ConAgra Mills, a food ingredients brand of ConAgra Foods, has announced that its flour mill in Oakland, US, has received operational and sustainable upgrades through state-of-the-art equipment.
The Oakland Mill has received $21.7m in upgrades, which are aimed at bringing efficiencies to the entire supply chain.
The upgrades include wireless mobile technology featuring an automated, programmable logic controller (PLC); sustainability upgrades such as LED lighting throughout the plant; and upgraded milling capacity, allowing the mill to double its original production of flour.
Currently, the mill is working with PG&E to lower power consumption during peak periods. ConAgra Mills is also transforming packaging with a new polybag packer -- a recyclable and more durable shipping bag that is the first of its kind in the US milling industry -- that replaces the standard three-ply paper packaging.
ConAgra Mills national sales manager Jim Otwell said, "This is the first mill in the country to fully convert to a polybag system, helping us to maintain top quality, reduce waste and improve our customers' experiences."
The Oakland Mill ships 1.4 million pounds of flour daily to local and regional bakeries, restaurants, retail operations and food companies. Milling both white and whole wheat flours, the facility grinds the equivalent of over 750 acres of wheat each day.
The 100,000ft2 facility employs approximately 40 people plus 12 contractors, and operates 24 hours a day. It offers flour brands such as including King Midas, Kyrol, Occident, Full Power, Minnesota Girl and Mello Judith.
ConAgra Mills has about 23 mills throughout the US and Puerto Rico. It offers comprehensive selection of premium multi-use flours and whole grains.
