About

Starting Semester: Spring 2025
Assigned: No
Location: Tucker

Sugar Bowl Bakery

Client Profile

Sugar Bowl Bakery (SBB) is a minority and family-owned and operated bakery, founded in 1984 by five Vietnamese brothers who came to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. The company has annual gross sales of over $150 MM and it employees more than 500 employees in its two locations: Hayward, CA and Tucker, GA.

SBB products are sold in all major US grocery retail and wholesale chain (Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Publix, Kroger, etc.) and some international markets as well.

The Tucker Bakery commenced its operation in August, 2020. The facility occupies a building of 170K ft2 with three production lines producing over 15 MM lb annually of delicious Madeleine cookies and Brownies.

Project Description

One of the opportunities identified to enhance the company’s overall profitability is the utilization of continuous improvements concepts to reduce production waste.

The food manufacturing process consists of four distinct steps: Blending/Forming (Depositing)/Baking/Packing.

Each step has its own opportunities for improvement as there are waste streams that need to be identified and solutions developed (technology, process improvement, etc.) for minimizing and/or eradicating such waste streams.

Skills

Utilizing of classical IE tools to 1) develop production modeling with networks and graphs; linear, nonlinear, and integer programming, construction of models employing modern modeling languages; and general solution strategies; 2) implement Discrete event simulation methodology emphasizing the statistical basis for simulation modeling and analysis; 3) recommend methods for describing stochastic movements of material in the manufacturing facility, supply chain, and equipment maintenance networks. Includes analysis of congestion, delays, and inventory ordering policies.