CANE SUGAR SUPPLY CHAIN

Sugar Cane – from field to mill

Sugar cane is a giant grass. It grows in tropical and semitropical regions, up to three metres in height.  Key ingredients for successful growth are rainfall and sunlight. The majority of the agriculture that supplies cane to Europe is not irrigated and relies solely on rainfall.

Harvesting is either manual or mechanical. In both cases the cane is cut close to the ground and the leaves removed. The plant re-grows the following year from the original root. The harvested cane is transported as rapidly as possible to the sugar mill in order for the sugar to be extracted; this maximises the content and quality of sugar in the cane.

From Sugar Cane to Raw Sugar – at the sugar mill

The sugar from the cane is extracted at the sugar mill, which is typically located close to, or in the sugar cane growing area to avoid delay and reduce transport costs and related environmental impacts. The aim of the sugar mill is to extract as much sugar as possible from cane. Juice is extracted by crushing the cane between massive rollers. The juice is then filtered before being crystallised. Energy is a key input to this stage of the process.

The energy needs of the sugar mill are typically met by converting the energy in the fibre (called bagasse) from the crushed cane stalk into heat and electricity. The bagasse is used to fuel the boilers that power the mill. In many cases the mill will generate electricity from steam, and a surplus of bagasse often results in electricity being exported to local electricity users.

The sugar mill will typically produce raw sugar for refining. This raw sugar needs further refining before it can be used in the food chain. In some cases sugar mills have been modified to enable production of direct consumption sugars.

Raw Sugar – from mill to our refineries

Raw sugar is shipped in bulk ocean-going vessels from the sugar mill directly to our port-based refineries in London and Lisbon. The journey can take from 2 weeks, from the Caribbean, to as long as 6 weeks from Asia and Fiji. The wide geography of our supply base means that harvests are under way throughout the year. When it arrives at our refineries, the sugar is unloaded as quickly as possible by large grab cranes to minimise freight costs. At the Thames Refinery each grab holds 16 tonnes of raw sugar.

From raw sugar to customer – at the refinery

Our cane sugar refineries in London and Lisbon manufacture a large portfolio of sugar products from the bulk raw sugar. The refinery removes the remaining impurities and colour from the bulk raw sugar, and then tailors the sugar to meet the customers’ requirements. A full portfolio of sugars is produced in crystal, liquid and syrup form.

Highly skilled engineers, chemists and plant operatives are at the heart of the operation, ensuring that the maximum amount of marketable sugar is extracted from the raw material using as little energy as possible. Around one-third of the sugar is sold through retailers under our own brands. The rest is sold to food manufacturers, mostly in the EU but also in export markets such as North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Manufactured sugar products are shipped to over 2,000 customers across the world.