Clean Energy Future

L-R: Mr Pran Gohil (Director, Crafty Chef), Hon David Bradbury MP, Hon Greg Combet AM , and Mr Jitesh Gohil (General Manager, Crafty Chef).

Food manufacturer Crafty Chef will reduce its carbon emissions intensity by more than 50 per cent thanks to an Australian Government-backed project costing $1.1 million.

Crafty Chef is one of Australia’s leading producers of frozen prepared meals, finger foods and sauces with distributors including major Australian supermarket chains and food service distributors.

The $1.1 million project has been funded under the Australian Government’s $1 billion Clean Technology Investment Programs, with a $500,000 grant supporting Crafty Chef’s $600,000 investment in a new freezer system that will bring massive energy efficiencies and electric power savings.

Crafty Chef will replace their existing commercial blast freezer system with an industrial spiral freezer system using ammonia as the refrigerant. The ammonia system uses an evaporative condenser which delivers an increase in overall system efficiency and electric power demand savings.

The system is one of the first 13 projects to be funded under the Clean Technology Programs, announced by Greg Combet, Minister for Industry and Innovation, at Crafty Chef’s Western Sydney factory on 7 June 2012.

The $800 million Clean Technology Investment Program and the $200 million Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program together provide practical assistance to help Australian manufacturers in all industries transition to a clean energy future and become cleaner, more efficient and more sustainable.

Helping businesses and manufacturers improve their energy efficiency and support clean technology innovation activities are a central element of the plan to move Australia to a clean energy future.

Jitesh Gohil, Crafty Chef General Manager and co-founder, said the Clean Technology Investment Program was pivotal in allowing the company to invest so heavily in this project.

“Without the Government funding, the project would not have been possible,” Mr Gohil said.

“Crafty Chef is proud of this project and excited to be a manufacturer aware of the need in the current world climate to be taking action to reduce emissions. It also simply makes good business sense as the cost of power is rising and if Australia’s manufacturers, big and small, are to continue to prosper we need to transform how we operate,” he said.

Other manufacturers are encouraged to follow the lead of Crafty Chef and invest in the future of their business.

To find out more about the Clean Technology Programs visit the AusIndustry website.