“Together we are stronger in the challenges and developments that come our way.”
PAUL MESTERS
It is an honour to write the opening words of this magazine marking our 125th anniversary. At Cosun Beet Company, our daily focus is usually on the present and the future. However, such a significant anniversary is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the past. What we see then is a rich history of an organisation characterised by vision, innovation and resilience.
Our story began in Sas van Gent, where the Eerste Nederlandse Coöperatieve Beetwortel Suikerfabriek (First Dutch Cooperative Beetroot Sugar Factory) was founded in 1899. This successful venture soon became an example for many other beet grower cooperatives that sprang up around the country. To them, it was clear: there is strength in numbers.
In time, all these cooperatives came together under the banner of that fundamental truth, which led to the formation of the United Cooperative Beetroot Sugar Factories (VCS) in 1947 and the creation of the Suiker Unie in 1966 – significant historical milestones. We have been combining our strengths as the Cosun cooperative since 1996, and with the acquisition of CSM Suiker in 2007, the entire Dutch sugar beet industry has been brought together in a single cooperative. This union has resulted in a strong organisation with a firm footing in Europe.
By working together, we have the strength to tackle any challenge or new development. In my 20 years at Cosun, we have already overcome many challenges, such as the liberalisation of the European sugar market and the restructuring of our production footprint by going from five factories to two. These factories are now the largest in Europe and produce more sugar than before the regulatory changes were introduced.
In 2024, we remain a strong, healthy company, and that fact speaks volumes. It demonstrates an ability to successfully adapt to change. To anticipate and meet that change with a progressive and innovative approach to our cultivation and in our factories. Above all, it shows the dedication of our passionate employees, who have been fundamental to bringing the cooperative’s vision to life.
This rich history gives us a solid foundation for the future. The ambition to innovate and improve is firmly rooted in the DNA of our organisation and its skilled and professional workforce. It can be felt throughout the entire organisation, and you will see it reflected in this magazine. Together, we can also meet today’s challenges, such as energy-neutral production and sustainable, profitable cultivation. In fact, we can go further by helping to shape them.
This magazine offers a wonderful look back on 125 years of Cosun Beet Company and a glimpse of the future history we are creating for our great organisation today.
I hope you enjoy reading it!
Paul Mesters CEO Cosun Beet Company
6-7 Three generations of beet growers
Janse family from Zeeuwse Wolphaartsdijk
8-11 Timeline 125-years
12-13 The Central Tare Station
Bryan Reuvers & Rick Donker
14-15 A royally good relationship
Royal Smilde & Zeelandia
16 Getting most from every beet
18-19 Cosun celebrates its 125th anniversary
Hans Meeuwis
20-21 Then vs. now
22-23 Our Agricultural Department
Suzanne Engel & Sherman Franssen
24 Tools with a story
26-27 The power of 125 years of cooperation
Arwin Bos
28-29 Ode to the sugar beet
31 What’s your favourite pancake topping?
32-33 What happens in Puttershoek?
Jurgen Melissen & Mark Bos
35-39 Journey of the sugar beet
41 Take a look inside the Cosun innovation center
42-43 Green Energy in Vierverlaten Justin Meerdink
44-46 The Future Paul Mesters & Arno Huijsmans
47 Planet Beet
49-51 Sustainability at Cosun Beet Company
Margot Nelis & Manous Koopmans
52-53 Sugar sticks
54 Fidesse® Désirée Potters & Fabian Griens
Magazine ROOTS is a one-time publication on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of Cosun Beet Company September, 2024
Editing: Cosun Beet Company
Design: Imagro
Photography: DSPH and Marcel Otterspeer
The magazine is printed on Pure Balance (recycled) paper: BalancePure®, Papyrus.
Copyright and liability
© No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced reproduced and/or published without written permission of publisher Cosun Beet Company or other copyright holders. Although the magazine has been compiled with the utmost care has been taken, Cosun Beet Company is not not liable for the accuracy and completeness of all texts and images included in this publication included texts and images. Cosun Beet Company is not responsible for actions of third parties, which may result from reading this magazine. The information is this magazine cannot be derived in any way.
THREE GENERATIONS OF BEET GROWERS
This year, as Cosun Beet Company celebrates its 125th anniversary, the Janse family from Wolphaartsdijk is also marking the 111th anniversary of its arable farm. Three generations Janse –Henk, Huibert and Hugo – tell us about their farm’s past and its future.
“My grandfather started the business in 1913,” Henk tells us. “In the early years, the fields were ploughed with horses, and the beets were harvested by hand with a beet spade before being loaded onto carts for transport. It was incredibly hard work.”
“Fortunately, that changed with the advent of mechanisation,” Huibert continues. “In 1933, my great-grandfather bought his first tractor and stationary thresher. Later, the beets were harvested using a trailed beet harvester. Nowadays, a contractor harvests our beets with a self-propelled six-row bunker harvester that can handle up to 15 hectares a day.” “That’s an incredible amount,” continues Henk. “We used to transport our beets by cart to the port of Wolphaartsdijk. In those days, you’d be talking about 50 tonnes per ship; now they transport thousands of tonnes at a time.”
Every era is distinctive
As technology developed, so did the farm. “My father and grandfather kept on buying more land,” says Huibert. “I don’t know how they did it. It’s very impressive.” “But these are better times,” Henk says with certainty. “Every era is distinctive,” continues Huibert. “Now we have machines and GPS, but robotisation is coming. We’re open to that change. If we weren’t open to change, we’d still be ploughing with a horse and cart.”
The fifth generation of Janses
The next potential generation of farmers, Huibert’s son Hugo, is confident he will be able to handle the new technologies. “My hobbies include drone flying and 3D drawing and printing. I’ve actually printed parts for the
seeder because it was blowing too hard for the light seeds. That’s fixed now.” Hugo isn’t sure yet whether he will take over the farm from his father. “I’m still figuring that out. I’m in my final year at secondary school, so I need to make choices about further education. I’ll probably study something related to agriculture or engineering.” For now, Hugo enjoys working on the farm. “I potter around in the barn, help in the workshop and drive the tractor in the fields. I really enjoy it.”
The freedom of farming
So far, each new generation of Janses has taken over the business from the last. But if Hugo and his brothers decide to follow a different path, that’s fine by Huibert. “Hugo and his brothers, Philip and Yvo, should decide for themselves what they want to do when they’re older. Being a farmer is a way of life; it has to be right for you. Personally, I love the freedom of farming and take pleasure in planting three kilos of seed in the ground and harvesting three truckloads of beets from it.”
Challenges
In addition to beets, the Janse family also grows potatoes, onion sets, wheat, grass seed, flax, sweetcorn and mustard seed. The biggest challenges they face are climate change and regulatory changes. “Yes, winters without frost are less than ideal for the soil, and changing regulations might limit our ability to use chemicals in a future-proof way. But we adapt to the new circumstances and do as much as we can. So we use a bit of ‘plant paracetamol’ to help us produce food locally and safely. But nothing more.”
A GOOD RELATIONSHIP
Huibert has a good relationship with his contact at Cosun Beet Company’s Agricultural Service. “We get along really well. He’s supportive, knows a lot about the business, and he sorts things out for us. I also find the member portal very useful. It gives you access to a lot of information and makes order handling easy.”
“Every era is distinctive” Hugo, Huibert and Henk
Van Gilse Start of production in Van Gilse sweet factory
First Cooperative Beetroot Sugar Factory Sas van Gent
NNBS (Northern Netherlands Beet Sugar Factory)
Puttershoek Cooperative Beetroot Sugar Refinery
Zevenbergen Cooperative Sugar Refinery
Friesland - Groningen Cooperative Beet Sugar Factory
ZNSF (Southern Netherlands Spirit Factory) Cooperative Sugar Factory and Refinery Dinteloord
Roosendaal Cooperative Beetroot Sugar Refinery
Founding of IRS in Bergen op Zoom
N.V. (PLC)
Centrale Suiker Maatschappij (Central Sugar Company) CSM
Founding of United Cooperative Beetroot Sugar Refineries (VCS)
Founding of the Sugar & Nutrition Knowledge Centre (Sugar Foundation)
Hectares
Takeover of Van Gilse by VCS
Formation of Suiker Unie (Sugar Union)
Founding of Limako
Eemshaven Sugar Terminal (EST) opens
Takeover of CSM Suiker
Cosun (Suiker Unie Nederland Cooperative) Cosun granted ‘Royal’ title (100 years)
Name change to Cosun Beet Company
Takeover of Anklam Green Energy established
Introduction of Fidesse® , a plant-based ingredient made from sugar beet pulp
Scan the QR code to see fascinating videos and photos from our archives. Discover the stories behind the timeline!
