Translations

McCain Foods factory uses energy recovery system

4. Environment

Energy / Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

Sector Food-processing

Year 2010

Country Canada

Transmitter

Context

McCain Foods Limited is an international leader in the frozen food industry and the world’s largest processor of French fries and specialty potato products. Today, McCain Foods Limited has more than 20,000 employees working in 57 factories on six continents around the world.

Since 2004, they have put Corporate Social Responsibility at the forefront of their strategic plan. That same year they took their first big step toward eliminating trans fats and reducing saturated fats across their branded potato products around the world – an industry-leading initiative. Their overall goal is to drive sustainable and profitable growth by creating Good Food and a Better Life for their customers and consumers through the development of their employees, preservation of the environment and actions as a responsible corporation.

Objectives

To reduce energy consumption by creating renewable sources of energy.

APPROACH

McCain Foods’ potato processing plant in Carberry, Manitoba, Canada recovers heat from fryer vapour with a two-stage Energy Recovery System (ERS); the recovered heat is used to heat water in the pre-heating process, saving the plant an average of 125 GJ every day. The ERS has liquid and air flow meters and temperature sensors that help staff optimize the system’s performance and identify as many energy-recovery savings as possible. This approach is making the plant one of the lowest-cost facilities in the McCain Food family.

The facility is the first McCain plant in Canada to receive its ISO 14001 certification, an international standard for environmental management systems. Jean-Pierre Rajotte, Vice President, Operations, said similar energy recovery systems are in place at the other McCain potato processing plants across the country. "We also generate and use biogas at 23 of our plants," he said. "In Canada, renewable energy now accounts for more than 15% of our total energy use." Rajotte said McCain works hard to minimize its environmental footprint partly because customers and consumers are demanding it, but mainly "because it’s the right thing to do."

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Long-term energy cost savings from improved industrial efficiency
Planned implementation of more energy recovery systems in other plants will reduce costs even more

Benefits

Since 2005, energy consumption reduced by 5% unit produced