AGRANA and INGREDION have already acquired all the necessary permits to their joint venture. The deal was cleared by the European antitrust authority and all the other applicable competition regulators.
With the agreement, INGREDION Germany GmbH will acquire 49 per cent stake in S.C. AGFD Tandandrei s.r.l. owned by AGRANA Stark GmbH, which is owned by AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG. The two companies will, then, make an investment of 35 million Euros on a new starch line in the 70 plant of Tandreji Romania.
Work on Țăndărei will begin in June 2025. The expansion will bring in capacity before the entire project terminates. All will be done during 2.5 years.
The investment will be aimed at meeting the demand as well as decreasing the necessity of importing starch. The ~~Tandarei~~ Tandarei plant will aid in meeting the increasing demand of texture solutions in the food and industrial market within Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
This alliance classifies under the new direction of AGRANA, the Next Level, that targets to build its commodity product and specialty business. It also aids in INGREDION of locally producing goods, enhancing sustainability, and responding to changing customer demands of ingredient solutions.
Tzandarae is one of five AGRANA Stak GmbH starch plants. The rest are in Aschach/Donau, Gmundle and Pischelsdorf in Austria, and in Szabadegyhaza in Hungary. The Țăndărei facility will increase AGRANA presence in Central Eastern Europe and enhance its status as a key producer of starch commodities made of potato, corn and wheat.
Last year, AGRANA made sales of 3.5 billion euros. Its Starch Division contributed up to around one billion euro or almost a third of the entire turnover. The segment is specialised in tailor-made starches, which are applied in food production and manufacture of industrial products and generation of energy.
Since its foundation of 1988, AGRANA currently has approximately 9,000 employees in over 50 production facilities located worldwide. Besides starch, the company super-produces fruit preparations and concentrates as well as being the largest sugar producer in Central and Eastern Europe.
INGREDION Germany GmbH produces and creates specialty starches utilized in different food markets. It belongs to INGREDION Incorporated, which is a world supplier of the renewable materials ingredient solutions. These grains are corn, tapioca and Stevia which is processed to form starches, sweeteners and other functional sources. The Food, beverage, pet food, pharmaceutical and paper industries are supplied by INGREDION.
The new JV in Romania will be used to more sustainable and local suppliers. The partners also aim to increase competitiveness in the major markets by adding new production capacity and enhanced control over the logistics and the supply chains.
The growth at Cambodia is projected to experience volume increase as well as quick market reactions. When complete, the plant will dish out a strategic locale to the starch-based sinewy solutions that cannot satisfy the demand of customers in most territories.