THE CENTRAL TARE STATION
In Dinteloord, just across the road from our beet processing plant, is the Central Tare Station (CTS). Here, samples are taken from the deliveries on the waiting beet trucks before they are unloaded at the site. These samples then enter the CTS. But what actually happens here? We asked analyst Bryan Reuvers and lead technician Rick Donker to tell us about it.
“In the Tare Room, as we call the CTS, we sample and analyse the incoming loads of beets that are destined for our beet processing plants in the Netherlands,” Bryan begins. “We assess the quality of the deliveries, and based on that, we determine the correct price for the grower.”
Check in, weigh, sample
During the harvesting campaign, around 1,000 to 1,200 trucks arrive at the tare station every day. Bryan: “The drivers check in with a special pass, and their load is assigned a specific bar code. The truck is then weighed on the weighbridge before it drives towards the Rüpro, a device we use to take samples from the load.”
Weigh, wash, weigh
“That sample will weigh between 35 and 45 kilos,” Rick continues. “The beets are extracted via a square sampling tube and placed in a sack, which is then given a barcode. We weigh the sack and wash the contents, removing anything that’s not a beet, such as sand and stones. This allows us to determine the net weight of the beets. We also use a camera to check if there’s anything in the sample that isn’t part of the beet itself and to detect beets that have been damaged by frost. This process is also applied to the bagged beets from Vierverlaten.”
Quality and value
“The beets are then cut up into a mash, to which we add an extraction fluid. We filter this mixture, which now contains substances dissolved from the beet mash, and measure the amount of potassium, sodium, sugar, nitrogen and invert glucose it contains. All these values determine the quality of the beets in that specific delivery. These quality parameters are linked to the barcode and are stored in a database, which growers can access via the member portal, usually within 48 hours.”, says Rick.
Traffic jams
Rick continues. “48 hours is also the deadline for testing the samples, which adds extra pressure. We get about 50 trucks an hour here, so if there’s a problem anywhere in the process, traffic jams will start to form very quickly.”
Talk about adrenaline!
“So we do everything we can to prevent malfunctions,” says Bryan. “In the months leading up to the harvesting campaign, we carry out maintenance on the production lines, and we also carry out continuous checks during the campaign. This ensures a consistent process in which all samples are analysed in exactly the same way. If
“We assess the quality of the deliveries to determine the correct price for the grower.”
there is a malfunction, me, Rick and our colleagues are responsible for resolving it swiftly. That responsibility and the technical puzzles of the job make it both challenging and fun. I always drink coffee when I’m on night shifts, but it’s not really necessary. The job itself keeps me alert enough!”
Collaboration
“The trick is to keep a cool head,” Rick says. “And to collaborate with the team to find a solution. That’s what I love about this job. We always work in teams of five. Everyone’s role in the team is vital because if one link in the process breaks, everything grinds to a halt. So if we see signs of a possible malfunction, we respond immediately and help each other.”
“And when we really need them, we can also rely on our colleagues from
the sugar beet processing factory,” adds Bryan.
Technological advancements
Bryan and Rick have a very positive view of technological advancements in the sector. “In the past,” says Rick, “people used pitchforks to get the beets off the wagons, and they were taken to the scales and washing drum by wheelbarrow. Back then, each factory processed about 100 samples a day; now we handle 1,500 samples for all factories combined.”
Bryan Reuvers and Rick Donker
ROYAL SMILDE
“A royally good relationship”
“Speciality sugars, that’s what Cosun Beet Company excels in,” says Bert Varwijk, Corporate Senior Buyer for the Royal Smilde Group. Royal Smilde is a family-owned company established over 161 years ago. It specialises in developing and producing high-quality solutions for margarines, oils, fats, salads, sauces and bakery products. The company uses sugar in its baking mixes, puff pastry snacks, salads and sauces. Bert has been responsible for purchasing the sugar for more than 12 years.
Royal Smilde’s collaboration with Cosun Beet Company began with purchasing ordinary granulated sugar from one of its predecessors. It now buys sugar from Cosun Beet Company in many forms and quantities. “We use sugar for a variety of applications: for decoration, to give fillings texture, and for flavour. Our apple turnovers, for example, are coated in large sugar crystals to help them keep their attractive appearance after they’re cooked. Sugar is also used to give fillings texture. But when it comes to baking mixes, we need very fine sugar, and the size of the granules is important,” Bert explains. “When we develop new recipes or modify old ones, Cosun Beet Company can often deliver sugar with the right size and colour quickly.”
Shared values
In Bert’s opinion, Cosun Beet Company represents reliability, high quality and innovation. “Sugar is actually a relatively conservative product. It simply needs to work well, just like your mobile phone. But Cosun Beet Company also develops new products, and they’re working on improving their sustainability.” Sustainability is just one of the values the two companies have in common. “Like Cosun, Royal Smilde is a family business that has been granted the ‘Royal’ title. We also place a high value on good production processes and treating employees well.”
“When I go to Dinteloord, I drive past beet fields. So part of what we end up using in our products is processed locally by Cosun Beet Company, from beet to granulated sugar. That makes it even more appealing. And then you know it’s taking the shortest route, which is better for the environment.”
ROYAL ZEELANDIA: AN ENDURING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP SPANNING OVER 100 YEARS
“High quality and reliability – in both delivery and product,” says Marinus van Zuidland, citing the key terms for the cooperation between Cosun Beet Company and Zeelandia spanning over a century. In his role as Group Procurement Category Manager for the Royal Zeelandia Group, he is responsible for sugar purchasing. The company is a global player in the bakery ingredients market, including many confectionery products such as marzipan and almond paste. Like Cosun Beet Company, it will also celebrate its 125th anniversary next year.
They delved into their archives especially for Cosun Beet Company and discovered records of the meetings that have taken place during their decades-long collaboration. “Back then, the discussions also revolved around discount structures and the terms and conditions for sugar supply. It’s as though nothing has changed in all these years,” Marinus laughs. However, we live in different times, and now things like sustainable business practices have moved up the agenda. This has brought the two organisations into even closer collaboration. “We ran a pilot with Cosun Beet Company, making paper from sugar beet
pulp,” Marinus mentions as an example of this. “I can see that Cosun Beet Company is doing its utmost to process the whole beet, and we’re keen to collaborate with them on that.”
Marinus is hopeful that they will be able to build on this productive relationship in the years ahead. “Zeelandia is an international company, but much of its production takes place in Zierikzee in the Netherlands, where we also have our headquarters. We prefer to source our sugar locally, especially when we have a neighbour that can supply high-quality products.”
ZEELANDIA 125TH ANNIVERSARY NEXT YEAR
Zeelandia will also celebrate its 125th anniversary next year. The Zeeland-based company was founded when H.J. Doeleman started producing rusk glaze in 1900 at the age of 16. He continued to develop his recipe
and soon added more products to his range. “From a handcart to a van to exporting to England, the company has grown to become a global player employing over 3,000 people,” Marinus tells us proudly.
We make the best use of every part of the sugar beet. Our strong focus on sustainability and innovation helps us deliver solutions for today’s challenges.
Beet leaves natural fertiliser for farmers
Sugar for consumers (Van Gilse) on pancakes, in coffee, etc.
