NOTTINGHAM, PA. — Private snack manufacturer Herr Foods, Inc. reviewed its sustainability practices ahead of Sustainability Day, which falls on Oct. 26 this year. The family-owned company has implemented initiatives throughout its supply chain that support recycling materials and reformulating manufacturing byproducts.
“In 1946, when my father created and expanded Herr’s, sustainable practices were just something that made good business sense,” said Ed Herr, chairman and chief executive officer. “As we look to celebrate Sustainability Day later this month, the Herr family’s passion for quality leads our company to seek new and better ways to serve our customers and, at the same time, protect the environment through manufacturing, waste recycling, packaging and delivery optimizations.”
On the manufacturing front, the company recovers excess steam from plant operations to heat the building. Excess potato starch also is recovered and sold to fine paper manufacturers, according to the company. Most other snack byproducts are used at the neighboring Herr’s Angus farm, where water discharge is used as spray irrigation, slurry is used for fertilizer and potato skins are used for fodder.
To transport and deliver products, the company uses corrugated containers that are then recycled at the end of their use. In addition, Herr’s distributes 50% of its snacks within 100 miles of the manufacturing plant, according to the company, which limits transportation emissions.