SugarCreek, the largest independent bacon processor in the U.S., is investing $170 million for the expansion of the group’s product line, and for the creation of a new Culinary Innovation Center.

 

The group invested $120 million into a new 435,000 square foot facility in Cambridge City, Indiana, (CCI) which is opening this month. The plant will have three high-volume cooking cells – infrared, impingement ovens with char markers, and a new sous vide line.

 

Sous vide is a process through which food is sealed in an air tight container or bag and slow-cooked in a water bath. Sugar Creek will use its new line to process vegetables, starches, seafood, and protein snacks. The facility will consist of 10 Armor Inox tanks used in the sous vide process – each one capable of processing up to 11,000 pounds of product per cooking cycle.

 

Commenting on the new production line, Michael Richardson, chief operating officer for SugarCreek said, “Until now, sous vide has been limited to high-end, small-batch cooling in the U.S. With our new CCI facility, we’ll be able to introduce sous vide prepared foods to a broader and diverse audience of the nation’s top food brands. Bacon will always be at the heart of SugarCreek, but now we will be working with beef, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and more.”

 

In addition, the company is investing $50 million into its headquarters in Fairfield, Ohio which will also include a Culinary Innovation Center encompassing two test kitchens and a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved R&D laboratory. The center will be utilized to develop new food products and menu items for customers across the restaurant, airline, hospitality, and supermarket industries.