Sugar for industry raw materials for food and ingredients for cosmetics (scrubs)
Molasses and thick juice fermentation (e.g. for bioethanol) and yeast production
Beet tips green gas
Biobased applications
plant-based substitute for petroleum-based ingredients in cosmetics and cleaning products
Soil conditioner lime fertiliser for agriculture (Betacal®)
Beet soil roads and dykes
Beet pulp ingredient for plant-based food, animal feed and paper
MEDICINES
GALACTARIC ACID FROM BEET PULP
A smooth surface that is easier to swallow. A sweet additive to mask a medicine active ingredient. Sugar-coated pills are more agreeable to take. The galactaric molecule extracted from beet pulp delivers the medicine evenly. It delivers biomedical molecules via the stomach and the blood vessels to the place where they do their work: relieving a headache.
ANTIBIOTICS MOLASSES
Micro-organisms that produce antibiotics work well in a medium like molasses. Molasses helps in the fight against pathogens.
H E A L T H & B E A U T Y
BODYSCRUB
GRANULATED SUGAR
A clean and soft skin, a natural tint and a younger appearance. That is the result of soft scrubbing with granulated sugar. The grains remove the upper layer of skin. Sugar absorbs water, leaves a sweet scent and is gentle on the skin.
VITAMINS GRANULATED SUGAR
Granulated sugar is a bulking agent. It increases the shelf life of vitamin gummies and gives them a sweeter taste. Sugar has yet another function in sport gummies: it adds to the stock of glycogen. Glycogen is glucose that is stored in the liver and muscles. It is a source of rapid energy during sport.
Collaboration, entrepreneurship and innovation: ROYAL COSUN CELEBRATES ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY
HANS MEEUWIS
This year marks a significant milestone in Cosun’s history – our 125th anniversary. 125 years ago, 173 arable farmers in ZeeuwsVlaanderen laid the foundation for the international agri-food cooperative that Cosun is today. Our organisation is dedicated to developing and marketing great-tasting plant-based foods and ingredients as fairly and sustainably as possible.
We have been celebrating this special year with events for our employees, growers and customers. Inspiring sessions for growers and Cosun staff,
customer appreciation days, and a weekend of fun at the Cosun Festival in Papendal are just a few highlights. This year also gives us an opportunity to showcase the strength and spirit of our industry through our external communications.
We were recently honoured to receive the prestigious Koning Willem I Award for Business, awarded by Her Majesty Queen Máxima. This wonderful accolade recognises our collective endeavours throughout 125 years of entrepreneurship and the plant-based transitions to which we are committed. It also motivates us to accelerate our efforts as we shape Cosun’s future.
Milestones like these are moments of pride and gratitude for all we have accomplished together. Central to this are the dedication and commitment
of our employees and growers and the fine partnership we enjoy with our customers and stakeholders. This year is, therefore, not only a celebration of our 125th anniversary but also of the cooperation and connections between us. This unity makes us unique. It forms the bedrock of our success both now and in the future.
And this future holds many challenges, especially in sustainability and climate change. However, it is also one that we look forward to with great confidence, fortified by our organisation’s robust spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.
I look forward to working with you as we continue to build a plant-based future together.
Hans Meeuwis, CEO Royal Cosun
THEN
& NOW
OUR AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
The Agricultural Service is where we connect more than 8,000 growers with a cooperative dedicated to providing them with the best support possible.
Cosun Beet Company’s Agricultural Service has over 50 employees, 30 of whom are the Agronomy Department’s field staff. Sherman Franssen is one of them. “I support growers by answering their questions about cultivation, and I also help manage the logistical process during the harvesting campaign,” says Sherman. All field staff have their own territory, and Sherman’s is South Limburg.
The office is home to the Agrologistics team, which handles beet transport planning, as well as the administration, IT, and innovation teams. Innovation manager Suzanne Engel tells us, “I’m
working on projects to improve sugar beet cultivation. I’m also responsible for the developing of beet seeds, and I handle orders and distribution.”
Close contact
The various departments within the Agricultural Service maintain close contact. “For example, our field team might connect us with growers who are willing to act as test sites when we conduct trials for new applications to combat leaf mould, aphids and weeds,” Suzanne explains. “I often conduct this research in collaboration with the IRS (Institute for Sugar Beet Research), the knowledge and research centre for sugar beet cultivation.”
Institute for sugar beet cultivation (IRS)
Sherman also has regular contact with the IRS as part of his work
in the field. “I consult with them regarding advice about Conviso Smart, for example. That’s an innovative system with special beet seeds that are resistant to Conviso One, a herbicide. It’s an ideal solution for my region, which faces significant weed pressure. Part of my job is to advise growers on its use, in consultation with the IRS where necessary.”
Groeikracht Cosun
Groeikracht Cosun also focuses on innovations for improving cultivation. The Agricultural Service is closely involved in this initiative. “Take the Cosun Weed Platforms,” says Suzanne. “We’re working at four locations in the Netherlands to test and demonstrate various combinations of mechanical and integrated weed control that reduce
Suzanne Engel
“Helping beet growers find answers to the challenges they face is truly rewarding.”
the need for chemicals.” “It’s clear that growers are interested in these developments,” adds Sherman. “They know that the use of pesticides is becoming more restricted, so they’re looking for alternatives. Through Groeikracht Cosun, we’re helping them find those alternatives.”
Where research leads
Suzanne has a great example of where this kind of research can lead to. “Five years ago, we developed leaf mould sensors that measure the humidity and temperature within the crop, which gives you a good indication of the right time
to take action against leaf mould. We now have approximately 800 sensors in use.”
Pleased to see
Suzanne and Sherman talk about their work with obvious enjoyment and infectious enthusiasm. “One of the best parts of the job is seeing things change with the seasons,” Sherman begins. “You can see the crops grow, and you can also see the farmers and their businesses grow. You follow their children as they grow up until, one day, they’re big enough to work in the family business, and you suddenly find
yourself talking to them on the phone. That really makes me happy.” Suzanne also loves the variety the changing seasons bring. “Each season has different challenges. I enjoy the research, but I especially like translating it into something that’s useful for growers. Helping beet growers find answers to the challenges they face is truly rewarding. For example, seeing how well the member portal works or making sure everyone gets their beet seeds on time. Things like that can really make my day.”
Let
us know!
Suzanne ends our conversation with a request: “We’re always interested in suggestions that could help take beet growing to the next level. So if you have ideas or technologies that could contribute, let us know!”
Sherman Franssen
BENCH
TOOLS WITH A STORY
Large and small beet forks
Cold, damp and frost combined with bending over all day made harvesting beets by hand a tough job. But until the 1950s, that’s how this work was usually done. The tools harvesters used varied from region to region, but the most common was the beet fork. First, the fork was inserted into the soil next to the beet. Then, it was angled upwards so that the beet, which has a weak root structure, was lifted up to be pulled from the ground with the other hand in a fluid motion. The handle was always made of ash wood, which is strong, warm and easy to shape.
Beet spade
These had the advantage of requiring less bending than with the fork or spade. Once pulled, the beets were laid in a row, all facing the same direction to make it easier to top the leaves. This particular example has protection made of leather, which prevented damage to the beets.
In addition to the beet fork, the beet spade was a popular harvesting tool. Over time, many hours of work would cause the shape of the user’s hand to be imprinted on the wood of the handle and shaft. The spade was inserted behind the beet and levered back with one hand while the other hand was used to pull the beet out of the ground.
During the cold winter months, growers would sit on this bench as they waited to collect their beet money after the campaign. The cabinets on either side of the seat have mesh fronts and perforated sides, which housed two glowing coal stoves to keep the growers warm. The oak bench features unostentatious but very beautiful carved decoration. On both sides of the oak bench are two half-height cabinets with perforated webbing walls with the letters CBSD at the top, which stands for Coöperatieve Beetwortel Suikerfabriek Dinteloord (Cooperative Sugar beet Factory Dinteloord).
Beet topper
People usually worked in pairs when harvesting sugar beets. There were two methods: the beets were either first dug out and then topped with a hatchet, or they were topped with a beet topper before being taken out of the ground. Some beet toppers had a frame attached that pushed the leaves aside to make it easier to get at the root. A horsedrawn beet lifter could also be used if the autumn weather was dry. However, once harvested, the beets still had to be loaded onto the cart by hand.
