C H Guenther & Sons

C.H. GUENTHER & SON

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C.H GUENTHER & SON

142 Inside sustainability

I PROFILE

C.H. Guenther & Son is a leading food manufacturer that has delivered highquality products and ‘just baked from scratch’ flavours for over 170 years. With manufacturing locations worldwide – including Europe’s most advanced bakery – it is making significant strides in sustainability through energy and waste reduction, and progressive farming practices. Andy Probert discovered more in discussion with Rosalinda Sanquiche, Global Senior Manager, Sustainability & Communications, and Jean-Charles Philippon, Managing Director, Europe.

IN

1851, C.H. Guenther & Son (CHG)

retail brands, such as Pioneer, White

began life as a humble flour mill

Wings, Sunbird, and Cuisine Adventures,

near Fredericksburg, Texas. Its

have been present at family meals

entrepreneurial visionary of the same name

for generations.

switched operations to neighbouring San

While CHG which is owned by Pritzker

Antonio, and CHG has been a powerhouse

Private Capital is deeply committed to

of production ever since.

advancing food quality across its diverse

Now employing 4,100 people across 29 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Canada,

operations, its dedication to sustainability is deeply embedded within its DNA.

and Western Europe, the company is a leading supplier of value-added grain-based

Sights on Coventry

and frozen food products for food service

These principles are best demonstrated

clients and select consumer markets.

at its latest high-tech operation at Coventry,

CHG’s current portfolio focuses on ten

in the UK. The £38M facility, which employs

areas ranging from artisan bread, buns,

90 people, can create 72,000 buns an

and English muffins to baking, griddle,

hour or 1.1 million buns a day - one of the

batter, and breading mixes, biscuits,

fastest bun production lines in Europe.

doughs, gravies, and dips. Its much-loved

The 106,000 sqft plant, designed and

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146 Inside sustainability

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C.H GUENTHER & SON

I PROFILE

built from scratch, is C. H. Guenther

to landfill target, the building has installed

Bakeries in Europe’s third UK site..

solar PV, electric vehicle charging infras-

Significantly, the facility is fully sup-

tructure, and a water recycling system.

ported by McDonald’s as it will create

“CHG is committed to high quality prod-

fresh, quality buns exclusively for the fast-

ucts, while sustainability and flexibility are

food giant’s restaurants.

key considerations with this latest facility,”

Jean-Charles Philippon, CHG’s

said Mr Philippon. “We believe the develop-

Managing Director, Europe, said the

ment will become a key asset in C.H.

facility underscored the company’s long-

Guenther Bakeries’ European growth plan.

standing commitment to McDonald’s,

“One of our core values is to offer bespoke

which it has been supplying with fresh,

production that exceeds customers’ expec-

quality buns since 2005.

tations. Our customers are considered

Sited ideally in the West Midlands

valued partners as we often collaborate

between major UK cities, the facility

with them to ensure we’re fully invested in

has been praised by senior McDonald’s

their specific operations. Ensuring we never

management to help better serve their

compromise on quality means their end

customers and is an excellent example

users get the best products.”

of the work it is achieving with CHG. The site is designed to BREEAM ‘Excellent’

Sustainable strategy

specification and is targeting an EPC ‘A’

Rosalinda Sanquiche, Global Senior

rating. Supporting CHG’s environmental

Manager, Sustainability & Communications

commitments to reduce electricity, natural

said CHG, backed by its parent company,

gas, and water intensity, and a zero waste

is continuing to make significant strides in

148 Inside sustainability

sustainability activities on all its sites. This

each metric tonne of product CHG creates, it

is through energy and waste reduction,

is working to reduce the usage of electricity

advanced farming practices, and

and natural gas, and waste generated to

increased use of sustainable and recy-

help lower its carbon footprint.

clable sources for its product ingredients and packaging.

The company produced its first environ-

CHG supports farming practices and water efficient technologies that protect watersheds in communities at drought risk.

mental, social, and governance report in

Its facilities also meet all environmental

2022 and highlighted the many initiatives

compliance requirements, ensuring water

it is achieving, which are being shared with

released into community systems is

stakeholders, suppliers, and customers.

contaminant free.

“Sustainability has become a firm focus

Most of the organic waste CHG plants pro-

for us. We are one of the few bakers in the

duce is diverted from landfill and converted

industry to tackle Scope 1 and 2 carbon

to animal feed. CHG also diverts waste

emissions, and we are now looking at

through upcycling, turning organic materials

Scope 3,” said Ms Sanquiche. “We began

into new product. Working towards zero

this initiative with our German plant, and

waste to landfill has already been achieved

it is now being rolled out across the

at eight facilities.

company’s footprint.”

The report highlights a variety of sustainability measures undertaken. For

A greater focus has also been placed on products made from sustainable ingredients, according to Ms Sanquiche:

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C.H GUENTHER & SON

I PROFILE

a 2022 baseline with SBTi-aligned goals and to target zero waste to landfill,” she explained. The corporate headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, is a LEED Silver building, using solar panels and an innovative HVAC system.

CHG’s R&D and culinary team is innovating with clients to provide options for healthy offerings: high protein, low sodium, whole grains, clean label, and more. It is “CHG requires all vendors to adhere to

also seeking out sustainably sourced or

a Supplier Code of Conduct that tracks

harvested ingredients, including RSPO

where ingredients are grown and harvested.”

certified palm oil.

CHG is also working closely with partners to develop packaging that is 100% reusable,

Praise for staff

recyclable, or industrially compostable by

“Having customers that share our beliefs

2025 for retail markets.

and values, and backed by a parent

“Our effort remains to reduce electricity, natural gas, and water intensity from

152 Inside sustainability

company that is prepared to invest heavily, demonstrates how serious we

are in driving our sustainability goals further,” Mr Philippon agreed.

Additionally, CHG’s efforts to increase diversity and educate its workforce about

The company is also fully aligned

diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) culmi-

with helping farmers look at new ways

nated in the company being named by

of innovating in growing wheat, maxi-

Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest

mizing yield while being mindful of best

Workplaces for Diversity for 2023. CHG

agricultural practices.

began its DEI journey in 2021 with a three-

Both interviewees paid tribute to CHG’s

year strategy to align diversity goals with its

global workforce in their commitment to

corporate business plan. The organization

maintaining best practices in performance,

has spent the last two years implementing

many geared towards the company’s

various programs and initiatives to help

sustainable goals.

create a more diverse and inclusive

The company is bestowed with many experienced workers who have served more

corporate culture.

In conclusion, Mr Philippon said: “We never

than five, ten, and 20 years. “They are at the

lose sight of what drives the consumer

heart of what we do; they bring forward

and how we work collaboratively with

ideas for change and how we can evolve

our partners to deliver on those trends

into a better company,” said Ms Sanquiche.

and perceptions. CHG will never compro-

“We ensure that the performance of the

mise on quality and will always strive for

company and our sustainable goals are

excellence. Those principles will always

always interrelated.”

underpin our approach and growth.”

n

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