
  • Project City, State: Dayton, Ohio
  • Project Description: New warehouse allows for manufacturer to better control inventory
  • Project Highlight 1: Challenging site required large amount of earthwork
  • Project Highlight 2: Highly efficient lighting and heating system installed
  • Project Highlight 3: Flexible racking layout allowing for changing storage needs
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 170,000
  • Project Counter 1 Units: sf warehouse addition
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 10
  • Project Counter 2 Units : dock doors
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 13,280
  • Project Counter 3 Units: pallet positions

Project Overview

A large wholesale supplier of natural sweeteners to the baking industry approached FPE with a need to increase on-site storage for finished goods. As a result of shortages during the pandemic, customers requested that the company hold a greater inventory. The company enlisted FPE to study options for expanding their on-site storage. A concept was developed to construct a 170,000 sf warehouse for the first phase of the project, with a future second phase planned.

To accommodate the addition, a large amount of earth was moved and a new storm water detention system was put in place. During the planning phases, a variance was obtained for the project. The project also involved adding new shipping docks, breakrooms, and offices for the warehouse staff.

All project planning, design, permitting, and construction for the project was implemented by FPE.

Orlando Baking Expansion

  • Featured Article Order: 6
  • Project Header: Orlando Baking
  • Project City, State: Cleveland, Ohio
  • Project Description: Multi-generational baker of fine loaf breads plans for future growth with phased expansion
  • Project Quote: They brought a lot of new concepts and ideas that we really didn't think of, so their expertise is going to make our business better now and in the future.
  • Project Quote Author: John Anthony Orlando, Vice President
  • Project Highlight 1: Master plan developed to determine growth strategy of expanding production capacity
  • Project Highlight 2: New packaging material storage and realignment of packaging lines
  • Project Highlight 3: Upgraded utilility systems including natural gas and back-up power added
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 5
  • Project Counter 1 Units: packaging lines
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 2 Units : natural gas generator
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 7
  • Project Counter 3 Units: new docks

Rustic Bakery New Facility

  • Featured Article Order: 5
  • Project Header: Rustic Bakery
  • Project City, State: San Francisco, California
  • Project Description: Explosive growth for this entrepreneurial producer of sourdough flat bread and fine organic baked goods creates need for a new central bakery operation.
  • Project Highlight 1: Master plan developed to aid in search for existing properties to relocate operation
  • Project Highlight 2: Oven room designed for flexibility for additional rack ovens and tunnel oven
  • Project Highlight 3: Wash room designed with automated rack washer and manual wash area
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 4
  • Project Counter 1 Units: packaging lines
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 3
  • Project Counter 2 Units : make lines
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 5
  • Project Counter 3 Units: mixers

South Jersey Bakery Donut Production Facility

  • Featured Article Order: 4
  • Project Header: South Jersey Bakery
  • Project City, State: West Deptford, New Jersey
  • Project Description: Central bakery facility to supply Dunkin’ regional franchises with donuts and pastry products
  • Project Highlight 1: Master plan developed to aid in search for existing properties
  • Project Highlight 2: Brownfield building completely renovated into sanitary facility for bakery production
  • Project Highlight 3: Ventilation and cooling installed for the comfort of employees and consistency of baking process.
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 2
  • Project Counter 1 Units: automated rack washers
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 2
  • Project Counter 2 Units : specialty production areas
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 2
  • Project Counter 3 Units: automated production lines

Sugar Food Crouton Production Renovation

  • Featured Article Order: 1
  • Project Header: Sugar Foods
  • Project City, State: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Project Description: Operation for the staling and drying of multiple varieties of bread for crouton production renovates and expands
  • Project Highlight 1: Study peformed to determine the optimal conditions for removing moisture from bread prior to entering drying equipment
  • Project Highlight 2: Solved condensation and moisture issues created by previous area used for removing moisture from the bread
  • Project Highlight 3: Innovative liquid dessicant HVAC system utilized for removing moisture from the bread
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 3
  • Project Counter 1 Units: dedicated dehumidification units
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 2 Units : hygenic drying room
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 3 Units: upgraded electrical system

Ukrop's Supermarkets Commercial Donut and Pastry Bakery

  • Featured Article Order: 1
  • Project Header: Ukrop's Supermarket
  • Project City, State: Richmond, Virginia
  • Project Description: Facility consolidation allows all bakery products to be manufactured under one roof
  • Project Quote: You understood from the beginning what we wanted to accomplish. There was a congruence of vision.
  • Project Quote Author: Gary Larson, Managing Director of Manufacturing
  • Project Highlight 1: Upgraded plant infrastructure, including chilling and cooling capacity and utility services
  • Project Highlight 2: Facility designed to produce donuts, buns, breads, pies, muffins, cakes, Danishes and cookies
  • Project Highlight 3: Maintained operations during renovation and construction
  • Project Counter 1 Value: 20,000
  • Project Counter 1 Units: sf build-out and renovation
  • Project Counter 2 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 2 Units : automated donut line
  • Project Counter 3 Value: 1
  • Project Counter 3 Units: cake line