Vol kleurvlak
Kop Arboria - Platte tekst Campton
tekst in solutions Titillium Web
SOIL FERTILISER AGRICULTURAL LIME
Lime is used to purify non-sugars out of the raw juice during sugar production. A by-product of this process is agricultural lime, a combination of calcium carbonate and organic matter. Beet growers use this lime fertiliser to maintain the pH of their fields and improve soil structure.
ANIMAL FEED BEET PULP
To extract sugar from sugar beet, the beet are sliced into thin strips known as cossettes, and conveyed to a diffuser full of hot water. In the next step, the sugar is extracted from the beet in the diffusion tower. The cossettes are then pressed to make pressed pulp, a good animal feed.
MUSHROOM CASING SOIL AGRICULTURAL LIME
Lime is used to purify non-sugars out of the raw juice during sugar production. A by-product of this process is a mixture of calcium carbonate and organic matter: agricultural lime. Mushroom growers use it as a casing soil. It keeps the top soil moist for longer and more consistently and encourages the growth of new mushrooms.
ALTERNATIVE TO FERTILIZER DIGESTATE
We complete the circle with digestate: the secret power behind sustainable soils. By fermenting beet pulp and other plant side streams, the valuable by-product digestate is created. This circular soil conditioner contains many minerals. This makes digestate a sustainable alternative to artificial fertilizer and enhances soil health. A G R I C U L T U R E
“The power of 125 years of cooperation”
Ask Arwin Bos what Cosun means to him, and he’ll say, “It’s an extension of our family business.” The man seated at the table is sharp and articulate – and young. Not exactly what you might expect to see when meeting the Chairman of the Board of a 125-year-old cooperative, responsible for developing and implementing its policies. Arwin spent several years working as a lawyer in Amsterdam. “But I always wanted to be in business. Sometimes, on the drive to the office, I’d see people heading to their fields on their tractors, and I’d consider turning the car around.” In 2013, he made the decision to swap his court gown for overalls.
cooperative isn’t so easy these days. So you have to cherish what you’ve got!”
Sugar beet cultivation in the Netherlands began in the 19th century, and a sugar factory was an enormous investment. Beet farmers had always depended on wealthy aristocratic families for sales until several farmers joined forces in 1899 in Sas
van Father Ad Bos loading potatoes (1972).
Gent. “Their goal was to truly fulfil the purpose of a cooperative: to ensure that the value of both crop and product benefited the members themselves.”
Their example was followed in other parts of the Netherlands. The resulting cooperatives and private companies merged until CSM and Suiker Unie remained. “I remember well how there were always discussions at family get-togethers about whether to grow for a commercial entity or for the cooperative,” says Arwin. “Cooperatives were seen as slow and inefficient, often not giving farmers the best terms. Conversely, growing for the private sector was seen as giving away your own profits.” That debate ended when the cooperative acquired CSM in 2007. “They were wise enough at the time to quickly iron out any differences between the members. To this day, each member has one vote. We’re all equal.”
Forward-looking vision
The liberalisation of the European sugar market in 2017 resulted in
several challenging years for Cosun. “Sugar prices fell well below cost. But we were well prepared for that,” says Arwin. “By closing some sugar factories and expanding others, we were able to keep costs under control. And a decision was made some 20 years back to invest in other activities. Sugar prices can be quite volatile, but our other activities allow us to shore up the beet price when the sugar price is very low. That’s why we bought Aviko, expanded Duynie and invested in Sensus. And the fact that Cosun generates a stable revenue from sugar means we’ve been able to develop Aviko and take further steps to expand our plant-based portfolio, for example, with Cosun Protein.”
The cooperative of the future
Looking to the future, Arwin sees three challenges that, in his opinion, a cooperative is especially capable of meeting: the security of raw materials, sustainability, and business succession planning. “First of all, there’s currently more demand for arable crops than there is supply. Competition for land
is fierce. So it’s good that we growers can make collective agreements about this through the cooperative. This ensures we have enough raw materials available to enable our factories to continue to run efficiently. The availability of raw materials is vital for the cooperative and the reason for Cosun’s requirement that all its members deliver their produce to the collective. Additionally, when it comes to sustainability, Cosun gives farmers a unique position: it allows them to make collective decisions based on what they think is important and help each other achieve their goals. Responsibilities like water quality and reducing the use of crop protection products are too great to be tackled individually. As a cooperative, we can address them together. This was the idea behind Groeikracht Cosun.” And business succession? Arwin laughs. His three daughters, aged eight, six and four, are already very much involved in the family business. “It’s not a given that they’ll take the business over. Ultimately, that’s for them to decide. But it’s certainly a dream.”
sugar
An ode to the
BEET
Oh, my wondrous root of nature’s craft, born from the soil’s embrace With roots that delve so deep and vast, In fields, your place of grace
You bask in every sunlit beam You shimmer, gleam, and grow Your leaves a verdant, lively green Your worth, the earth bestows
Infinite potential lies within You honor the bright sun
An essential boon for beast and man, Unknowingly, you’re one
With sweetness in your tender core, Your gifts, a bounteous treat I marvel at what you can be and promise to care, my sweet
Were I to be fair Mother Earth, you’d have every sunlit ray You’d never long in vain for warmth and in my love, you’d stay
So here’s my thanks, dear sugar beet For all you are and bring In fields of green, in autumn’s treat My praise for you I sing
D.H. Wordcrobat
FOR DELICIOUS MOMENTS From the farm to you
OUR PRODUCTS GET A NEW LOOK A oud moment
Our farmers have been growing our sugar beets with passion and expertise for more than 125 years. Van Gilse honours the warm and comforting rituals that make our delicious moments so memorable. But we still keep up with the times. Soon, you’ll see our existing products in stores with a fresh, new look, and our website will be given a matching makeover!
@vangilse.nl www.vangilse.nl
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PANCAKE TOPPING?
From classic sweets to the most unusual combinations. They all passed by when we asked Cosun Beet Company employees: what do you like to use as topping on your pancake? It may not suprise you that syrup came in at number one and powderd sugar as close second.
Besides the common answers we also saw some very special toppings. These are the 5 most striking combinations: :
1. Chicken satay and cheese
2. Vegashoarma, tomato, iceberg lettuce and garlic sauce
3. Fried broccoli, capsicum, Chipotle sauce and creme fraiche
4. Ham, brie, walnuts and arugula
5. Peanut butter, chocolate spread and caramel syrup
WHAT HAPPENS IN
Puttershoek?
Puttershoek is home to what we call a ‘speciality factory’. But what kind of specialities are we talking about? Who do we make these products for? And how do we respond to market developments? Allround Operator Jurgen Melissen and Commercial Manager of Consumer Products Mark Bos give us the answers.
“Our Puttershoek factory is where we process and package the sugar produced by our beet processing factories in Dinteloord and Vierverlaten,” begins Jurgen. “That’s around 120,000 tons of sugar a year. We sift sugar crystals into the right sizes for a wide range of applications. We also make speciality products, such as soft brown sugar, icing sugar, sugar cubes and fine sugar for vending machines.”
Van Gilse: our premium brand
Many of the products that leave the factory in Puttershoek bear the Van Gilse brand. “That’s our premium label,” says Mark. “This brand includes more than 30 different speciality products. Of course, not all of these existed when the Van Gilse brothers started the company in 1882. Sugar refining only began in 1937. After Cosun Beet Company (then known as United Cooperative Sugar Factories) acquired Van Gilse, we continued developing these products.”
Consumer Products Department
Every new product is always the result of extensive research into consumer needs and opportunities for optimisation. “That’s exactly what we do in the Consumer Products department,” says Mark. “In collaboration with the Commercial Department and our production sites, we turn sugar beets into useful consumer products, destined mainly for supermarkets and European wholesalers.”
Developments
“To do this, we look at the customer, our products and our processes,” Mark continues. “For example, we measure and monitor consumer purchasing behaviour. We also take a broader view, looking at market trends like sustainability. The results of this have included energy savings in our factories, making our packaging more recyclable, and developing packaging for our 1-kilogram pack of Van Gilse sugar made from sustainable beet paper. We also continuously improve the range and quality of the products themselves. For example, in late 2024, we’ll launch the first Wester cane sugar syrup, made in our other speciality factory in Roosendaal.”
