New Food Factory at Coyote Ridge
Friday June 18, 2010

Last spring, CI opened a new food manufacturing factory at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center (CRCC) in Connell. At the start of operations the factory was processing frozen vegetables and producing kettle products such as soups and sauces. More recently they began producing the CI Food Group’s newest product line, hand held convenience foods; AKA Burritos. Every month the factory produces 5,000 gallons of sauces and stews, 120,000 pounds of vegetables and 55,000 burritos. Much of the food produced is sold to the Department of Corrections, with some also sold to jails throughout the Northwest.

The CRCC Food Factory employs 40 offenders all of whom are enrolled in an ongoing training program that includes job cross-training. Floor supervisor, Donnie Tuck, emphasizes the use of industry standards of food manufacturing as a tool to teach offender worker concepts that make sense and processes that save money. All offender jobs have associated Standard Occupational Classification codes and once a worker becomes proficient in the job duties their supervisor will award a Certificate of Proficiency. Workers are also trained to identify and solve problems, which are essential elements to the factory operation. Offender workers understand the only way for problems to be addressed is to use 1) present the problem; 2) identify the solution, including cost, time and resources; and 3) describe the benefits. By following this process offenders improve their problem solving skills, which can be used in all parts of life. Supervisor Michael Cline stated, “[Offender] workers who believe their input makes a difference, have an interest in the outcome of the product. This has had a huge impact on their attitudes; they are actively engaged in making suggestions, with complete plans for improvements.” The same can be said about all people, if we believe our input makes a difference, we take an interest in the outcome; but for offenders this new sense of purpose can have an enormous impact on their attitudes and their lives.

Food production is not the only focus of the CRCC Food Factory. Plant supervisor, Michael Cline, views the factory as a place to help offenders develop pride, self worth and marketable job skills. The training program is built on the philosophy that offender take the skills they are taught with them into the community. Michael Cline, “The time these people spend here is being used to build a level of confidence they have never had before.” Michael hopes the workers take the lessons of this work environment with them to be successful in the community; that those skills will help them believe they have something meaningful to offer an employer and as a result they do not recidivate. Michael sums up his operational philosophy, “Our objectives must aim far higher than just managing operations; our objectives must establish principles of performance cultivate growth and promote change for the better.”