Akzente 2/2015 - November 2015 by Nordzucker AG

Akzente News from Nordzucker | Issue 2 | December 2015

The whole world of sugar Strong. Efficient. Market-oriented.

The market does not do 足favours for anyone Hartwig Fuchs on the development of the market.

Into the future with efficiency and agility Page 6

An interview with Axel Aum端ller and Dr Michael Noth.

Page 8

A field for the best Dr Lars Gorissen on the raw material market after 2017. Page 16

35â&#x20AC;&#x2030;kg The average amount of sugar sold per capita in Germany is 35 kg, and has remained unchanged for 40 years. But sales are not the same as consumption. According to the national consumption study II conducted by the Max Rubner Institute, consumption is just 18 to 20 kg per person per year, well Âbelow the amount sold.

| EDITORIAL |

“We must now continue to pull out all the stops that enable us to develop good sales opportunities and achieve cost reductions.”

Dear shareholders, Dear readers, The campaign is in full swing, Christmas is approaching and Nordzucker looks back on an unusual and very challenging year. Although there are currently hopes of a positive price trend on the sugar market worldwide, although we are actually seeing signs of a recovery in our markets already and although we have already implemented a range of changes in the company that have had a positive effect on earnings, the earnings situation remains less than favourable. We anticipate that we will close the 2015/2016 financial year with a loss, even though the break-even point still appears within reach. This means we must continue to pull out all the stops that enable us to develop good sales opportunities and achieve cost reductions. We will continue to streamline processes and critically evaluate our catalogue of services. We also intend to cut through the bureaucracy, at least where this is possible and makes sense. But we are tackling the issue. If you talk to Nordzucker’s employees today, you will notice that change is afoot in the company. Our colleagues have accepted the challenge of a free market. A number of areas actually need to be dealt with at the same time, such as improving efficiency, customer orientation, the nutrition debate, the topic of sustainability which is a big focus area for us, investment activity in our plants, ensuring a trouble-free campaign and safeguarding the supply of beet after 2017, to name but a few. We present all of these issues in our shareholders’ magazine, as it is important for us, particularly in times of change, to ensure transparency and to take our owners with us on the path to a new world of sugar. Best regards,

Hartwig Fuchs

Akzente December 2015

| CONTENTS |

2015 campaign: Short and sweet and for the market.

Advent: Tasty Christmas treats with SweetFamily and Dansukker.

PANORAMA

6 Title – Hartwig Fuchs: “The market does not do

16 A field for the best – Dr Lars Gorissen on managing

8 Into the future with efficiency and agility – an inter-

17 Market direction and future – the Heads of Agri

favours for anyone”

view with Axel Aumüller and Dr Michael Noth

10 “We want to listen closely to customers” –

Nordzucker’s Group-wide customer satisfaction survey

11 Behind the scenes of the production: Plant tours for customers in Denmark and Sweden

11 Sustainability in focus: round table and workshops at the EXPO in Milan

12 Nordzucker joins the sustainability platform Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI)

13 New on the shelves: SweetFamily and Dansukker present new products

14 Zucker – „Schmeckt Richtig!“ Nordzucker supports information campaign

raw materials after 2017

18 Short and sweet – the 2015 campaign 21 “A very special day”: Silo 9 in Uelzen is back in business

CLOSE-UP

22 Smart interface between the sugar plant and sugar beet farmers: the Agricenter Denmark

SWEET STORIES

24 Sweets for the festive season! Christmas recipes from SweetFamily and Dansukker

Agricenter Denmark: Smart interface between the sugar plant and sugar beet farmers.

People at Nordzucker: Karin Farstrup, Product Developer from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Cover picture IN BRIEF

Company news

PEOPLE AT NORDZUCKER

Karin Farstrup from Copenhagen

CLICKED ON

31 A look online RECIPE

Chewy chocolate cookies with orange

Peter Federmann is a plant operator in the centrifuge 足station at the Uelzen plant. During the campaign he is one of our experts who ensure that the sugar produced from the beet is always the right quality.

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

Hartwig Fuchs: “We want to earn money with our work.”

