IMCD partners with Tate & Lyle to meet Fairtrade sugar demand

25-Oct-2012 - Last updated on 26-Oct-2012 at 09:01 GMT

Fairtrade sugar demand is increasing

Food ingredients and chemicals firm IMCD Benelux has partnered with Tate & Lyle Sugars to supply specialty cane sugar ingredients in Benelux, Germany and Poland.

Tate & Lyle was the first brand to convert to Fairtrade sugar in 2008, and is now the biggest payer of the Fairtrade premium, a sum paid on top of the agreed Fairtrade price for investment in social, environmental or economic development projects. According to the Fairtrade Foundation, there has been major growth in Fairtrade sugar production in recent years, with the number of certified producers increasing by 53% from 2008 to 2010.

However, IMCD says that some of its customers still find it difficult to source enough Fairtrade certified sugar.

Business Unit Manager Food & Nutrition at IMCD Benelux Nadine Depré said: “We are currently experiencing a growing demand for natural, sustainable and Fairtrade products. The shortage in chicory sugar volumes in the market pushed our customers into looking for alternatives and we can now meet this demand with Tate & Lyle Sugars.”

This deal includes a portfolio of speciality cane sugar products, including golden syrup, treacles and Fairtrade white sugars.

“This partnership will further enable IMCD to provide another range of natural products that can be used in clean label and Fairtrade products,” Depré said. “Tate & Lyle Sugars’ high quality products and services allow us to bring new solutions to the market in the joint effort.”

IMCD Food & Nutrition Business Group supplies speciality ingredients to European food manufacturers and has one technical centre in Mechelen, Belgium, and two satellite application laboratories in Sweden and Turkey.

“IMCD’s European approach and the comprehensive market knowledge made an excellent fit with our business model. In addition, IMCD’s Food & Nutrition Technical Centre in Mechelen allows IMCD team to professionally serve the food and nutrition market. It also enables them to help their customers in their formulation work,” said Tate & Lyle Sugars senior sales manager of Speciality Ingredients Robert Brown.