Baking & Snack - March 2020 - 34

KEMPER FOODS INTERNATIONAL

the resources to package them all," he said.
The nut butter project allowed the company to automate packaging and vertically wrap its bitty snacks
into small packs and place them in 4-, 12- or 20-ct
cartons for c-store, warehouse clubs and other retail
customers. "For many years, we were primarily in the
foodservice market with bulk packaging - a bag-ina-box operation," Mr. Kemper recalled. "We were able
to take our business to the next level once we began
using our more automated packaging systems."
Today, retail accounts for about 70% of the company's business - almost the opposite of what it was
with foodservice a few years ago. Mr. Kemper credited
his direct-ownership partners, successful local businessmen Jack Koetter and Ken Huber, for supporting
the transition. "Our owning partners and management team had the vision, and they were not afraid to
make the change," he said. "We told everyone, 'we'll
be back,' and we're keeping our word. We're back."
Today, Mr. Kemper added, the company rides faster
than ever. "We have the capacity, and we're ready to
take advantage of it," he observed.
Production happens on three shifts, up to seven days
a week. The facility has about 26,000 sq ft of processing;
12,000 sq ft for packaging; 10,000 sq ft of warehouse
space; and 3,500 sq ft for offices, and there's room to
grow. Food safety and quality assurance dictate production at the BRC 'AA' rated operation, one of the highest
involving the Global Food Safety Initiative.
Production of mini and handheld snacks requires a
different train of thought from manufacturing bread and
larger sized baked goods. Here, it's best described as synchronized mass production where groups of equipment
in each department work together to pump out high volumes of products rather than relying on a single, unified
production line. Such a process offers maximum versatility while ensuring tight controls to make the delicate
products, according to Mr. Kemper.
During Baking & Snack's visit, Kemper Foods produced 1-oz soft-dough snacks filled with nut butter.
In the mixing department, two 350-lb Kemper spiral mixers alternated to turn out up to nine straight
dough batches an hour. The company also has a 600-lb
Sotttoriva mixer for larger runs.
On the Rheon systems, encrusted filled snacks typically travel single file until they reached a Rheon automatic panning system, where a retractable conveyer
precisely places them on pans before they are manually
racked. Each pan holds from 35 to 48 pieces, depending on the product's size. Critically, the temperature in
both rooms is set at about 40˚F to prevent the highyeast dough from activating prematurely during the
encrusting process.

34 Baking & Snack March 2020 / www.bakingbusiness.com

RAISING AWARENESS
in its own little way

To collaborate with groups, organizations
and foundations that support good causes,
Kemper Foods International came up
with the concept of Delicious Awareness
Ribbons. Shaped in a loop and sized like
the ribbons themselves, the edible handheld snacks with a social conscious come
in different colors to encourage public
awareness for health, social causes or
other worthy issues.
"We're making fun foods - foods with
a purpose," said Mike Kemper, CEO and
founder of Kemper Foods, which hold the
design concept for the product. "They're
cutting-edge, great-tasting, food-safe ideas
for supporting a variety of causes."
Using its Rheon technology, he added,
the food manufacturer develops fully
baked snacks using a cornucopia of doughs
and popular fillings. So far, the company
has rolled out several prototypes, such
as mixing strawberry and cream cheese
to create a pink filling for breast cancer
awareness or a blueberry and cream
cheese mix to reflect the purple color for
raising Alzheimer's disease awareness.
"We also have pizza ribbons with 3 oz of
pizza dough filled with pepperoni, tomato
sauce and cheese that's shaped like a red
awareness ribbon," Mr. Kemper said.
When it comes to new product development, Kemper Foods is up to almost any
challenge. In fact, Mr. Kemper has a plaque
on his desk quoting the legendary Walt
Disney saying, "It's kind of fun to do the
impossible."
And while there is an intrinsic art and
science to making miniature foods, Mr.
Kemper feels no need to overcomplicate
the process. "We like to tell people that 'We
put stuff in stuff.' That's what we do. That's
who we are," he said.
With the Delicious Awareness Ribbons
initiative, Mr. Kemper has had discussions
with various organizations and is currently
searching for the best opportunity to help
support a worthy cause while providing the
proper execution and support that it does
with all its customers.
"We know that this is something that can
turn crazy big in a hurry," he said. "We're
just waiting for the right partner who is
really at the right size to make the biggest
impact when we sell these products."

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Baking & Snack - March 2020

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