THOMASVILLE, GA. — Flowers Foods, Inc. on Oct. 6 announced 15 of its US baking plants have been granted Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star certification for 2020. In 2019, 13 of the company’s 46 bakeries achieved Energy Star status.

Flowers baking plants that received Energy Star status are located in Batesville, Ark.; Baton Rouge, La.; El Paso, Texas; Henderson, Nev.; Houston; Lafayette, La.; Lynchburg, Va.; Modesto, Calif.; New Orleans; Norfolk, Va.; and Tyler, Texas. Also achieving certification were Alpine Valley Bread Co., Mesa, Ariz.; Dave’s Killer Bread, Milwaukie, Ore.; Holsum Bakery of Tolleson, Ariz.; and Tuscaloosa Organic Baking Co., Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Thirteen of the 15 plants also were Energy Star certified in 2019. New to the 2020 list were the Houston and Modesto plants.

To gain Energy Star certification, a plant must perform in the top 25% of similar facilities across the United States for energy efficiency and meet energy efficiency standards established by the EPA.

“It is a testament to these bakeries’ commitment to sustainable environmental practices that they were able to achieve the EPA’s rigorous Energy Star standards, despite the challenges created by the pandemic,” said Margaret Ann Marsh, vice president of environmental sustainability at Flowers. “I am pleased to report that Flowers Foods is on track to reach and surpass the greenhouse gas emissions target we’ve set for 2025.”

As a part of the company’s energy efficiency and conservation efforts, Flowers said it is pursuing its 2025 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% per tonne of product produced. In 2017, the company exceeded its 2020 goal of a 10% reduction per tonne of produced product.

Energy Star was launched by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to cut greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.