Pursuing its international development strategy, Lesaffre is strengthening its presence in Brazil with the construction of a new yeast plant. Based in the region of São Paulo, this facility will open in 2024 and will promote the circular economy thanks to a partnership signed with the Cocal company.
The company has been present in Brazil for over 30 years. In 2016, new offices and an innovation center had been inaugurated in Campinas, in the São Paulo region. Several of Lesaffre’s activities are now based there in baking activities and Nutrition–Health & Biotech. In order to meet the growing demand, Lesaffre is continuing to invest and has announced the construction of a yeast factory to serve customers in Brazil.
The plant will be located on the outskirts of the city of Narandiba, 45 kilometers south of Presidente Prudente and about 600 kilometers west of São Paulo. Among the innovations implemented at this new site, an “over-the-fence” concept has been integrated with the company Cocal. This concept, formalized through a partnership contract, consists of creating synergies between both companies’ processes.
Cocal produces sugar cane, sugar, ethanol, electrical energy and biogas with a high degree of technological innovation and flexibility. The company also benefits from a privileged geographical location, close to raw materials and consumer market.
Cocal will supply Lesaffre with the raw materials needed for the yeast production process, in addition to the clean energy produced by the group from sugar cane. For its part, Lesaffre will supply Cocal with vinasse, a by-product of the fermentation process, to produce biogas and ensure the fertigation of sugarcane fields.
“Through this partnership with Cocal, our goal is to implement a circular economy that allows us to produce sustainable goods while reducing the waste of our resources and waste. Our goal is for our yeast plant to be a benchmark for sustainability and innovation in production processes. This ambition particularly echoes our mission: to better feed and protect the planet,” said Jean de Lataillade, president of Lesaffre in Latin America.
Lesaffre’s new yeast plant in Brazil will join the group’s 76 other production sites around the world. The plant designed by Lesaffre teams will benefit from the most modern production technologies. With the use of renewable energy and a plant based in Brazil, the largest market in Latin America, this new site will contribute to reducing the environmental impact of both production and logistics.
