Local is Cool: Freeaire at the Mad River Food Hub Opening
Tuesday January 17th, 2012 was an important day for the agricultural sector of Vermont’s economy — marking the official opening of the Mad River Food Hub in Waitsfield, Vermont, adjacent to the Freeaire offices.
“Conceived in 2010 and constructed in 2011, the Mad River Food Hub is the first fully equipped, licensed vegetable and meat processing facility in the State of Vermont (& NE USA). It offers farmers and food producers affordable, daily rental of state licensed meat and vegetable processing rooms, together with on-site storage and distribution services to local market outlets.
The design and implementation of the Mad River Food Hub’s services relied extensively on the research, data and analysis from the State’s Farm to Plate Strategic Plan. Funding for this facility was provided by a number of state, federal and foundation funds as well as private investment.” – From Vermont Business Magazine
The food hub is a conceived as a central facility that can be shared between multiple agricultural and food processing businesses, reducing overhead and making it easier for small business to bring locally produced food to market.
Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin stressed the importance of the agricultural sector to the state’s economy in his opening remarks. The MRVFH compliments a similar facility in Hardwick, Vermont and there are plans to add a third food hub in the southern part of the state.
The food hub features large-scale freezer and cooler spaces. Advanced Freeaire Cooler Controllers optimize both of these spaces for maximum energy efficiency and the cooler (pictured above) also has a Freeaire Polar Power package installed, taking advantage of outside air for cooling.
Freeaire’s Richard Travers and Brad Long demonstrated the sophisticated capabilities of the Cooler Controllers for a large delegation of state legislators.
Heard of double IPAs? How about double Freeaire systems? Sean Lawson of Lawson’s Finest Liquids has a newly installed Freeaire system at his small Warren brewery and will also be using food hub’s facilities.
