Maine organic cereal maker GrandyOats will be moving in November from its facility in Brownfield to a solar-powered plant at the old Hiram Elementary School, the company announced Wednesday.
The company says its new plant will be the first “net zero” food production facility in New England, meaning it will not burn any fossil fuels and therefore will have zero carbon emissions.
GrandyOats, founded in 1979, spent 15 years in Brownfield, manufacturing its products in a 1910 dairy barn. It’s outgrown that facility and plans to expand production in Hiram. The old Hiram school, constructed in 1979, was abandoned in 2009 during Maine’s school consolidation. GrandyOats purchased the building in 2014.
The expansion includes a warehouse for storing raw, organic ingredients and solar panels installed on the school’s old sports field. The solar system was designed by ReVision Energy and will power everything from the company’s computers to its ovens.
According to a news release, the company grew 25 percent in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and is positioned for 30 percent growth by the end of 2015. GrandyOats will become the largest employer in Hiram.
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