Raw Material Receiving and Storage

An exploding market for meal kits demanded an upgrade to Blue Apron’s southwest operation. Food Plant Engineering built-out the first 50,000 square feet of the original operation and was asked to look at expanding it once again. The plant was originally conceived to produce meal kits with primarily manual means, but market demand grew to a point that only additional space and automation could address.

This project required not only a creative design mindset, but a thorough understanding of a unique operation that combines manufacturing with traditional ecommerce within the same building and business. FPE project managers were given a rough concept layout from Blue Apron’s startup team. We were able to improve upon the concept to create additional space for incoming materials, reduce travel distance for the product flow, improve the hygienic environment to produce the meal portions, and reduce the space needed for employee amenities.  

Producing meal kits that contain ingredients that differ from week to week creates the need for adaptable storage. Our firm was able to work with Blue Apron’s plant management to devise a flexible storage and space plan to accommodate their needs. Containers, packages and pallets of all shapes and sizes needed to be stored. In addition to the large number of SKUs, Blue Apron’s raw materials have very high turns as these are typically not stored for more than a week. Temperature needs within this area range wildly as well, so flexibility is also necessary regarding freezers, coolers and temperature/humidity controlled dry ingredient storage.

Growth & Flexibility

In addition to a flexible storage plan, the production environment needed extreme flexibility to produce the large variety of SKUs needed. Though automation is typically well-suited for mass producing the same type of products in large quantities, our firm was able to help devise a strategy to implement targeted work cell automation. This allows for flexibility in production while reducing the workforce requirements.  

Processing Environment

This facility’s hygienic environment is critical, as a variety of food types are portioned from bulk ingredients into individual packages for assembly in mail order cases. Our design team determined that the operation should be separated into two basic room types, depending on the type of products being produced and packaged. One room type is a cooled low-humidity dry room, and the other is a refrigerated wet wash-down room. The vegetable processing operation required a cold and wet environment; the grains and spices needed a dry and cool environment, and the oils and liquids required a cool wash down environment. Our firm was able to position these different types of spaces into a layout that created a productive and hygienic work environment. In addition, many bins are utilized in the operation for the transporting of work-in-process. A plan for installing an automatic wash system was devised by our firm and added into the operations workflow to keep a circulation of clean bins available for use.  

Significant collaboration between Blue Apron’s team and our firm’s designers was necessary to achieve the correct balance in processing areas. Our team learned the process flow of this operation, was willing to consider space tradeoffs, and designed in tight spaces. We were engaged in the entire process from start to finish. 

Packaging, Cold Storage and Shipping

The facility needed a way to increase the rate at which meal kits are packaged into shipping cartons. The original system involved mostly manual assembly line style packing and sorting. In order to automate this operation, our firm worked with a vendor that provided an automated pick-to-light style system and automatic sorting and slotting for the finished cartons. This system was installed while maintaining ongoing packing and shipping operations.

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.

Facility Expansion for RTE Gourmet Deli Meat

When Ron Ramstad purchased property to expand his Philadelphia facility that produces organic and natural deli products, he interviewed a variety of A/E firms before choosing Food Plant Engineering LLC. Specifically, Ramstad asked to develop master plans and layout improvements for his inner-city operation.

Forward Thinking

He implemented much of the plan, finally deciding to expand the facility to the adjacent property. However, Ramstad opted not to enlist Food Plant Engineering’s help for on-site management of the project. Instead, he kept the firm on as a business representative and consultant. Site complexities and difficulties with a contractor Ramstad hired on his own made the process challenging.

“We didn’t think we needed that,” Ramstad says, and he admits that the decision was difficult. Working with knowledgeable experts is a must in the food plant industry. For Ramstad, finding the professionals suited for his specific problems while he ran his own business became the prerogative.

“People like us: we don’t do this every day,” Ramstad says. “So you need people who know what they’re doing.”

Trusted Consultant

FPE understands that a business owner has a lot on their plate when it comes to managing their own daily operations. Alongside A/E design services and construction oversite, FPE can help owners via consultation on a variety of different contractor needs.

Despite the challenges Ramstad faced, the expansion project finished on time and on budget. Those involved in the day-to-day operations of the facility “love it,” says Ramstad. “It’s changed the whole appearance of the company. Overall, it changes from being a shack in the corner to a beautiful building.”

Why Food Plant Engineering?