“IN BOTH OUR FACTORIES AND OUR OFFICES, SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.”
Wester & Private label
Wester is a separate brand from Van Gilse. Mark explains:
“We don’t just make sugar products for the Van Gilse brand, but also under the Wester Rietsuiker brand. In addition to our premium brands, we make private-label products, primarily for supermarkets. In fact, we’ve seen that consumer confidence in private labels is increasing, and we believe it’s essential to cater to a wide range of needs. Our products can be found in every local supermarket, with Van Gilse representing our cooperative.”
Adapting factory processes
“Each brand has its own processing requirements, as well as packaging and stacking methods. So we continuously adapt our processes to accommodate them,” Jurgen explains. “We also actively work with Consumer Products to adapt our factory process for new product developments.” The plans are made at our head office, but the production sites have to be able to make them happen,” Mark explains. “This is where new
consumer demands are really turned into tangible products. That’s why we work closely together on product development. We’re a close-knit and motivated team, and that’s something I’m very proud of.”
Safety: the top priority
Jurgen explains how this is all accomplished in practice. “The correct processes have to be established for every new product. When that’s done, we begin by making a test product. After that, we assess what still needs to be optimised, both in the product itself and the factory processes used to make it. As well as looking at what should be done now, we also consider the long-term: how can we continue to make the best use of our existing machinery? Quality and production are incredibly important here, but our top priority is safety. That applies to everything we do in the factory. And, I should add, to everyone at Cosun Beet Company, wherever they work. In both our factories and our offices, safety is the number one priority.”
Jurgen Melissen and Mark Bos 33
DOG AND CAT FOOD MOLASSES
Dog and cat food must not crumble in the bag. Manufacturers of dog and cat food use molasses as a binding agent or glue to hold the various ingredients together.
DISHWASHER TABLETS
DRIED AND GROUND BEET PULP
Dishwasher tablets contain a secret ingredient: beet pulp. This natural substance acts as a binder for water, making the tablets stable for longer during storage and disintegrating at the right time when sufficient water is present, for example in the dishwasher. Moreover, beet pulp is 100% natural and biodegradable.
PLANT FOOD GRANULATED SUGAR
What is in a sachet of cut flower food? That’s right: granulated sugar (amongst other things). Young plants that produce few sugars through photosynthesis can also benefit from the carbon in sugar.
EO MHFOAM RUBBER GRANULATED SUGAR
Granulated sugar acts as a catalyst in the chemical process to make polyurethane. Polyurethane is used to make polyether foam, which is frequently used in children’s matrasses, sofas and many other items.
Journey of the sugar beet
SUGAR IN OUR COFFEE, ON OUR PANCAKES AND IN OUR PASTRIES. IT ALL STARTS WITH A TINY SEED THAT GROWS INTO A SUGAR BEET. HOW DOES THIS BEET END UP IN OUR FOOD AND DRINKS AND EVEN IN OTHER PRODUCTS LIKE PAPER AND COSMETICS? FOLLOW THE BEET ON ITS JOURNEY TO FIND OUT!
March to April
Sowing
The journey starts in March when we wait for Mother Nature to provide the right conditions for the beet seeds to grow. Sowing is ideally done as early as possible, but usually after 10 March. Before then, the risk of prolonged spells of cold weather is still too high.
Harvesting Journey of the sugar beet
May to September Growing
As soon as the seed has been planted in the perfectly fertilised soil, it can start to grow. Throughout May, June and July, the growth is mostly in the plant’s leaves. They spread out until they touch the leaves of the beets next to them, achieving maximum sunlight exposure. From that point, the sugar beet – the plant’s root – takes over and keeps on growing until the end of September. When growth halts, the root’s sugar content continues to increase.
May to September
Threats
Out in the field, the sugar beets are constantly under threat from extreme weather, insects, diseases and weeds. Fortunately, growers are on hand to help them through it all with precision crop protection and weed control.
September
to December Harvesting
By September, the vast majority of beets are ready for harvest. Mother Nature plays an important role here, too: the beets cannot be harvested if the ground is too wet. When the time is just right, the harvesters descend on the fields, removing the beets, leaves, cutting off the tops, lifting them out of the ground and removing as much sand or clay as possible.
Storing
After harvesting, the beets are ready for collection. While they wait for the trucks to arrive, growers keep the beets well ventilated to ensure they stay cool and dry. And they cover them to protect them from frost.
September to January Loading
Weighing
When the trucks arrive in Dinteloord, their first stop is the weighbridge. Afterwards, they proceed to the Central Tare Station (CTS), where parts of their loads are sampled and analysed for properties such as the tare ratio (the ratio of beets to nonbeet debris like sand and stones) and how much sugar, potassium, sodium and other substances they Growing
Beets are always stored in an easily accessible location so they can be loaded onto the trucks quickly and safely. This job is done with a crane or
a beet cleaner loader. This machine cleans the beets and loads them onto the truck via a conveyor belt.
September to January Transport
The start of the harvest also marks the start of the sugar beet campaign. Trucks drive back and forth from the farms to the beet processing factories, moving around 1,100 loads per factory per day. Some loads are transported by water, which reduces carbon emissions and helps prevent traffic jams being caused by our trucks.
Weighing and sampling
contain. Samples from loads arriving in Vierverlaten are bagged and sent to Dinteloord for analysis at the CTS.
1 week Temporary storage
To ensure a continuous supply to the factory, a good quantity of beets is always kept in the Large Storage Area. The beets are held in this open air facility for up to a week. To make sure they stay in top condition, they are stored in small piles no more than 4 metres high.
3 minutes
To the factory
Next, the beets are sent back underground on a subterranean conveyor belt that runs from the storage area, right through the dyke, and up to the factory. The beets are deposited in the factory’s tipping pits and moved onto the “dirty beet belt”.
15 minutes Washing
Until now, the beets have been
accompanied on their journey by soil, stones and other non-beet debris. Now it’s time to separate them. A magnet above the belt extracts any debris made of iron as the beets make their way to the pre-wash drum. The beets are then pre-washed and given a thorough high-pressure wash before moving on to the next step.
By-products: sand, clay and beet tips
At this point, the sand, clay, small beet tips and dirty water part ways and continue on their own journeys not as waste, but as valuable residual streams. The sand and clay are used for land reclamation and to reinforce roads and dykes. The beet tips and water are sent to the anaerobic digester digeste plant or the methane reactor, where they are used to make biogas.
few seconds
Cutting
Meanwhile, in the factory, the freshly washed beets travel along the ‘clean beet belt’ to the beet bunker, where
cutting mills rapidly slice them into small strips.
2 hour
Sap extraction
The beet strips continue to the heating trough to be heated to 72°C. The heat makes their cell walls permeable, allowing the sugar to be released. The next stop is the diffusion tower. Over the next two hours, the beet strips are moved from the bottom to the top of the tower via a transporter belt while water flows over them from top to bottom, taking the sugar with it as it goes. The resulting raw juice that’s collected in the bottom of the tower has a sugar content of 14%.
By-product: beet pulp
What’s left at the top of the tower is the wet beet pulp. Most of the sugar has now been removed, but this pulp is still very useful. Some of it is used to make an ingredient for meat and fish substitutes: Fidesse®. The rest of the wet pulp goes through a conveyor
Temporary storage
To the factory
By-products: beet tips
Washing
Sap extraction
Cutting
By-product: beet pulp
Journey of the sugar beet
By-product Betacal®
By-product: beet water
Boiling
By-product: molasses
screw to the pulp press. Over the next 15 minutes, it’s turned into press pulp, a raw material for cattle feed, biogas, paper, paint, dishwasher tablets, plant food, antifreeze and many other products.
