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Highlights

LDC is a global leader in raw and refined sugar origination and merchandizing.

The Journey of Sugar

Top 3

We are one of the world’s top 3 sugar merchandizers, transporting and marketing raw and white sugar to key consumer markets

Worldwide Assets

Our facilities include three processing assets in China and the US, and a storage site in Russia

Bonsucro-certified

We supply customers in the EU, US and Canada with Bonsucro-certified sugar

About Sugar

Sugar is a caloric concentrated commodity produced from sugarcane or sugar beets. Sugarcane grows best in tropical areas, as it demands large quantities of sunshine and water, whereas sugar beet is produced in temperate zones.

South America and Asia dominate sugar exports. Brazil is by far the largest potential producer and exporter, but might choose to maximize ethanol production in a low sugar price environment, making global supply highly flexible.

The largest importers are China, Indonesia, the Middle East, the Black Sea region and Africa. As both large producers and consumers, India and the EU swing from net exporters to net importers, depending on local production conditions, and have a significant influence on the world market.

Our Sugar Value Chain

Each of our business lines is integrating further across the five steps of our value chain, as we respond to the need for a traceable and responsible supply line from farmer to consumer

01Originate & Produce

01Originate & Produce

We share our expertise with farmers and producers worldwide, ourselves or with business partners and expert organizations, as part of our commitment to responsible, sustainable and traceable supply chains

02Process & Refine

02Process & Refine

Once bought or harvested, we bring crops to our asset for the next stage in their journey. These are ethically and sustainably processed and refined, coming one step closer to the consumer.

03Store & Transport

03Store & Transport

Our strategically located network of silos, warehouses, transloading facilities and ports allows us facilitate access to market for local farmers around the globe and enable us to control costs and mitigate risk throughout the product journey

04Research & Merchandize

04Research & Merchandize

Our depth of marketing and merchandizing experience is our greatest strength. All our platforms and regions rely on our market knowledge to ensure responsive supply.

05Customize & Distribute

05Customize & Distribute

We supply products to a wide range of customers, from large multinationals to local manufacturers and retailers

01Originate & Produce

01Originate & Produce

We share our expertise with farmers and producers worldwide, ourselves or with business partners and expert organizations, as part of our commitment to responsible, sustainable and traceable supply chains

02Process & Refine

02Process & Refine

Once bought or harvested, we bring crops to our asset for the next stage in their journey. These are ethically and sustainably processed and refined, coming one step closer to the consumer.

03Store & Transport

03Store & Transport

Our strategically located network of silos, warehouses, transloading facilities and ports allows us facilitate access to market for local farmers around the globe and enable us to control costs and mitigate risk throughout the product journey

04Research & Merchandize

04Research & Merchandize

Our depth of marketing and merchandizing experience is our greatest strength. All our platforms and regions rely on our market knowledge to ensure responsive supply.

05Customize & Distribute

05Customize & Distribute

We supply products to a wide range of customers, from large multinationals to local manufacturers and retailers

Our Strengths

We originate sugar mainly from Brazil, Thailand and Central America, and distribute principally to the Black Sea region, Southeast Asia, North and East Africa, and the Middle East.

In 2021, our constructed ethanol micro-distillery in Brazil allowed the start of physical ethanol trading, as global demand for the product continues to grow.

LDC is known as one of the most reliable sources of sugar market intelligence, thanks to our extensive research on trade flows and perceptive futures analysis.

We continue to invest in research and data analytics to improve crop predictability in key producing countries: for instance, employing satellite imagery to estimate acreage, yield levels and harvest pace in all major crops around the world.

Our insights have helped us to strengthen relationships with customers in key sugar consumption markets and increase our volumes significantly.

Committed to Sustainable Sugar

We support Bonsucro’s efforts to increase the adoption of its standards and practices for the responsible production of sugar.

All relevant LDC facilities and trading entities are Bonsucro-certified and, since we do not grow sugar ourselves, we take steps to promote the organization to our suppliers and to merchandize Bonsucro-certified sugar wherever possible.

In 2019, we were able to supply customers in the EU, US and Canada with Bonsucro-certified sugar. In the same year, we introduced a new water-saving decolorization process at our US Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, GA.

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