Menz upgrade turns chocolate making green

Iconic South Australia confectioner, Robern Menz is rolling out a $1.1 million upgrade of its production facility at Glynde, Adelaide, in a bid to overhaul and revolutionise its chocolate making processes while cutting its energy emissions and energy costs.

Funded partly through a $499,770 from the federal government’s AusIndustry Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment program, the upgrade will see the company's chocolate making department completely refurbished by replacing boilers and chocolate refiners with new state-of-the-art energy efficient equipment.

The project is expected to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of Robern Menz' boilers and refiners by 49 per cent and achieve savings of $185,000 in energy costs per year.

The company's existing manually-operated fire tube boiler and small electric boiler will be replaced with an unattended water tube boiler, planned to increase the facility's steam generation capacity by 50 per cent and result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 285 tonnes over the next five years.

Robern Menz's four 1970s-vintage, and power hungry, chocolate refining machines, or conches, will be replaced with two machines, while still increasing chocolate making capacity by 56 per cent and reducing carbon emissions by 2275 tonnes over the next five years.

The upgrade marks the second stage of the company's strategy to become a leader in "greener" confectionery production.

Last year the confectioner overhauled its refrigeration plant and warehousing infrastructure to reduce its carbon footprint.

“We are most grateful for the Australian government’s assistance and its recognition of the positive impact on the environment this project will create,” Robern Menz's chief executive, Philip Sims, said.

“A critical success factor has been the dedication and skill of the project team which included Robern Menz employees and a number of key advisor stakeholders.”