4-5 hour
Juice purification
Meanwhile, the raw juice enters the next stage: juice purification. Lime (calcium hydroxide) is added to remove all the substances that are superfluous to the rest of the sugar production process. This is done at a temperature of 85°C. CO2 is bubbled into the juice, and the chemical reaction creates a by-product that is filtered out. The temperature is then raised to 95°C, and CO2 is bubbled into the liquid again. This removes the ‘hardness’ (calcium and magnesium ions) from the juice. The entire process takes 4 to 5 hours and results in a thin juice with a sugar content of about 17%.
By-product: Betacal®
As well as the thin juice, purification creates a by-product, a thick residue that can be used as an agricultural soil conditioner: Betacal®. Some of this is sent to its next destination in liquid form, which is known as Betacal® Flow. The rest is kept at the factory, stored in pits or spread out on yards where it is dried over several months to create Betacal® Filter.
20 - 30 minutes
Evaporation
Meanwhile, the thin juice is placed in an evaporator and heated to 130°C via an internal heat exchanger that uses steam from boilers fuelled by natural gas or biogas. This removes the water from the thin juice, increasing its sugar content. This process is repeated multiple times. After about 20 to 30 minutes, the thin juice has turned into thick juice with a sugar content of 70%.
By-product: beet water
Sugar beets are 75% water, so a considerable amount of water is released by evaporation. This water is condensed and reused in the beet washing and diffusion processes. Sugars inevitably end up in the “beet water” used for washing, but these are not wasted – they can be used as a raw material for making biogas.
January to April
Thick juice storage
A portion of the thick juice is stored in 3 thick juice tanks (per factory) until after the beet campaign. Each tank has a capacity of 82,000 tonnes, ensuring that the factory can still produce approximately 140,000 tons of sugar from April to mid-June and guarantee ample supplies all year round.
6 hour
Boiling
In the factory, the thick juice enters the boiling pans where it is brought to the boil to thicken it further. Here, the first tiny sugar crystals start to form, and in a series of steps over the next 6 hours, they turn into ‘mature’ sugar crystals. This results in a mixture of syrup and crystals.
“THE FIRST TINY SUGAR CRYSTALS START TO FORM”
2-3 minutes
Centrifuging
Once the sugar crystals are the right size, the mixture is put into a centrifuge. Beautiful white crystals emerge from one side and dark sugar syrup from the other. The dark syrup is then transferred to another stage in the boiling station to extract as much sugar as possible. It is centrifuged again, and the process is repeated one final time.
By-product: molasses
After this final step, there is very little sugar left. The remaining syrup is molasses, another very useful raw material that is used to make food and livestock feed.
5 minutes
Drying
The sugar crystals continue their journey and enter the drying drums. They still contain some moisture, and this must be removed before the sugar can be stored. The drying drums heat the sugar crystals to 85°C and reduce the moisture to 0.05%.
5 minutes
Cooling
In the final step of the sugar production process, the sugar crystals are cooled in the fluid bed cooler. Air is blown into the cooler from below, which makes the crystals float slightly, creating a magical display of dancing sugar crystals. In just a few minutes, their temperature is reduced from 65°C to 25°C.
5 days
Production complete
Once cooled, the sugar makes its way to the sugar silos. The granulated sugar is stored here for 5 days before being sent to manufacturers. Some of it is also sent to Cosun Beet Company’s speciality factories, where it is processed and packaged as granulated sugar, soft brown sugar, icing sugar, sugar cubes, vending machine sugar and syrup.
Storage
The remaining granulated sugar is stored in sugar silos until it eventually continues its journey to its final destination.
TACOS YEAST EXTRACT FROM MOLASSES
Yeast extract is a flavouring obtained from, for instance, bakery’s yeast. Bakery’s yeast grows on molasses. Yeast extracts work as flavour enhancer, they give foods like tacos an umami taste. The use of yeast extracts enables food companies to make products with less salt.
FFALAFEL BURGER & BITES BEET PULP
For a tasty falafel burger, as well as falafel bites, texture and mouth feel are key. Beet pulp, called Fidesse®, has an excellent ability to retain moisture even while processing this ingredient. This way you can create juicy falafel.
CHAMPAGNE GRANULATED SUGAR
During two stages of the production process, champagne houses add a “liqueur de tirage” to the still wine. This mixture of sugar, yeast and wine creates the secondary fermentation in the bottle and the bubbles in the wine. Yeast turns sugar into alcohol and induces carbonation.
DMYCOPROTEIN
CONVERTING SUGAR VIA FERMENTATION
Prepare yourself for a future where we will eat proteins from fungi! These organisms often produce significant amounts of protein at the right temperature, specific acidity, sufficient oxygen and with the necessary macronutrients. In other words, they convert sugars into valuable proteins! Side streams from our sugar production process, such as molasses, can play an important role.
Take a look inside the
COSUN INNOVATION CENTER
Dinteloord is home not only to one of the beet processing plants of Cosun Beet Company, but also the Cosun innovation center. This is a knowledge and expertise center in product development, process technology, analysis and research. It also includes the Food Demo Kitchen, the Bakery and the Confectionery. In these places, they conduct tests and analysis for various food applications of the beet.
Curious about all the areas of the Cosun innovation center?
Scan the QR code and get a bird’s eye view of the building.
Food Demo Kitchen
GREEN ENERGY: HOW WE MAKE BIOGAS
Sugar production creates a number of by-products, such as broken beet tips, leaf residue, press pulp and molasses. In our factories in he Netherlands (Dinteloord, Vierverlaten) and Germany (Anklam), we turn these into a source of green energy: biogas. How do we do that? Justin Meerdink, Green Energy production manager in Vierverlaten, tells us all about it.
“Essentially, biogas production is a lot like the digestion process in our bodies,” Justin begins. “You start with organic materials and heat them to around 37°C. When you maintain that temperature, anaerobic digestion takes place. Afterwards, once all the gases have been released, you’re left with a brown substance. In your body, the energy created by this process is moved to your muscles via your blood sugars. At Green Energy the ‘sugars’ are further broken down into biogas that can be used in homes and our factories.”
Biogas versus natural gas
Much of the biogas we produce at Green Energy is sent to the gas grid operator. “But before that can happen, we must remove a significant amount of CO2. That’s because our biogas starts out as 52% methane, with the rest being mostly CO2. Natural gas, in contrast, contains nearly 90% methane, and the energy supplier requires our gas to have similar methane content.”
27.5 million cubic metres
Annually, Cosun Beet Company’s Green Energy biogas reactors, or digesters, produce some 27.5 million m3 of biogas, equivalent to the annual energy needs of around 22,000 households. “My hope is that biogas will play a bigger role in the transport sector in the future. If the government were to encourage it, there is an enormous scope for its use.”
How we use our own biogas
Some of our biogas is used by our factory in
Vierverlaten, during the five or six months of the year in which the beet campaign and thick juice refining take place. This allows us to reduce our consumption of natural gas. “We also use biogas for our transport, so we’re becoming more sustainable in that respect, too,” Justin adds. “Plus, the waste left over from the fermentation process is repurposed as a useful product.”
Valuable
waste
The ‘waste’ is called digestate. “It’s packed with minerals, making it very suitable for use as an agricultural fertiliser. Repurposing it creates a closed mineral cycle. And we also use some of the digestate ourselves. During the campaign, we extract the moisture and apply the solid substance as a thick cover/protection layer over the beet pulp we have in stock. This keeps oxygen away from the pulp, preventing it from rotting and smelling. Later, this layer and the beet pulp can be integrated into the production process.”
Safety
Four operators, a work planner and a digger driver take care of all the basic processes at Vierverlaten. Meanwhile, Justin oversees the rest of the day-to-day running of the Green Energy digesters. “The team is very self-reliant, which leaves me time for other important tasks, like the Biogas Production Plan, maintenance planning, and compliance. Because the factory handles large quantities of gas, we must meet ATEX and SEVESO’s stringent safety standards. There’s quite a lot involved in that.”
The future
Another key focus for Justin is sustainable production. “We try to produce our biogas with the lowest possible carbon footprint. In addition to expanding the digesters, we’re also open to using new technologies. Who knows, perhaps we can explore hydrogen in the future as a way of making more progress in the energy transition. That would be great. It would further reduce our CO2 emissions, use fewer raw materials, help balance the power grid and enable us to produce even more biogas. That would be a win on several fronts. I hope we can make that a reality!”
