The 320,000-sf unfinished spec warehouse in Pooler, GA, when complete, will allow MANA Nutrition to boost production of innovative new products, serving live-saving food to millions of children worldwide who are suffering from severe, acute malnutrition.
About MANA Nutrition Products
RUTF is designed to therapeutically treat children ages six months and older who have been diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). It comes in an easy-to-open food-grade packet, does not require added water, cooking or refrigeration, and boasts a two-year shelf life. RUSF is designed to treat children ages six months to five years who have been diagnosed with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). While RUTF is meant as a meal replacement, RUSF is typically a supplement to other feeding. RUSF treats the low-grade malnutrition that leads to stunting and a multitude of other health problems.
A New State-of-the-Art Food Processing Facility
The project involves substantial refurbishment of the current facility and the erection of three new buildings on site. These new structures encompass a bulk tank unloading area, which facilitates the transfer of oil and paste from tankers to the interior tank farm for MANA. Additionally, there is a sugar pulverizer room designed for grinding granulated sugar into fine, powdered sugar, one of the main components in the RUTF mix. Finally, a peanut skin house has been constructed to gather peanut skin leftovers, which are subsequently utilized by local farmers to enhance the health of their soil.
In the main building, an inventive observation platform will run the entire width of the main facility and will allow MANA to share its mission, and process for making RUTF and RUSF with facility visitors. Viewers will be able to see the arrival of local, Georgia peanuts through every processing stage as they move through roasting, mixing and packaging.
Like any food facility that A M King designs and builds, putting sanitary design measures in place is paramount. In this facility, there will be a number of elements with this focus, including employment of Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV) which will minimize human interaction with the product. Additionally, the facility will be organized into separate processing zones for raw versus ready-to-eat peanuts that are used in the food packets. Each of these areas has unique air pressure requirements, as well as strict Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) procedures for employees.
