Beneo has officially inaugurated its groundbreaking pulse-processing plant, completing the project in just one and a half years.
This significant milestone reflects an investment of approximately €50 million from the Südzucker Group at its site in Obrigheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Here, local pulses, including faba beans, are processed into essential ingredients for both food and feed production.
On April 11th, the company celebrated this opening with a special ceremony attended by dignitaries such as 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), Niels E. Hower (Executive Board Member of Beneo), 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,” stated Daniela Schmitt, Minister of Economic Affairs for Rhineland-Palatinate.
Notably, the new plant is expected to create up to 25 jobs. It is strategically located next to the existing Beneo facility, where the sugar replacer Isomalt and the smart carbohydrate Palatinose (isomaltulose) are produced. The plant occupies around 4,000 square meters—approximately half the size of a football pitch. Sustainability was paramount during the development; the facility operates solely on electricity sourced from renewable energy. A rooftop photovoltaic system generates additional power, while waste heat from production is utilized for heating the building, and the pulse-processing operations require no water.
The site’s sustainability initiatives are underscored by a zero-waste approach, ensuring that all raw materials are fully utilized for the food and animal feed industries. Notably, the faba bean itself plays a vital role in sustainable agriculture, as pulses do not require nitrogen fertilizers and enhance soil quality for future crops. Beneo’s faba beans are cultivated locally in Germany and are REDCert2 certified, which aligns with the highest “Gold” level of the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) from SAI.
During the inauguration, Niels E. Hower, a member of Beneo’s executive board, highlighted the blend of tradition and innovation at the Obrigheim site: “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. “The Südzucker Group pursues the vision of contributing to a healthy and sustainable world worth living in. 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.”
As consumer preferences evolve, there is a notable shift across Europe towards flexible and eco-conscious eating patterns. According to 2023 data, 27% of European consumers identify as flexitarians (source: GFI Europe. European consumer insights on the alternative protein sector (July 2024). Moreover, 51% have reduced their meat consumption compared to the previous year, an increase from 46% in 2021 (source: GFI Europe. European consumer insights on the alternative protein sector (July 2024). The primary motivations for this decrease were health concerns (47%), followed by animal welfare (29%) and environmental considerations (26%) (source: GFI Europe. European consumer insights on the alternative protein sector (July 2024).
In response to these evolving consumer trends, Beneo is expanding its operations to meet rising demand. Pulse-derived proteins, such as those from faba beans, are becoming increasingly popular in the food industry as alternatives to animal protein, playing a crucial role in the development of innovative plant-based products.
