Freedom Foods is one of Australia’s most popular health food brands. In 2018, in a bid to reduce energy costs and as part of its five-year sustainability plan, the company launched ‘Project Radiant’, an ambitious solar installation project at its Victorian processing operations in Shepparton.

At the time, energy was a major cost for the business. It was also vulnerable to regular fluctuations in voltage and supply due to electrical grid instability. The UHT (long life) milk production line in particular had been shutting down up to 10 times a year, each time costing Freedom Foods anywhere from $40,000-$70,000 in disrupted production and associated clean-up costs.

While solar panels, voltage optimisation, and storage were the fundamental goals underpinning the Project, “there was significant lead time to source the specialised equipment for our sustainability strategy,” explains Freedom Foods’ Project Manager, Jeremy Panuccio.

In collaboration with AEES Group, Freedom Foods was able to access a staggered payment plan developed by Smart Ease.

Multiple draw-downs throughout the complex 14-month construction phase enabled the project to stay on schedule.

According to AEES Group Managing Director, Richard Martin, “without Smart Ease’s expertise, in particular the simplicity and flexibility of the application process, the project would have taken significantly longer to get – and stay – underway.”

“Not only did Smart Ease tailor a plan to match the pace of the rollout,” says Mr Panuccio, “but their industry knowledge supported us in progressing with the whole project far more quickly.”

“The time savings enabled us to complete installation before Summer, enabling us to cut our seasonal energy costs and meet sustainability targets.”

The project was also supported by a $1.6 million grant from Regional Development Victoria (RDV). However because the grant could not be realised until the project was installed, an alternative funding solution was needed.