№ 2017 FROM BEET to SUGAR CONTENTS 02 About AGRANA 02 Sustainable business at AGRANA 04 Sugar beet growing at AGRANA 06 The sugar beet growing calendar 09 The smallest sugar factory 10 Sugar production process 12 Sugar plants 14 European market presence 15 Sustainable sugar refining 16 Sugar and related animal feed & fertiliser products 18 Sugar - facts and fiction 21 Commitment to sport and more exercise 22 Our sugar products 24 The history of sugar 26 The sweet side of Austria 28 AGRANA site tours 29 AGRANA contacts SUGAR BRANDS 6 kg 1 kg → Did you know that 1kg of sugar is made from around 6kg of sugar beet? Wiener Zucker Koronás Cukor Korunný Cukor Korunní Cukr Zahira Mărgăritar Zahăr AGRAGOLD Austria Hungary Slovakia Czech Republic Bulgaria Romania Bosnia-Herzegovina SUGAR BRANDS » Page 3 « ABOUT AGRANA ugar, starch and fruit - it is in these three segments AGRANA IS A STOCK CORPORATION. AGRANA has been S that AGRANA is globally successful. We add value to quoted on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1991, in agricultural commodities to manufacture a wide range the Prime Market Segment since 2002. AGRANA most of industrial products and supply local producers as well recently generated consolidated revenues of approxima- as large international players, particularly those in the tely EUR 2.6 billion. food industry. In its Sugar segment, AGRANA also ad- dresses the end consumer market by means of country- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. Innovations and the specific brands such as Wiener Zucker in Austria. continual optimisation of technologies are the main focus of research and development at AGRANA. Our AN ESSENTIAL PART OF DAILY LIFE. research and development tasks are mainly under- AGRANA is the leading sugar producer in Central, Eastern taken at the AGRANA Research & Innovation Center in and South-Eastern Europe, one of the leading suppliers Tulln|Austria. of customer-specific starch products in Europe, and the global leader in the production of fruit preparations as well as the leading producer of fruit juice concentrates in SUSTAINABLE Europe. Our products can be found not only in food, but also in textiles, cosmetic products and technical applica- tions such as adhesives and petrol (bioethanol). BUSINESS Due to our proximity to agricultural production, we feel OUR EMPLOYEES ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT a high degree of responsibility for the sustainable use of RESOURCE. AGRANA maintains a global presence with natural resources. For us, sustainability begins with the around 8,600 employees based at 55 production facili- procurement of the agricultural commodities and inter- ties located on five continents. Their dedication and ex- mediates that we process and encompasses energy and pertise ensure the company‘s success. environmental aspects related to production processes, ABOUT AGRANA ABOUT AGRANA » Page 3 « the working conditions of employees, product responsi- bility aspects and ethical management as well as sustainable business practices. In our 2016|17 financial year, AGRANA‘s Sugar seg- ment processed 6.6 million tonnes of sugar beet sour- ced from contract beet growers located in the EU. Our cooperations with contract beet growers offer us the possibility to jointly improve environmental and social standards in the area of production relevant to the Focus on sustainability commodities which we subsequently process. It is for this reason that AGRANA has been a member of the Sustain- able Agriculture Initiative (SAI) since 2014. Acting as an information platform presenting best practices as well as, Nearly PROCESS ALMOST 100% for example, allowing producers the option of performing of the agricultural self-assessments, this initiative promotes the develop- 100% raw materials used ment and implementation of sustainable agricultural practices worldwide. Besides the procurement of agricultural commodities, the continuous optimisation of energy consumption and energy efficiency as well as the responsible management Respect for all of water also form important action areas for sustain- STAKEHOLDERS ability in the Sugar segment. The integration of an energy management system, the constant cleaning and recycling of water in addition to the highest possible utilisation rate of agricultural commodities in the form of main and by-products help us to achieve our sustainability targets Cooperation in the in these areas. form of LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS Sustainable management forms an integral element of AGRANA‘s business model. ABOUT AGRANA 80,000 » Page 5 « 1 ha → Around 80,000 sugar beet are harvested from a GROWING AREA of one hectare. SUGAR BEET GROWING AT AGRANA rowing sugar beet enjoys a long tradition in Europe Gand in recent years has developed to become a highly specialised industrial segment. In 2016, around 6,900 beet growers and contract partners in Central and Eastern Europe planted around 93,000 hectares of land with sugar beet for AGRANA. AGRANA maintains contractual partnerships with the growers