SunOpta named a winner of a 2023 Manufacturing Innovation Award by ProFood World for its state-of-the-art greenfield facility in Midlothian, Texas

Chicago, Illinois; July 18, 2023 — ProFood World, a leading industry magazine, is set to honor MyForest Foods, Prestage Foods, and SunOpta as the winners of its prestigious Manufacturing Innovation Awards at PACK EXPO Las Vegas in September 2023. These annual awards celebrate exceptional food and beverage processing and packaging projects, including plant expansions, renovations, and upgrades.

MyForest Foods earns recognition for its groundbreaking Swersey Silos vertical farm and production facility in Green Island, NY. The company has revolutionized mycelium production by implementing a solid-state fermentation process that allows it to grow mycelium directly onto 100 x 3 ft beds. This innovative approach enables the creation of plant-based meat alternatives, such as MyBacon, without the need for extrusion and other time-consuming steps.

Prestage Foods of South Carolina, a subsidiary of the family-owned Prestage Farms, is also a winner of the Manufacturing Innovation Award. Its new 295,000-square-foot greenfield plant in Camden, SC, is a cutting-edge turkey processing facility. It houses the Western Hemisphere's only scaled European-style air-chill turkey processing model, a major improvement over traditional water-chill processing. The facility also features highly automated systems and advanced food safety and traceability protocols.

SunOpta secures an award for its state-of-the-art greenfield facility in Midlothian, Texas. This aseptic manufacturing plant produces ready-to-drink teas, plant-based milks, single-serve protein shakes, and other beverages. Nearly 90% of the facility's production is co-manufacturing. To meet tight deadlines for full production ramp-up, SunOpta developed creative solutions to overcome supply chain challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Aaron Hand, Editor-in-Chief of ProFood World, expressed excitement about this year's diverse group of winners, stating, "They have a lot of ideas about what it means to optimize a safer, more productive, more sustainable food processing system." Attendees at PACK EXPO Las Vegas can look forward to hearing the winners share their unique stories and insights.

ProFood World Publisher, Patrick Young, also commented on the significance of the awards, saying, "These Manufacturing Innovation Awards not only showcase the incredible ingenuity and dedication of the winners but also inspire the entire food and beverage industry to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation. We are proud to honor these exceptional companies and look forward to seeing their continued success."

For more information about PACK EXPO Las Vegas, The Processing Zone, and ProFood World's Manufacturing Innovation Awards, visit their website.

ProFood World is the fastest-growing media brand for food and beverage processors. Covering food safety, automation, processing, packaging, material handling and sustainability, ProFood World meets the needs of professionals across key food manufacturing segments, including bakery products, meat and seafood, fresh and frozen foods, grains and nuts, prepared foods, dairy and beverages.