Red Star Yeast dedicates new fermenter at Cedar Rapids plant

Red Star Yeast is already a dominant player in nutritional yeast production, serving a large segment of the global baking, nutrition, health and biotech industries. And the formal dedication of a new fermenter at Red Star’s fresh yeast manufacturing plant in southwest Cedar Rapids Aug. 31 – the operation’s tenth fermenter overall, and the fourth new fermenter added since the plant opened in 2006 as a business unit of the global Lesaffre group – is the latest chapter in the company’s ongoing growth trajectory, company officials say. “This expanded capacity enables us to meet growing demand and ensures reliable supply to customers, which we serve through Red Star and other business units of Lesaffre,” said Lesaffre president and Red Star CEO Tom Benner at a "baguette-cutting" ceremony, with a large loaf of the traditional crusty French bread standing in for the traditional ribbon. “We are committed to meeting the evolving needs of our customers across all our end markets.” The ceremony was attended by an estimated 100 company officials, employees and local leaders. Statistics bear out the company’s global leadership in yeast production. As Mr. Benner noted:

• “By all estimates,” the Red Star Yeast plant in Cedar Rapids is the world’s largest;
• A third of the world’s bread is made with Lesaffre yeast, and
• 40% of the bread baked in North America is made with yeast from the Cedar Rapids Red Star Yeast plant.

As a testimony to Red Star’s commitment to safety, the new six-story fermenter, which will dramatically increase the production capacity of the Cedar Rapids plant, was built without any worker injuries, officials said. “The company’s safety-focused culture has been fundamental in enabling new growth opportunities,” said plant Mathieu Cagnard, who moved from France to Cedar Rapids in 2004 to get the new plant off the ground. “We are really proud of the advances we have made in safety.” Red Star Yeast, at 950 60th Ave. SW, is a joint venture between Lesaffre and ADM in Cedar Rapids, and ADM produces the corn syrup that’s used to make Red Star’s yeast. Red Star began operations with six on-site fermenters, and has since expanded several times, nearly doubling its Cedar Rapids workforce in the process.

Red Star’s continued growth fits well with the city’s economic development model, said city manager Jeff Pomeranz. “The expansion of Red Star fits right into our economic development mission of expanding and growing sectors of health and biotechnologies,” Mr. Pomeranz said. “When we look at Cedar Rapids history, we're a community that has had great commitment to industry and manufacturing, and we're proud of those groups.” Cedar Rapids continues to focus on recruiting manufacturing firms and encouraging their growth, unlike other cities that may overlook those opportunities, he said. “In Cedar Rapids, we are a manufacturing community,” he said, “and we’ll continue to support and partner with you as the company continues to grow.” Ron Corbett, former Cedar Rapids mayor who now serves as vice president of economic development for the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, said it’s encouraging that companies like Red Star, especially those with global ties, continue to call Cedar Rapids home. “It’s great to be able to fly all these international flags,” Mr. Corbett said, “and it really puts us on the map for other international companies, and even companies in the state.” Mr. Benner noted that Cedar Rapids has been a welcoming community for Red Star. “It’s been a great journey for us in Cedar Rapids,” he said. “We have continuously grown since starting up the original plant in 2006. It's thanks to a lot of people in this room, and a lot of people outside this room. I want to thank all of them, and I can't wait to see what's next.”