in order to regu- late the growing and purchase of the agreed quantities of sugar beet. Good cooperation and long-term partnerships between AGRANA and the beet growers are an essential element of achieving optimal yields. The VALUE-ADDED CHAIN starts with the procure- ment of the agricultural commodities. Details of the value-added chain in the Sugar segment can be found on the following pages. SUGAR BEET GROWING » Page 5 « AVERAGE SUGAR BEET YIELDS (T/HA) „MONT BLANC“, a commodities- based programme to increase 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 efficiency within the AGRANA 8080 Group, was launched in 2012. Based on the research results of the AGRANA Research & Innovation Centre (ARIC), the 7070 latest findings are implemented directly in beet growing to help contract farmers optimise beet growing. Mont Blanc 6060 aims to increase the yield of sugar per hectare and also fosters sustainable action by means of the resource-sen- 50 sitive use of growing aids to the benefit of farmers, the 50 environment and society. 4040 The key focus areas, which change annually, are communi- in the AGRANA Group cated in a practical manner and via print media such as the Agrozucker (sugar) and Agrostärke (starch) specialist journals. Farmers can also visit one of the 80 demonstra- SUGAR CONTENT IN % POL (POLARISATION) tion farms spread across the entire growing area to get 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 ideas for their own farm. Special20 field trips during the growing period highlight specific improvement options. 19 18 With the aid of the electro-ultra-filtration (EUF) method 17 developed by AGRANA, a method which investigates the soil, it has been possible to optimise the use of nitrogen-based 16 fertilisers in sugar beet growing over the past four decades, 15 leading to reductions of up to two thirds. This method has also resulted in an increase in the sugar15 yield and improved 14 the quality of Austria sugar beet, which is now among the 13 best both in Europe and worldwide. in the AGRANA Group 10 SUGAR BEET GROWING JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL THE SUGAR BEET GROWING CALENDAR JANUARY The winter meetings organised by AGRANA‘s wind and erosion and is also a good source of nutrients for procurement department in January offer all sugar beet earthworms and microorganisms. growers the possibility to receive specialist information for the new season at first hand. AGRANA farmers operating APRIL The sugar beet seeds are sown in the period demonstration farms from all of the growing regions dis- between mid-March and mid-April, depending on the cuss the trials planned for the coming years. The practical climate and the soil moisture level. Around 100,000 seeds information obtained as a result is passed on to all farmers. are sown in rows. The rows are separated from each other by 45 - 50 cm. A sugar beet seed is sown around every 20 FEBRUARY The seeds can be ordered online via the com- cm. The seed grower, Österreichische Rübensamenzucht, modities information system (ris.agrana.com). The seeds, grows the beet seeds offered and sown in Austria. which are specially produced in Austria, are tailored to the specific location-based requirements of the farms and MAY Herbicides and equipment-based methods are continuously improved. The purchase agreements between used to protect the beet fields from weeds. The best results AGRANA and every single beet grower are concluded at the are obtained by treating weeds at the cotyledon stage of annual contracting meetings. growth whenever possible. AGRANA also offers the farmers various services in order to ensure the efficient and MARCH The beet planting season begins as soon as the environmentally sensitive use of herbicides. temperatures rise and the days become longer. AGRANA offers farmers the option of a seed inspection performed JUNE Temperatures averaging around 18 °C are ideal by specialists in order to ensure that these are in perfect for the development of the foliage, allowing the plant to condition when sown. Provided that no direct sowing of produce up to three new leaves per week. The foliage of the seeds takes place after harvesting a catch crop, the the plants generally touches that of its neighbours around land needs to be tilled before sowing. The catch crop the end of June. This is an important parameter for the which had previously been on the fields has by this time healthy growth of the sugar beet. It is at this point in time died of frost and therefore provides protection from the that AGRANA‘s procurement department organises field SUGAR BEET GROWING SUGAR BEET GROWING MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST trips with the farmers in order to jointly identify carefully of October provide a good indication of the upcoming selected plant management methods. campaign and a reliable basis for multi-year comparisons. JULY The growth of the sugar beet plant during the SEPTEMBER The sugar beet season is slowly coming to a growing season is at risk not only from weeds but also from close.