“Anyone can design, but keeping people accountable, that’s where you’re really good,” Ramstad says of the FPE team. Food Plant Engineering’s professionals are “fair, professional and accessible,” he says. “You can adapt quick. You respond quick. That’s your strength.”

Would he recommend Food Plant Engineering? “Oh, I do!” Ramstad says. “All the time.”

Overcoming design challenges following a legacy plant fire

Rebuilding a facility after a fire presents unique challenges. Overnight, the company was presented with the task of upgrading the processing operation to meet current food safety and operation expectations. The fire rendered 60 percent of the facility unsalvageable, while the remaining 40 percent — encompassing offices, raw material storage, and finished goods storage — were damaged but repairable. Thus, a plan had to be devised to utilize the remaining 40 percent while replacing the destroyed portion. 

In addition, the company had the opportunity to upgrade their processing equipment. This presented a chance to increase production and productivity. However, with every opportunity to change and improve processing methods comes the risk of changing product organoleptic characteristics, so great care was taken in working with Family Brands to select equipment that maintained the characteristics of the product that loyal and long-term customers expect. 

Food Safety and Flexibility in Production

Family Brands is a custom producer and thus needed the ability to make a variety of products and produce them in flexible quantities. Working in conjunction with everyone from upper management to the plant floor supervisors, various layout options were developed that allowed for both flexibility and food safety. This collaborative effort helped Family Brands implement new processing and production methods and eased the concern for how they could adapt to these methods. 

In addition to flexibility, a food safe product flow had to fit between the raw material storage and finished good storage structures that were not severely damaged by the fire. Our firm was able solve this issue and create a linear product flow that did not cross between raw and RTE. This flow also incorporated a rack washroom that allows for separation of dirty and clean racks, as well as an employee path that separates the raw from RTE workforce.  

Raw Processing

A layout for the raw processing of meat that allowed for equipment to be utilized between processing lines was developed. This new layout also vastly improved upon the processing capacity of the previous operation. The layout for new grinders, mixers, blenders, formers, stuffers, and linkers allowed for seamless flow from one operation to the next, as well as between process lines. 

Packaging

A variety of packaging machine styles were implemented in the design. These include manually and autoloaded horizontal thermoformer lines and bulk-pack food service lines. Some of these lines are fed by peeling and slicing lines as well. Additionally, a unique method for applying antimicrobial solutions to some of the products was devised by FPE and implemented to improve food safety and extend shelf life. 

Thermal Processing

Our firm worked with Family Brands to select new flow-through batch ovens with VFD fans to vary the volume and change the break point inside the oven. These ovens are flexible in many ways: they can utilize both natural and liquid smoke for flavoring, switch from natural gas to propane as a fuel source, and have a flat floor system that does not require a depressed pit that collects dirt and grease. Overall, these ovens increased Family Brands’ cook capacity significantly compared with the previous ovens. 

The product is moved from the ovens directly to high-intensive chillers. These chillers also utilize VFD controlled fans to rapidly chill the product, which improved food safety and drastically improved throughput.

Facility Development

Space allocation was crucial in this project, as the given space needed to accommodate not only the production and packaging operations but offices, break rooms, locker rooms, restrooms, electrical and water supply rooms, rack washrooms, and space for future production growth. This challenge was solved by optimizing space allocation of each room individually, and then modifying the allocation to fit within the confines of the overall floor and equipment plant. This back and forth, push and pull of functions and areas led to an optimization of each function and the entire layout.

Permitting

Rebuilding a plant that dated back at least 50 years brought the challenge of determining what must be upgraded to meet current building code and what could remain untouched. Working with local code authorities, we were able to develop a sensible plan to safely and cost-effectively upgrade the facility without sacrificing important upgrades for life safety and ADA feature.

Project Overview

One of the largest bulk CBD suppliers in the U.S. approached FPE about designing and building their new production facility. After an initial feasibility study for process and facility requirements and the review of multiple existing building shells in which to house the new operation was completed, our firm implemented the design and construction for the project. The facility encompassed 125,000 sf for offices, raw and finished goods warehousing, hemp processing (pre-extraction, extraction, winterization, crystallization, remediation), purification, filling, and packaging.

The project involved many high-hazard, classified rooms due to various solvents involved in the process. FPE provided process P&IDs based on the client’s input, as well as architecture and engineering for the following, electric systems, backup generator, chilled water systems, air handling/ventilation systems, CO2 delivery system, natural gas distribution, process sewers, boilers, hot water system, compressed air, and exhaust air treatment.

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