Once-in-a-Century Opportunity.

“At a fundamental level, Gray’s and Clemens’ values align with one another. We needed to partner with somebody where trust was the cornerstone of the journey,” said Doug Clemens, President and CEO Clemens Food Group.

Putting Shared Values into Practice

As family-owned businesses, both Gray and Clemens put worker safety, food safety, and animal welfare first. The Coldwater facility delivers all three – with significant innovation.

The facility follows Temple Grandin’s humane livestock handling methods, designed to provide comfort, fresh water, and freedom of movement. Each hog is tracked throughout the process and passes through multiple USDA inspections. The facility features a -25 degree Fahrenheit Snap Chill freezer with a 3,128-ft. chain, the longest and fastest Snap Chill in the world.

Coldwater’s automation process greatly increased efficiency, reduced the building’s size, and shortened the production cycle. Clean-in-Place and Clean-Out-Of-Place ensures thorough sanitation and food safety technology throughout the facility. Most importantly: the Clemens and Gray teams celebrated 1,000,000 safe man-hours with more than 1,000 workers onsite during the 28-month construction process.