AGRANA, Ingredion’s US$40M joint venture secures regulatory clearance for expanded starch production in EMEA
The move would reduce dependence on imports, improve supply chain control, and help meet the growing demand for texture solutions from customers.
ROMANIA – The planned joint venture between the food and industrial goods group AGRANA and the global supplier of ingredient solutions, INGREDION, has obtained clearance for the transaction from all applicable international regulatory authorities, including the European antitrust body.
This comes after AGRANA Stärke GmbH, a subsidiary of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG, signed a joint venture agreement with INGREDION Germany GmbH for the joint development of starch production in Romania, back in September 2024.
Per the agreement, INGREDION Germany GmbH will acquire 49% of the shares of equity in the Romanian operating entity S.C. AGFD Țăndărei s.r.l. from AGRANA Stärke GmbH, and the two companies will jointly invest EUR 35 million (approximately US$40 million) in expanding the production in Țăndărei (Romania).
Construction of the plant expansion in Țăndărei is scheduled to start in June 2025. The project is expected to take 2.5 years to complete, but the plant will begin producing products in support of the joint venture immediately.
“This is a step-change in our EMEA production capabilities that will allow us to meet the growing demand for texture solutions across Europe, Africa and the Middle East,” said Mike O’Riordan, Senior Vice President Texture & Healthful Solutions EMEA and APAC.
He added that the move would reduce dependence on imports, improve supply chain control, and help meet the growing demand for texture solutions from customers. Localized starch production would further enhance supply chain sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint.
“We are pleased to expand the partnership between AGRANA and INGREDION through the joint venture. The joint investment aims to increase starch production capacities in Romania, enhance competitiveness and establish a foundation for higher sales volumes of our starch products,” explained AGRANA CEO Stephan Büttner.
He explained that the move is entirely in line with AGRANA’s new Group strategy ‘Next Level’, which includes strengthening the commodity and specialty business as a central aspect.
About AGRANA
Founded in 1988, AGRANA refines agricultural raw materials into high-quality foodstuffs and a wide range of industrial primary products.
The company is a global producer of apple juice and berry juice concentrates, as well as of customised potato, corn, and wheat starch products and bioethanol in the Starch segment.
With approximately 9,000 employees across 50 production sites worldwide, the company generates annual Group sales of around €3.5 billion (approximately US$4 billion).
With its three Austrian plants in Aschach/Donau (Upper Austria), Gmünd (Lower Austria) and Pischelsdorf (Lower Austria) as well as in Țăndărei (Romania) and Szabadegyhaza (Hungary), AGRANA Stärke GmbH operates at a total of five production sites and has established itself as a specialist in customised starch applications.
At about EUR 1.0 billion (US$1.1 billion), the Starch Division accounted for almost a third of Group sales in the past financial year.
About INGREDION
Building on its role in the joint venture, INGREDION Germany GmbH is active in the development and production of various specialty starches that are used as functional ingredients in the production of a wide range of foods.
It is part of the global provider of ingredient solutions, the INGREDION Incorporated group of companies, which produces starches, sweeteners and other ingredients from renewable raw materials such as corn, tapioca and the stevia plant and supplies customers in the food and beverage, pet food, pharmaceutical and paper industries.
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