Suiker Unie Going Forward Under the Name Cosun Beet Company

Focus on circular economy with sugar beet centre stage

DINTELOORD, Netherlands, July 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cosun Beet Company. This is the new name announced today by the former Suiker Unie. "A name that seamlessly matches our new strategy," says CEO Paul Mesters. "Sugar beet are the source of innovative, circular solutions. This plant offers fantastic opportunities to meet the challenges society is facing."

Bright Beet Solutions
The immediate reason for the new name is the business group's new strategy and ambition, explains CEO Paul Mesters. "We want to be the greenest, most innovative and most successful beet processor in the world. Our strategy is built on sustainability, innovation and respect for the world around us. For us, sugar beet are a source of inspiration to create high value solutions. Every day, we and our 9,000 growers get the best out of the beet. Not just sustainably refined sugar as a food ingredient, but also animal feed, protein from beet leaves, green energy, biobased domestic products, components for cosmetics and even disinfectant alcohol for hand gels. That's why our slogan is: Bright Beet Solutions."

Sugar beet completely circular
The evidence backing up these claims cannot be denied. "We are the biggest green gas producer in the Netherlands. We develop biobased products from beet pulp. Our strategy will result in us taking the first beet pulp refinery into operation."

With its new strategy, Cosun Beet Company is responding to changing consumer demands and new opportunities in the market and is delivering solutions that meet tomorrow's needs, explains Mesters. "The rising global population and dwindling natural resources call for new circular solutions that match the national and international sustainability agenda. By extracting proteins from sugar beet leaves, for instance, we are contributing to the protein transition and meeting the growing demand for vegetable proteins. What's more, new biobased products will help prevent micro-plastics polluting the environment. And as we don't produce any waste, the sugar beet is completely circular."

Together with its parent cooperative, Cosun, Cosun Beet Company and the beet growers have developed a new strategy: Plants Powering People. Mesters: "Our new vision as Cosun Beet Company perfectly matches our belief in synergy and cooperation with the other business groups in the cooperative: Aviko, Duynie, SVZ and Sensus. We are also making intensive use of Cosun innovation center, a high tech forum to accelerate innovation and development."

Note for the editor 
Cosun Beet Company was set up by a group of Dutch arable farmers who joined forces in 1899 to extract the maximum value from their sugar beet. Today in 2020, Cosun Beet Company is the most efficient sugar producer in Europe. It is a player on the global stage with customers throughout the world. Cosun Beet Company develops a wide range of innovative solutions such as foodstuffs, animal feed, functional proteins from beet leaves, biobased domestic products and green energy.

For more information: www.cosun.nl

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