Expansion Management

Is Green Food A Good Thing?

Dec. 22, 2009

PepsiCo would answer yes if by green food you mean food that is manufactured in a plant that has been certified as green.

The certification of course is LEED, which is the program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Casa Grande, Ariz., facility became the nation's first food manufacturing site to garner that distinction.

The facility has reduced its energy consumption by nearly 20% since 2006 by installing a heat recovery system that preheats cooking oil on the production line. The faciliity also has skylights to supplement lighting systems in office areas as well as high efficiency ovens.

It has introduced water efficient landscaping with native plants and water saving technologies in the manufacturing line to decrease the site's usage by 17% since 2006.

And more than 99% of the facility's wastes were diverted from landfills.

The company is working on investing in other technologies that should further reduce water and electricity consumption by 90%, natural gas use by 80%, and dramatically lower overall greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing facility once the installation process is completed in 2010.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko Blog | Senior Editor

Focus: Expansion Management & the Biotech & Life Sciences Industries

Email: [email protected]

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Call: 216-931-9235

Senior Editor Adrienne Selko manages IndustryWeek’s Expansion Management, delivering ideas and information about how successful manufacturers leverage location to gain competitive advantage. She explores the strategies behind why companies located their headquarters, research institutes, factories, warehouse and distribution centers and other facilities where they did, and how they benefit from the decision.

Adrienne is also the editorial coordinator of the IndustryWeek Expansion Management Roundtable events, which unites economic development professionals to network and discuss the latest trends in site location.

As well, Adrienne tells the stories of successful companies in the biotechnology and life sciences industries.

In the past, Adrienne has managed IndustryWeek’s award-winning website, overseeing eNewletters, webinars, and contributed content. Before joining the staff, Adrienne was managing editor of corporate publications at a large regional financial institution. She also ran a public relations and marketing company that published a best-selling healthcare book.

Adrienne received a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Michigan and is especially interested in wellness and natural health.