Mead & Hunt has been serving the food and beverage industry since 1907, when we took on our first project for a beverage manufacturer. Over the last 118 years, we have expanded into other food and beverage markets and evolved into our own dedicated department within the firm. As we celebrate 125 Years of Exceptional, we invite you to look back at our history in the food and beverage market.
Food & Beverage Roots
We have served food and beverage clients almost since Mead & Hunt’s founding. One of our largest projects during that time was for the Schlitz Brewing Company’s water supply plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We were commissioned to engineer a new water supply source, pumps, and equipment for the plant. Working with Schlitz Brewing helped us gain a foothold in the food and beverage industry, but it was the dairy market that launched our consistent work, which continues today.
Drawing on our Dairy State roots, Mead & Hunt began to work for food and dairy processing facilities in Wisconsin. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the firm designed additions to several plants throughout the state. Later work evolved into sanitary sewage and water-supply systems and, finally, into designing and constructing entire food and dairy plants, including the related equipment, buildings, and drainage systems. One of our first major food and beverage projects was expanding Wisconsin Dairies’ Richland Center facility. From that project, a food and dairy division was born. Later, Mead & Hunt expanded into projects for Oscar Mayer foods, which hired the firm for various types of engineering work for its Madison, Wisconsin, plant.
Specializing in cheese plant development, the food and dairy division, now Food & Beverage, expanded its range of services to encompass architectural design, water and sewage treatment, and engineering state-of-the-art food and dairy process facilities. Mead & Hunt played a key role in expanding facilities for Wisconsin Dairies Cooperative, an organization owned by dairy farm members in seven Midwestern states. Projects included additions and renovations to dairy plants in Richland Center, Reedsburg, and Lancaster, Wisconsin. As cheese production expanded in areas outside the Dairy State, we completed projects in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and California.
Today, the Food & Beverage department has expanded significantly. In addition to dairy, we serve clients in various markets like bakery, confections, ready-to-eat/frozen, ingredients, nutraceuticals, brewing, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages among others.
Team and Services Growth
When we started taking on consistent food and beverage work back in the 1940s and 50s, Mead & Hunt did not have a dedicated food and beverage team. Instead, staff from other departments pooled their resources to deliver projects to clients. Eventually, an independent food and dairy team was developed that has now become the Food & Beverage team. As recently as 2014, that team had only seven people and still relied on support from other departments. Today, the Food & Beverage team has more than 100 dedicated engineers to serve our clients.
The Food & Beverage team has grown organically and through a handful of strategic acquisitions. In 2017, we acquired EMR, a firm based out of Fenton, Missouri, that specialized in industrial refrigeration and HVAC. In 2022, we grew even more with the acquisition of Symbiont in West Allis, Wisconsin. They allowed us to expand into engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) for projects as well as provide more water, wastewater, process, and controls services to our clients. Most recently, in 2024, we added a packaging team to our Food & Beverage department by hiring a group of packaging engineers based in Champaign, Illinois. These acquisitions added valuable team members to our once small department, but they also allowed us to expand our food and beverage services from just mechanical, electrical, and plumbing to full-service offerings that help us more efficiently keep up with our clients’ needs.
Community Impact
At Mead & Hunt, our Food & Beverage group is not only dedicated to delivering exceptional services to our clients but also committed to making a positive impact in our communities. Over the past several years, our team has actively participated in various volunteer activities, demonstrating our commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.
One highlight of our volunteer efforts is our annual Adopted Family Gift Drive coordinated through the local police department by the Fenton, Missouri, office, which is primarily staffed by Food & Beverage group members. During this event, the office comes together to provide gifts and essential items to families in need during the holiday season. When Mead & Hunt acquired EMR, we not only continued their tradition of “adopting a family” every year, but the company also matches each gift. This initiative brings joy and relief to many families, ensuring they have a memorable and happy holiday.
Our Food & Beverage team members everywhere are continuously exploring new opportunities to give back to our community, whether through environmental initiatives, educational programs, or supporting local charities. Our commitment to community and environment is reflected in our conference planning, where we strive to host events in an environmentally responsible manner, such as reducing our carbon footprint and partnering with local small businesses. Volunteering not only allows us to make a tangible difference in the lives of others but also enriches our own lives. It fosters a sense of community, helps us develop new skills, and enhances our overall well-being. We are proud of the positive impact our Food & Beverage group has made and look forward to continuing our efforts to support and uplift our community.
Looking Back
As we celebrate our achievements and reflect on our 125-year journey, it is evident that our Food & Beverage department has not only grown in size and expertise but also in heart and dedication. The initiatives we undertake, both professionally and voluntarily, are driven by a genuine desire to make a lasting impact. We are grateful for the support of our team, clients, and community, which has been instrumental in our success. The road ahead is filled with opportunities to innovate, serve, and give back, and we are excited to continue enriching lives through our work and community efforts.
