Marich Confectionery Co.

Hollister, Calif.

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As Brad van Dam points out, Marich Confectionery Co. has been actively engaged in environmental initiatives for quite some time.

“This goes back many years and efforts in industrial waste reduction, such as cardboard recycling, have been part of our practices for decades,” he says. “Each year we review our practices and seek ways to improve how we do business and remain a responsible company that we can all be proud of. One of the facets that we look to each year is our effects on our environment.”  

Thus, when Marich Confectionery built its new facility in 1998, it already put into place energy conservation technologies then available. Since then, it has continued to take advantage of new and emerging technologies to further reduce energy consumption.

For example, the company’s used a lightly colored reflective system to reduce heat buildup. In addition, the entire interior roof is insulated with high efficiency insulation, thereby reducing energy usage in cooling.

All windows in the facility are high performance glass, which increases overall energy efficiency of the building. Production and office areas use fluorescent lighting with all offices being sensor aided so the lights come on only when needed

Cooling for the main warehouse piggybacks on the same systems used to cool production. Since cooling units of this nature are more efficient as they approach peak usage, this linkage improves overall cooling efficiency.

The company’s new warehouse was also outfitted with four high efficiency cooling units, which provides the flexibility for an “as-needed” cooling capacity.

Electric forklifts reduce fuel usage and pollution both in and outside our facility

In 2009, the company engaged the local utility company to perform an energy use assessment. After monitoring usage over the 30-day period, subsequent recommendations reduced  energy usage by 10.8% on average.

As van Dam points out, “The knowledge gained from this continues to be used and we are studying other ways to reduce our annual energy consumption.”

In 2010, it converted 50 high bay warehouse lights over to sensor-aided fluorescent lights further reducing our energy usage.

Thanks to its location, Northern California, the vast majority of ingredients needed to produce Marich Confections line of sweets are sourced within 700 miles of our facility.

Guittard, located 80 miles away in San Francisco, supplies all of Marich’s chocolate. All sugars and starches also come from the Bay Area. Almonds, pistachios and raisins are sourced from the state’s central valley, which is within 150 miles.

Premium light Chandlers walnuts come from the company’s home town of Hollister. West Coast suppliers ship cherries, blueberries and other fruits to the company. And all milk and dairy products are from California dairies.

Finally, Marich Confections also has a green thumb.

“Our dad gardened as a hobby and loved plants and trees, especially Redwood trees,” says van Dam. ” Trees are nature’s natural carbon scrubbers and since our dad was big on plants we planted scores of them at our new facility, including his favorite Redwoods.”

 As a result, there are 75 trees on the 5 acres, the plant occupies along with ribbons of shrubs and flowering plants.  Moreover, the company constinues to plant trees and other greenery.