Field Trip to LiDestri

This is how my November started. With the aroma of pasta sauces wafting through the air, and this classy head wear, complete with ear plugs and hairnet. No, you do not need to adjust your monitors. And no, this is not a Halloween costume. One of the fun parts of my job is occasionally getting to attend a local food production plant or print run. On Monday, I learned how sauces are cooked, jarred, labeled, packaged and stored, at LiDestri Food and Beverage, in Fairport, NY.

It was pretty amazing. I felt like I was on a Mr. Rodgers field trip. Remember the episode when Mr. Rogers showed how crayons are made? My favorite one, of course. Old school Crayola labels.

This field trip was even better, because I got to see how the ingredients are assembled, the sauce being cooked in giant vats, how the jars come down the line and labels are applied. Then they are packaged, loaded onto pallets, and stored in the warehouse. In one day, they can produce a million jars. A million. I don't even know what a million anything looks like. It really is impressive. The plant is huge. So much going on, so many machines, so many people making sure everything runs smoothly. It was a very cool learning experience. I now have a greater appreciation and knowledge of where those jars of sauce come from. I especially liked the sign on the building that says, "Made by Italians." LiDestri sure knows how to make-a-the-sauce.