Family-owned premium poultry processor Bell & Evans has remained at the front of its industry’s flock by prioritizing high quality from all angles — from its antibiotic-free chicken to the materials and processes within its facilities. The most recent example of this commitment? A 160,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art chicken packaging, further processing, par-fry and storage plant in its hometown of Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania. Stellar was the design-builder for the poultry plant project and found it to be unlike any other project we’ve been a part of. This new facility is infused with cutting edge innovation and durability inside and out, from its materials and finishes to its packaging process. Claim to Fame: An award-winning poultry processing innovation First, let’s examine the history of some of Bell & Evans’ poultry innovations. The company nabbed Food Engineering ’s 2005 “Plant of the Year” thanks to an evolutionary , multi-phase air chill system which allows Bell & Evans to utilize interval-based enhanced air flow rather than a traditional water bath. Most processors submerge their chicken in a water bath including chlorine and other chemical additives to decrease the temperature as fast as possible. However, the chicken generally retains up to 15 percent of the water it’s soaked in, resulting in added water weight and lower quality chicken. Due to retainage, most processors’ poultry packaging includes a “diaper” to absorb any leakage that may occur. The diaper looks like a piece of white cotton placed under the chicken’s styrofoam platter. Bell & Evans never uses a diaper. In this new facility, complex multivac packaging lines produce a proprietary poultry package that has absolutely no water leakage. 5 lessons for poultry processors The need for this chicken packaging, further processing and storage facility spurred from Bell & Evans’ commitment to growing its business among its existing customer […]