Golden Harvest recently inaugurated the largest and most technologically advanced bakery on the island that has a daily output of 65,000 products. The new plant represents an investment of over €20 million. Apart from being the largest and most sophisticated bakery, the plant is also energy efficient and is equipped with the latest environmental friendly technologies. These include a photovoltaic system, which provides 40,000 Kw of energy per annum thereby reducing energy costs by 18 per cent, together with a solar water-heating system that supplies hot water throughout the building.
The bakery also boasts a modern waste separation system and a water reservoir that can collect 96,000 gallons of rain water for every four inches of rainfall. The water is purified through a reverse osmosis system and used for second-class water. Furthermore, all oven burners use LPG gas thereby reducing emissions and contributing to the company’s environmental policies.
Situated at San Gwann Industrial Estate, the new 14,500 sq metre Golden Harvest plant is spread over four storeys and employs 147 staff who man the production, packaging, storage, distribution and administrative departments.
The new building was constructed and designed with the careful collaboration of a world-renowned Israeli bakery management consultancy firm, which supervised the works at the plant. The new premises is equipped with a cold room that can store up to 1,100 pallets and has nine different loading bays. It also has two new production lines for loaf production and a bun line that provide 100 per cent additional capacity over the previous plant.
The Golden Harvest plant today produces a vast selection of bakery, dairy and confectionery products together with seasonal sweets, luscious desserts, ice creams and a variety of products for large multinationals. The company also has a chain of 13 stores and a fleet of 23 delivery vehicles.
The high standards of hygiene, food safety and the company’s persistent commitment to quality have been retained and enhanced in the new plant. With this commitment to quality and safety, the company has received several international awards including the British Retail Consortiums Global Standard Food Certificate in 2008 and the American Institute of Baking’s excellent rating certificate earlier this year.
Conscious of the drive towards healthy eating alternatives, the company recently launched a Low Gi Multiseed Loaf containing a major source of fibre and is therefore ideal for healthy eaters, dieters, vegetarians and type 2 diabetics who follow a low Gi diet. This product was developed by Bakels (UK) and is produced under licence by Golden Harvest.