Beneo opens first pulse-processing plant in Germany
Beneo recently hosted an inauguration ceremony for the organization’s first pulse-processing plant in Germany.
Image Courtesy of Beneo
Beneo, a functional ingredients manufacturer for pharma, food, and feed, announced in a recent press release1 the inauguration of their first pulse-processing plant located in Obrigheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The construction for the facility took one and a half years to complete.
At the new processing plant, local faba bean will be processed into ingredients that will be used in food and feed production. On April 11, 2025, an inauguration ceremony took place and 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).1
“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.1
The new facility is located next to their existing Beneo site which produces Isomalt, a sugar replacer, and Palatinose (isomaltose). According to the press release, 25 new jobs have been created for the new location. During construction, sustainability was an idea kept at the forefront. It will run entirely on electricity created from renewable energy sources.1 Further power will be generated via a rooftop photovoltaic system, as well as waste heat created from production which will be utilized to provide heat for the building. The processing site takes a “zero-waste” approach by using all raw materials as ingredients for the animal feed and food industries. Pulses do not require nitrogen fertilizer which helps with soil quality used in future crops. The press release mentions that, “BENEO’s faba beans are grown in Germany, in close proximity to the production plant, and are REDCert2 certified, which is equivalent to the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) from SAI at the highest ‘Gold’ level.”1
Niels E. Hower, member of Beneo’s Executive Board, commented at the inaugural event that,1 “What began more than 30 years ago with the processing of beet sugar into ingredients with added health benefits is now being continued at the new plant. The faba bean is a legume with a long history. Here in Obrigheim, we will process it into high-quality, plant-based ingredients that will contribute to future-proofed nutrition.”
“Feeding a steadily growing world population in a sustainable way is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges of our generation,” said Dr Niels Pörksen, CEO of the Südzucker Group.1 “The Südzucker Group pursues the vision of contributing to a healthy and sustainable world worth living in – and one of the many ways we are doing this is by investing in the expansion of our plant-based protein division. Today is therefore an important milestone for us.”
In the aquafeed, pet food, and livestock industries, sustainability is an important topic. According to Beneo Consumer Research On Pet Care 2023, more than half of pet owners think that plant-based proteins may be better for the environment and the industry has seen a growing demand for vegetal protein ingredients that are locally sourced and sustainable. Due to less reliable conventional ingredients, manufacturers are investigating alternative sources of fiber, starch, and protein that provide resilience for the supply chain as well as nutritional value.
As Beneo’s new facility gets up and running, the organization will be able to support their sustainability goals with the full valorization of their faba bean raw material. Through the production of starch-rich flour, a protein rich concentrate, and hulls, the company will help with the reduction of waste and sustainability needs while producing ingredients for pet food and feed manufacturers.1
Reference
- Beneo inaugurates new pulse-processing plant https://www.beneo.com/news/beneo-inaugurates-new-pulse-processing-plant (accessed Apr 23, 2025).
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