At its food processing facility in Fairwater, Wisconsin, food manufacturer Nortera (formerly Bonduelle Americas) packages thousands of ears of cob corn every day.

With 13 facilities in North America, Nortera is considered the leader in processed vegetables, canning or freezing close to half a million tons of veggies each year. The company is committed to creating a positive social impact, including by combating food insecurity throughout the communities that
are home to its plants in Canada and the United States.

When leaders at the Fairwater facility near Fond du Lac wanted to find a way to ensure more of its corn reached people who needed it most, they knew Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin would be a good place to start.

Since 2022, the food manufacturer has worked with the organization to get cob corn to families who are experiencing food insecurity – 750,000 pounds in all. Prior to its partnership with the food bank, the bulk of those cobs with slight imperfections were sent back to farmers and sometimes discarded. Now, nearly all of that corn – with the exception of what ends up on the floor – is instead going to people who need it in Eastern Wisconsin.

“As we run the corn on our production line, if there’s any kind of damage or missing kernels, we have to reject them from the line,” said Packaging and Warehouse Manager, Calvin Hopp.

So far in 2024, that has amounted to over 240,000 pounds of mini corn cobs, and Calvin anticipates at least another 100,000 pounds to families by the end of the year.

Nortera’s Fairwater plant specializes in processing those mini-corn-on-the-cobs, the two-and-5/8-inch cobs served at many sit down restaurants. The company processes raw vegetables, and packages retail cobs of corn from 6 to 24 ears to a package, as well as food service boxes of 96 ears.

Nortera sends out the corn in large bulk totes that Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin volunteers then break down and package into smaller bags for distribution to pantry partners. “We don’t want to see that corn go to waste – there’s really nothing wrong with those cobs of corn that are going out, and it’s something that’s very nutritional,” Calvin said.

The 40 to 50 workers on the production line are aware of the partnership with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and are happy to know that all of the corn
is going to good use. “They really like to see that. If it’s something that’s just a sort-out, we save that and we send it to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. Something hits the floor, it goes to the farmer.”

Calvin and Nortera’s shipping department work closely with food bank staff, setting up the orders when the produce is available.

“I always want to make sure that people have something to eat, I know there’s less fortunate people out there and they’re in need,” said Calvin, who grew up in Wisconsin and has worked at the Fairwater facility for more than 30 years. “And if we can help out, we definitely want to do that.”