Clif Bar & Co., Emeryville, CA, celebrated the groundbreaking of its first owned and operated bakery, the Clif Bar Baking Co., in Twin Falls, ID, on March 12. With a focus on people and sustainability, the new 275,000-square-foot bakery will help the company meet growing demand for organic energy and nutrition bars. Construction on the bakery will begin in April, and the bakery plans to open in spring 2016. When fully operational, the bakery will create more than 200 jobs in the community.

“Beautifully designed, sustainable and people-inspired, the Twin Falls bakery showcases our company values and our desire to serve as a community partner to Twin Falls," says Clif Bar & Co. CEO Kevin Cleary. "When operating, the new bakery will help us continue to craft delicious, organic food that feeds and inspires adventure.”

Making use of local materials and labor, the building's design reflects Clif Bar's commitment to sustaining its people and the planet. The bakery will use state-of-the-art processes and packaging systems, natural light, LED lighting and a “cool roof” (a roof designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof) to maximize energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Aiming to achieve the highest possible LEED certification, the building will also capture heat that would have otherwise been wasted and use it to make Clif Bars and Clif Kid ZBars.

Employee break rooms will enjoy direct access to outdoor areas, including landscaped areas featuring habitat for butterflies and bees, as well as an onsite amphitheater for company events and celebrations.

“The new bakery will be a great place to work, and we are thankful to Clif Bar & Co. for bringing more than 200 jobs to Idaho," says Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter. "This is huge for our state's economy, and we are excited to have Clif Bar & Co. as a new member of our business community.”

Mayor of Twin Falls, Don Hall also attended the groundbreaking ceremony and expressed his support for the new bakery: “We're thrilled to welcome a new business like Clif Bar & Co. that aligns with our values. We look forward to working with Clif Bar as a long-term partner to strengthen our economy and together act as good stewards to the environment.”