Embracing environmental responsibility

Its use of locally grown and organic potatoes is only the beginning of Kettle Foods' commitment to the environment. Used cooking oil powers company cars, wind and solar energy help power plants, and the result is the first LEED Gold food processing plant in the United States.

Processing 50 million pounds of potatoes a year, the plant is designed to enable smooth product flows between deliveries, washing, cooking, and packaging. A curtain wall delineates the break area and provides transparency, inviting users in and offering a link to the outdoors. Skylights over the open office area provide additional natural light. A trellis-covered entry walkway breaks down the scale of the building while affording solar shading for the break room, and wind turbines generate a significant portion of the electricity needed for chip production.