Second to none

At the Twin Falls bakery, which commenced commercial production in May, a third line is being installed and is expected to be up and running by spring 2017. In all, about 200 people work on three shifts, five days a week. That number will increase to 240 as the third line ramps up.

Overall, the building provides 150,000 square feet for processing, 40,000 square feet for packaging and 75,000 square feet for raw materials’ and finished goods’ warehouse space. It also includes 35,000 square feet in front-office open workstations and varied types of comfortable conference rooms that foster open communication and idea generation.

“Fat tire” bikes are available for employees to cruise around the property at break time.

Inside the bakery, Clif Bar took a holistic approach and incorporated its five aspirations whenever possible throughout the operation. During a tour in July, Mr. Berger and Jeb Sloan, senior project engineer, pointed out how the company also branded the inside of the bakery using Clif Bar’s signature red on walls, doors and even on various pieces of equipment.

A recycling room, where waste material is pre-sorted as part of a zero-waste initiative, represents Clif Bar’s commitment to the planet. Mr. Berger pointed out again how windows let in natural sunlight and provide an inside-out perspective for those people working in the maintenance area and attending team training in classrooms and in other support services located throughout the perimeter of the operation.

At the same time, the plant also reflects a commitment to food safety by placing electrical service underground and standing-off anything mounted on a wall to facilitate more efficient, effective cleaning. Rounded edges on the curbs and even stainless sanitary sleeves where piping penetrates the walls demonstrate an intricate attention to sanitary design.