You may not think much about what goes into a package of M&Ms, but one of the key ingredients, modified starch, is made right in Houlton, Maine at the Tate & Lyle starch plant by members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' International Union (BCTGM) Local 334.
“Whenever you see something in the grocery store that lists ‘modified food starch’ as an ingredient, there’s a good chance it came from us,” said Jamie Hunt, a 29-year Tate & Lyle employee and member of BCTGM Local 334. “Modified starch is in everything from crackers, ketchup and salad dressings to candy like M&Ms and Skittles. The starch in M&Ms is the coating between the chocolate and the candy shell so the chocolate doesn’t melt.”
When starch plants began operating in the 1880s, Aroostook County was the leading producer of potatoes grown specifically for their high starch content. By the turn of the century, there were over 150 starch factories operating in the US and most were concentrated in Northern Maine where the potatoes were grown. However, by the early 1900s, the industry began to lose its strong position in the market due to the introduction of cornstarch, which could be manufactured at a lower cost. Potato starch became a specialty item and starch potato farming shifted to Europe.
The Houlton plant was built in 1959 by the Morningstar-Paisley company and was the largest potato processing plant in the East at the time. It was later purchased by the Illinois-based A.E. Staley company, whose founding family is most known for establishing the Chicago Bears football team. In the late 1980s and 90s, it was bought up by British food conglomerate Tate & Lyle. Although the Houlton factory still produces some starch from potatoes grown in the Netherlands and Germany, these days it primarily processes tapioca from Thailand and Brazil and corn from the midwest. Its starch is shipped all over the world.
At the moment there are 33 union workers at the factory, but the company is expanding and seeking to hire up to 13 new employees to increase production. Hunt, who works on the flash drying machine at the end of the process, says it’s a good working environment and he would definitely recommend applying, especially because of the wages, benefits and job security negotiated by union members.
“Our plant is known as one of the ‘elite’ jobs in Northern Maine because our pay has always been decent and the benefits are really good,” he said. "Being in the union for the past 29 years has been a great benefit for my whole family. The wages and benefits I’ve earned have helped bring up three children, our schedules are fairly set and the stability of the work is especially great. Tate & Lyle is a massive company but the plant in Houlton has a really tight, family-like atmosphere. Like any job it has its ups and downs, but overall it’s a great place to work.”
If you or someone you know is looking for work in the Houlton area, click here for more information on how to apply to Tate & Lyle.