C.H. GUENTHER & SON
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C.H GUENTHER & SON
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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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