Danisco invests in betaine with Tereos

Danisco, a world leader in food ingredients, enzymes and bio-based solutions, has announced a pioneering investment in a novel method of extracting betaine from a side-stream of bioethanol production. Danisco has forged a partnership with the world player in sugar, starch and bioethanol production, Tereos, with a significant investment into a new dedicated betaine production facility within the existing bioethanol production plant in Origny, the biggest sugar beet distillery in the world. This new facility will be managed and operated by Tereos, with technological support from Danisco.

Increase natural betaine availability

Natural betaine represents a key product in support of Danisco's strategy to provide innovative healthy nutrition solutions to the animal feed industry. This investment will substantially increase natural betaine availability, from the fourth quarter 2012, to address the growing and unfulfilled market demand. The new source of natural betaine will be extracted from the vinasse side-stream of bioethanol production using Danisco's leading and proprietary technology and will be transported to Danisco's Finnish plant to produce the final Betafin(TM) product.

Superior value of natural betaine

Danisco pioneered the research and application of natural betaine in animal nutrition in the early 1990s and have clearly demonstrated superior value compared to synthetic alternatives. Unlike synthetic betaine, natural betaine acts as an osmolyte, improving intestinal health and reducing the negative impact of heat-stress on animal production.

Opportunity to increase the value of distillery by-product

For Tereos, this partnership is the opportunity to increase the value of a distillery by-product and develop its industrial know-how on a large-scale plant. This new activity will create 20 permanent jobs in the Origny sugar factory-distillery. Tereos will manage and oversee plant operations and Danisco's investment will bring new skills to the Origny plant.

James Laughton, Executive Vice President of Danisco Animal Nutrition says: "This is an exciting and significant step in strengthening our Betafin (TM) business, a core part of our Healthy Nutrition strategy that combines enzymes, betaine and direct fed microbials into a unique offering. We are proud to be working with Tereos. This substantial investment brings together leading edge technology from both sides into an exceptional partnership that will bring considerable benefit to our customers."

Yves Belegaud, Executive Officer of Tereos, France, says: "We are pleased to achieve this project with such a professional partner like Danisco. Thanks to the association of Danisco's technology and Tereos' products and know-how, we are fully aligned with our strategic intent, as a cooperative, to find the best value for the sugar beet grown by our members."

Tereos, a global player in sugar, starch and alcohol

Tereos is a cooperative agro-industrial group specialised in the primary processing of sugar beets, sugar cane and grains. Thanks to the commitment of some 12,000 cooperative beet growers, joined with 40,000 cereal growers, all French farmers, Tereos has expanded its total production of sugar, starch and alcohol by a factor of 50 over the last 20 years.

This growth has enabled Tereos to develop in line with world consolidation in its activities, increasingly international markets and commodity price volatility. Tereos provides sustainable outlets for 1,000,000 hectares of agricultural production through 35 industrial facilities across three continents: Europe, South America and Africa.

Tereos has 14,000 permanent employees, men and women, who work on producing and processing sugar beet, sugar cane and grains and marketing a full range of sugar, starch, alcohol and bioethanol products, as well as by-products intended for animal feed and electrical power. Thanks to its capacity for innovation, its expertise and its mastery of the techniques and markets involved, Tereos is now a global leader in the various sectors in which it operates.

With its long-term vision for agriculture, Tereos harnesses the natural resources it transforms while reducing its environmental impact and providing its employees with a suitable working environment. www.tereos.com.