The site in Germany processes local pulses into high-quality food and feed ingredients, strengthening BENEO’s position in the global plant-based protein market
BENEO, a leading manufacturer of functional ingredients for food, feed and pharma and a member of the Südzucker Group, has officially inaugurated its first pulse-processing plant after a construction period of just one and a half years. The opening is the result of an investment of around €50 million by the Südzucker Group in its site in Obrigheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, in Germany. Here, pulses such as the local faba bean are processed into ingredients for food and feed production. To mark the occasion, a special inauguration ceremony was attended by Daniela Schmitt (Minister of Economic Affairs of Rhineland-Palatinate), Johannes Steiniger (Member of the German Bundestag), Nicole Eicher (Mayor of Obrigheim), Dr Niels Pörksen (CEO of the Südzucker Group), Olivier Roques (CEO of BENEO GmbH), Niels E. Hower (Member of the Executive Board of BENEO GmbH) and Dirk Dinger (Chairman of the Works Council of the Obrigheim plant).
“BENEO’s new plant represents a strong commitment to Rhineland-Palatinate as a business hub. At the same time, the investment is driving innovation in the food industry and strengthening regional value creation. Future-oriented projects like this secure jobs, promote sustainable economic activity and strengthen rural areas,” said Daniela Schmitt, Minister of Economic Affairs for Rhineland-Palatinate.
Up to 25 new jobs will be created at the new plant, which has been built next to the existing BENEO site where its sugar replacer Isomalt and the smart carbohydrate PalatinoseTM (isomaltulose) are produced, on an area of around 4,000 square metres – about half the size of a football pitch. Sustainability has been a key focus for the new development, with the plant production running entirely on electricity from renewable energy sources. Additional power is generated by a rooftop photovoltaic system and waste heat from production is used to heat the building, while the pulse processing requires no water.
