Oct 7, 2024Pennsylvania potato processor receives sustainability recognition
Pennsylvania-based Keystone Potato Products has received recognition of its production plant’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing.
Keystone won the 2024 Green Plant of the Year award from Food Processing Magazine. Readers nominate plants for the annual award, which honors Keystone’s commitment to environmental sustainability, innovation and eco-friendly food production processes, according to a news release
Established in 2003 by the Masser Family of Companies, Keystone represents a union of more than 40 Mid-Atlantic potato growers. Its facility employs cutting-edge technology and eco-conscious processes across its three main operations:
- A potato dehydration line that transforms off-grade and poor-quality potatoes destined for landfills into potato flakes and flour.
- A fresh-cut plant that produces fries, dice, slices, wedges and whole peeled potatoes.
- Two state-of-the-art automated potato packaging lines for large retail partners.
To minimize the facility’s reliance on traditional energy sources, the Keystone plant is powered by methane gas from the nearby Commonwealth Environmental Systems landfill.
The plant draws water from an abandoned underground coal mine, and the company’s municipal water treatment facility purifies iron and manganese from the water. Post- production, the water is treated through an anaerobic digestion process and released into a nearby stream.
Additionally, Keystone has achieved a zero-waste milestone, according to the company. All peel, bin and mash waste generated by its potato processing lines are repurposed as feed for local Pennsylvania cattle farmers.
“We are honored to receive the Green Plant of the Year award for 2024,” Dave Masser, CEO of Masser Family Companies and a member of the Keystone Potato Products board, said in the release. “Our team is committed to finding innovative ways to protect the environment while producing high-quality potato products. This award motivates us to keep striving for additional sustainability solutions.”