“Everyone is working towards the same
“By 2030, 30% of our profits will come from new products,” predicts CEO Paul Mesters. Together with Chief Agricultural Affairs Arno Huijsmans, he takes a look at the years ahead. “ Future-proof beet cultivation is key to our company’s long-term success.”
Firstly, let’s briefly outline our ambition, vision, and strategy. Cosun Beet Company aims to be the world’s greenest, most innovative and successful beet processor. We will accomplish this by capitalising on our existing products and continuing to add innovative new ones, such as the plant-based ingredient Fidesse®, made from sugar beet pulp. These Bright Beet Solutions focus on food, animal nutrition, green chemistry and green energy. They will make the company more resilient to fluctuations in the sugar market.
“Greener practices, innovation (with partners), and cost-effective operations, all driven by continuous improvement, are key to realising our ambitions,” Paul Mesters explains. “Our strategic priorities are healthy returns, sustainability and targeted product growth. It can all be accomplished when we empower our employees to succeed in their roles. Furthermore, we’re improving how we highlight our message, including in the job market. Who are we? What do we do? And why should people want to work for us?”
Paul Mesters (CEO)
“Greener practices, innovation (with partners), and cost-effective operations, all driven by continuous improvement, are key to realising our ambitions.”
the sugar yield of their crops. We’re working in a challenging environment, where cultivation is complicated by climate change, disease pressure and stricter laws and regulations aimed at improving things like soil and water quality.”
“For example, growers have to use crop protection products in increasingly smart doses to control weeds, diseases and pests. To support them with this, we’ve developed monitoring systems, and minor deviations are immediately translated into plot- and growerspecific advice via our special Beet
Advisory System (BAS) app. This enables farmers to anticipate and respond to cultivation problems promptly and effectively using mechanical – and often robotic –methods.”
Inspiration farms
Laws and regulations impose ever stricter requirements on sugar beet cultivation and all other types of arable farming, including potato and chicory cultivation. Groeikracht Cosun is there to help growers navigate this changing landscape.
“One of the ways we provide support is through our four inspiration farms,”
says Arno. “That’s where we can demonstrate a range of innovations for making crops future-proof.”
The Netherlands is densely populated, and agricultural land is under intense pressure from all angles. Cosun Beet Company’s response to this has been proactive; several pilot projects are exploring the possibility of setting up profitable beet cultivation in neighbouring countries. “But for now, growers still see plenty of opportunities in the sector, as the recent expansion of the beet cultivation area shows.”
Arno Huijsmans (Chief Agricultural Affairs) “Future-proof beet cultivation is key to our company’s long-term success.”
Digitalisation
Our beet processing factories are the largest in Europe, and efficiency is the driving force in keeping production costs low. One method of achieving this is by using big data collected from all kinds of process sensors to further digitalise maintenance. “If you know exactly when a pump breaks down, for example, you can replace it in time,” Paul continues. “This leads to increasingly stable factory operations.”
In the more distant future, Cosun Beet Company’s beet processing factories will stop using natural gas. “To achieve this, we’re expanding our production and use of biogas and
reducing our use of natural gas,” Paul explains. “Our V-Rise programme, which will initially be implemented in Vierverlaten and then in Dinteloord, involves a new sugar crystallisation process and reusing steam with heat pumps. This is a huge step towards creating CO2-neutral beet processing factories that operate with maximum efficiency.”
“We’re also pursuing the same efficiency in beet and sugar logistics by developing and strengthening our (sales) network, particularly towards Italy and Spain. This could potentially include marine transport, which has lower CO2 emissions than other forms of transport.”
What will Cosun Beet Company look like in 2030?
“Cosun will be a European player with healthy returns,” says Paul. “I expect several key innovation projects to take off, and if these are successful, around 30% of our profits will come from new products.”
“You know what’s really great?” says Arno. “Everyone in the chain is working towards the same goal and shares the same interest. Cooperative, company, growers and employees are all working together to ensure an attractive beet price and the longevity of our business.”
The story of the beet
We can tell you all about the sugar beet. But its story truly comes alive when you experience it – with all your senses. Visit Planet Beet in Dinteloord or Vierverlaten to immerse yourself in the world of the sugar beet and learn about our products, our factories, and the fascinating innovations and developments in beet farming.
VAN GILSE SUGARPACKAGING BEET PULP
Making paper out of beet pulp is really rewarding. Beet paper is circular and is a food grade material. Beet meets beet: it is already being used to make sugar bags. Other foodstuffs will follow. Sustainable beet pulp fibre can replace 20% of the wood fibre in the bags.
3D PRINTING MATERIAL POLYLACTIC ACID FROM SUGAR
In the world of 3D printing, PLA filament is a widely used material known for its easy use, environmentally friendly properties and wide range of applications. It is a popular material in the world of 3D printing because of its low shrinkage, minimal distortion and easy extrusion. PLA (polylactic acid) filament is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer that can be produced from sugar via fermentation.
GREEN GAS
RESIDUAL MATTER FROM THE BEET AND PROCESS WATER
Galactaric acid is a natural compound that can protect metals against rust. It is a biobased, non-toxic, biodegradable ingredient derived from sugar beet pulp (2nd generation biomass), in the world of anticorrosion solutions. I N D U S T R I A L
Did you know that broken off beet tips and other beet residual material play a crucial role in the production of green gas? We make sustainable gas from these valuable side streams, which is then used in several ways. In steam production in the factories; a saving of up to ten percent in natural gas per year. And as fuel for vehicles in the form of biogas, also known as CNG (compressed natural gas).
ANTI-CORROSION AGENTS
GALACTARIC ACID
Sustainability
AT COSUN BEET COMPANY
One of the great things about sustainability is that there are many ways of achieving it. At Cosun Beet Company, we grasp those possibilities wherever we can. Sustainability manager Margot Nelis tells us more.
Sustainable cultivation
“Let’s start at the beginning: cultivation. We work with over 8,000 growers via the Groeikracht programme to address climate (adaptation), soil health and the reduction of crop protection products. Our Inspiration Farms in Volkel, Lelystad, Dinteloord, and starting next year, the Northeast Netherlands are how we get farmers excited about the latest technologies. Our main goal is to conduct our business operations in a sustainable way with respect for the planet’s limits.
Sustainable production
Although we have already made tremendous progress, we can still do more to improve sustainability in our factories. We have significantly reduced the energy we use in our production processes over the years, and we already utilise waste heat recovery technologies. Some of our operations are powered by self-generated biogas, and the electricity we purchase is 100% green. But we can still do more. We want to produce even more biogas, save as much energy in our production processes as possible and electrify them wherever we can. Our goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2018.
Another element of our sustainability efforts is ensuring we make the most of every part of the sugar beet. A great example of how we do that is Fidesse®, an ingredient made from beet pulp that’s perfect for meat and fish substitutes and hybrid solutions. It makes these products much more succulent and provides a more pleasant mouthfeel. I’ve eaten Fidesse® fish bites myself and genuinely couldn’t believe I wasn’t eating real fish. They’re so delicious!
Sustainable transport
With 7 million tonnes of beets to transport each year, there are great opportunities for making transport more sustainable. We are already exploiting some of these, for example, by transporting some of the beets by water instead of by road. This has significantly reduced our CO2 emissions, and there is still plenty of potential to expand that further. In addition, many of our bulk trucks already run on biogas, and we are working with transporters to explore how trucks and inland vessels can be made more sustainable.
Together!
We cannot achieve sustainability on our own. We need to work together: Cosun, our growers, customers and carriers. Sometimes, this collaboration can slow down development. It takes time to get everyone on the same page, decide how the costs and risks will be shared and set standards for fair measurement and comparisons. But once you’ve figured all that out, you can achieve really great results. Good examples of this approach are the first product made with Fidesse®, the falafel burger we developed with Aviko and the modal shift from road to water in Maastricht. You can read more about this shift in the box on the right.
