The world's largest beet processor Südzucker Group is going to use sugar beets as a raw material for paper and cardboard. It is not the first, Royal Cosun already started doing this in 2021, but the company does have big ambitions to get more value from beets.
Südzucker presented the so-called 'BeetKraft' at the beginning of December. A paper raw material for the packaging industry made from beets (pulp). It replaces paper pulp that is traditionally made from trees. This year, beet paper is to be produced on an industrial scale at their processing site in Offstein, Rhineland-Palatinate.
40% replacement
For the paper product, it is working with technology company Zelfo Technology. Beetkraft's production process is patented and suitable to replace up to forty percent of the traditional wood fiber in paper, packaging board or corrugated board. According to the company, the product should also be more stable and better suited for use in the food industry.
Südzucker hopes to get more value out of the beet and beet pulp and at the same time have a good story when it comes to sustainability. The beets are grown locally and the CO2 savings that this provides, together with the use of less wood, should give the packaging a lower environmental impact.
The company has had their product tested by the German research institute PTS, which specializes in paper and other fibers. With this, Beetkraft is now ready for commercial production.
Cosun on the market since 2021
As early as 2021, Cosun, together with paper producer Crown Van Gelder, launched a type of beetroot paper. This so-called 'Crown Native' contains twenty percent beetroot pulp and mainly replaces industrial packaging. For example, the well-known one-kilo sugar packaging from Van Gilse has been made from beetroot pulp since the year of its introduction. According to the company, the footprint of beetroot paper is sixteen percent lower than traditional wood fibre.
This application fits within the Unlock 2022 strategy presented in 25, which focuses on broader use of the beets. Think of vegetable protein, dietary fiber and biobased raw materials such as paper. This year, expanding this strategy is still the cooperative's top priority, as reported in their annual report of February 2024. "We are sticking to our course and are committed to further acceleration," said CEO Hans Meeuwis.
Negative result
The Unlock 25 strategy helped to increase the operating result from €2023 to €196 million in 525, together with improved market conditions. At the same time, by stopping 'an innovation in biobased', a negative result of €39 million was recorded at the bottom line. This does show that the path of biobased innovation is still mainly pioneering.