Successes like these show that sustainability does not necessarily have a financial cost; even better, it can add value. It motivates us to further explore and capitalise on circular applications. This will certainly be our focus at Cosun Beet Company in the near future. It’s clear that everyone understands the importance of this and the opportunities it will bring. And that generates a huge amount of positive energy!”
FROM
Every year, the harvested beets from more than 8,000 growers are transported to Cosun Beet Company factories, an impressive operation with over 1,000 trucks per day per factory, 130 days in a row. So, any changes we can make to this transport to lower CO2 emissions will immediately have a significant impact on our sustainability performance. Manous Koopman, Agro Supply Chain Specialist at Cosun Beet Company, investigated optimalisations of improvement potential. He talks about how we achieved the largest modal shift in the Netherlands.
FROM ROAD TO WATER
Four years ago, we launched a pilot project in Maastricht to see whether it would be possible to transport part of the beets in a different way; over water instead of land. This is referred to as a ‘modal shift”. It would not only reduce CO2 emissions, but also reduce the traffic volume on roads.
The pilot was a success, and we have since scaled up these efforts considerably. During the most recent campaign, we transported 340,000 tonnes of beets from Maastricht to our factory in Dinteloord over water. This translated into a 20% CO2 reduction on the beet transportation for that region.
It may sound simple, but it is anything but. The extra loading and unloading of the beets from the trucks and ships can have a negative effect on their quality. So, this has to be done very carefully. And a modal shift requires teamwork.
The port, captains, road transport companies, municipality, province and local residents are all stakeholders whose cooperation is needed to make the modal shift a success.
But the success in Maastricht has definitely raised our appetite for more! In the months ahead, we will be studying whether this modal shift is also possible in other regions. My goal is to lay out that puzzle again before the start of the next campaign. And my absolute dream would be to not only be able to directly unload ships at the quay of our factory in Vierverlaten, where we currently receive beets directly from Texel, but also in Dinteloord, where we now still need to transport beets from the port to the factory by truck part of the way. This is still a bridge too far at this time. But considering the tremendous developments that have taken place at Cosun over the past 125 years, I would go so far as to say that anything is possible.
“SUGAR STICKS”
Interview with Luc Kroes, Vierverlaten Plant Manager
“At Cosun, we say ‘sugar sticks’. It means that many of our employees stay with the company for a long time. And you have a good example of that sitting in front you now!” Luc says, smiling broadly. Luc has worked in the sugar business for over 32 years. He started as a process technologist, but for the last 20 years, he’s been Plant Manager. “One of the reasons I’ve worked here for so long is that there are good opportunities for growth within the company. The fact that you’re an extension of the farming operation on the front end and a food producer on the back end – and everything in between – is what makes this job so enjoyable.”
“The most important thing is the people we work with. Their safety comes first, before the delivery of any project.”
Plant Manager
In his current role, Luc is responsible for everything that happens at the Vierverlaten site in Groningen. “I’m tasked with maintaining an overview of every aspect of the site, from safety, quality and environmental regulations to personnel, maintenance and investments. These areas all intersect at some point.” To keep everything running smoothly, there’s also a management team. They have weekly meetings, but they start each day together in Luc’s office.
“That’s when we have a cup of coffee and spend 15 minutes going over the day ahead or discussing an incident from the night before.” He usually spends the rest of the day in numerous meetings about ongoing issues unless he’s away from the office. “I go to conferences, but I also spend time on our relationships with the community, the municipality and the province. Our company has a significant presence in the local area, and we’re the source of a lot of local traffic, especially during the sugar beet campaign. We want
to keep disruption to a minimum, and we invest in doing that. These relationships are important.”
Investment and maintenance
Luc reveals that he has seen his role change over the years. “We used to be a beet campaign company for around 80 days each year, from September to Christmas. The rest of the year, we had time for maintenance. New technologies and processes have extended the campaign to up to 150 days a year. For example, we can now make thick juice for a longer period.” These changes mean that other activities have to be planned more carefully, and there is more overlap between them. “We have about 50,000 pieces of equipment on the site, which all need to be maintained. At the same time, we’re also making
investments. That happens mainly outside the campaign.” Currently, there are 10 new white sugar centrifuges under construction, and V-rise, a long-term project to reduce energy consumption by 50 per cent, is also underway at the site. All of this demands careful and effective management.
Safety first
Luc’s first priority – in everything he does – is safety. “The most important thing is the people we work with. Their safety comes first, before the delivery of any project.” Unfortunately, in his role as Plant Manager, Luc did have to deal with a fatal workplace accident. “That’s the worst thing that can happen. Having to tell a family that their loved one won’t be coming home that night is something nobody
ever wants to do.” Luc acknowledges that everyone has days when they feel the pressure is on. “But that should never lead to dangerous practices. It’s just not worth it. Then we’ll just start the campaign a day later,” he says firmly. He knows all too well what it’s like to work under pressure. “During the beet campaign, they sometimes call my wife the ‘campaign widow’.” This says a lot about Luc’s dedication. “But a good work-life balance makes for better employees. Your job is important, but so is your personal life.” And Luc sees himself as someone who truly enjoys life. “Outdoor activities, like hiking and golf, are how I relax, and I love a good glass of wine. And holidays, of course. The annual ski trip with my whole family is definitely the highlight of my year.”
FIDESSE®: FROM BEET PULP TO GROUNDBREAKING INGREDIENT
FIDESSE®’S UNIQUE PROPERTIES
To inspire potential customers, we developed a range of sample products, with our partners, that demonstrated the remarkable impact Fidesse® can have on, vegan and hybrid products. These sample applications were created to highlight Fidesse®’s unique texture and taste. At Cosun Beet Company we produce the ingredient Fidesse®, that significantly enhances the texture and juiciness of these products.
In 2019, when we examined the possibilities of using parts of the sugar beet for plant-based products, we quickly realised that sugar beet pulp has incredibly useful properties. It’s odourless, high in fibre and holds moisture well. Today, we use it to make Fidesse®, an ingredient that improves the texture of plant-based meat and fish substitutes and makes them more succulent.
Fidesse® surpasses many other plant-based alternatives like soy in juiciness and texture. It’s also more sustainable. As well as making good use of a by-product, the beet pulp Fidesse® is made from is sourced locally. “It’s another step up on the sustainability ladder,” says Désirée Potters, Commercial Lead at Cosun Beet Company. “Beet pulp was already being used for animal feed; now it can also be used to make food for humans.”
The potential of hybrids
Today, many producers in the food industry actively focus on sustainability. “However, they are finding that the target market for vegetarian and vegan products is still too small to make a real impact. To address this, they are increasingly exploring the potential of hybrid options: meat and fish products combined with plant-based ingredients. Fidesse® is ideal for that.”
Fidesse® is different
Technical product specialist Fabian Griens agrees. “I show our customers how Fidesse® could be used in their products. Manufacturers are familiar with powdered plant-based ingredients, but Fidesse® is different – it’s fibre that has been frozen. With our help, they quickly discover what they can do with it. And there are a huge number of possibilities!
Launch partner: Aviko
Aviko was the first food manufacturer to harness Fidesse®’s potential. “We worked with them to develop a falafel burger,” Fabian explains. “So Aviko was the first of our customers to launch a consumer product made with Fidesse®. Since then, they’ve also launched falafel bites, and we’re working together to create even more products.”
Taking off!
It wasn’t long before other food manufacturers showed an interest in Fidesse®. “By the end of this year, Dutch consumers will be able to find several products made with Fidesse® in the supermarket,” says Désirée. “We expect it to really take off in 2025. That’s when we plan to launch it internationally.” A product takes at least a year and a half to go through all the testing and retail and consumer reviews. But once that’s been done, things can move quite fast!”
Fabian Griens and Désirée Potters
Fidesse®, an upcycled ingredient with a neutral taste and colour, made exclusively from sugar beet pulp.
Fidesse® is high in fibre and low in fat, ideal for plant-based meat and fish substitutes and hybrid products. - Juicyness - Great bite - Unique texture
info@cosunbeetcompany.com
+31 (0)165 525 252
www.cosunbeetcompany.com