“The market does not do favours for anyone” Market development: the first signs of improvement Earnings in the first half of the 2015/2016 financial year were slightly negative for Nordzucker but still better than anticipated. Akzente spoke to CEO Hartwig Fuchs about perspectives and the optimism required to develop the company. Mr Fuchs, sugar prices have consistently trended negatively around the world and in the EU over the past 18 months. Do you now see a light at the end of the tunnel?

Yes. Prices are rising again on the international market. At the same time, there is growing interest among customers for long-term contracts. We are already seeing prices starting to recover in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Global market prices are on the up, pushing up import prices as well as the price level in the EU, helped of course by a considerable reduction in beet cultivation areas here

in Europe. This is basically a very simple mechanism that could be foreseen. There will no longer be a quota system from 2017. Do you expect prices to fall again because of the removal of the quantity restrictions?

We cannot view the EU sugar market separately from the global market after 2017. It is to be expected that prices on the global market will rise as production is now well below consumption due to the low prices, which will lead to reduced stockpiles and an increase in prices. At the same time, the sugar cane cultivated for at least five or six years cannot be adjusted as flexibly to the respective market situation as the cultivation of sugar beet. Here we have the advantage that we are able to decide exactly how much area we need from year to year. Production in the EU has been cut substantially this year, mainly

through the reduction in land under cultivation, but also due to less-thanoptimum weather conditions for beet in most regions. Consequently, we do not expect a further dip in prices at present. Nevertheless, the market is of course growing increasingly complex and dynamic; this is something we need to adjust to. As regards beet cultivation, the focus over the past twelve months has been on the change to the Articles of Association and the delivery right in Germany. Has this matter now been resolved?

Yes, for the time being, at least as far as the legal framework conditions are concerned. Over the past 18 months, our Agrar team led by Dr Lars Gorissen, together with the holding companies, worked out the details of these framework

conditions, held many fruitful talks and Axel Aumüller as its main supporters, gave presentations to explain the change the FORCE team has performed excelto the delivery right, lent work so far. and managed to alleMore patience is “We will work hard to viate many concerns required for other break even but know that in the process. The measures; technical change to the Articles and process-related this is almost impossible of Association has been solutions require time. given our forecast.” registered. The next We will, however, be challenge is now to able to achieve the devise an excellent EUR 50 million of land planning strategy within the context savings that we have planned over the of these different framework conditions. next three years. We will manage this as well. Earnings after two quarters were slightly negative. Will Nordzucker have to close the 2015/2016 financial year with a loss?

Yes, unfortunately our forecast continues to indicate this. Even though the situation has improved noticeably thanks to the slight recovery in prices and because our cost-cutting measures have been very effective up to now. We will work hard to break even but know that this is almost impossible given our forecast. However, things will pick up again. My goal is basically very simple, we want to earn money with our work! How does your team cope with the pressure created by such a situation?

Our employees have really excelled in a number of areas, implementing cost-cutting measures, optimizing their working processes, committing themselves and contributing numerous new ideas. There is of course the other side to the story. Some people still need to realise that things have changed and that both the market and the competition have become more demanding. At the start of the year, you launched a new, comprehensive efficiency programme named FORCE. Has this enjoyed any success yet?

Yes, we have already seen some success and implemented a number of cost-cutting measures in a short period of time. Together with my fellow Members of the Executive Board, Dr Michael Noth and

In the follow-up to the antitrust proceedings, Nordzucker is facing significant claims for damages according to reports in the news. To what extent does this represent a risk?

You recently took over the responsibilities of Mats Liljestam, who was in charge of Sales and Marketing. What are your plans here?

We will let a little time pass before we, the Executive Board, decide together with the Supervisory Board how to proceed in terms of appointments. There is no immediate need to take action as Sales & Marketing is in a good position. Nevertheless, I will use the coming months to take a close look at this division and make any changes required in terms of realignment for the time beyond 2017. You can look back on some very successful years at Nordzucker. The situation is currently a little more difficult. Where does your optimism come from?

We must not let ourselves be intimidated by the incredible sums of money that can be read in some newspapers. We have This may sound strange, but I enjoy it reached an agreement with our customwhen things get tough. Anyone can ers in the majority of cases and redefined announce good news and good results. the customer relationship. Only in a But my experience in these markets is handful of cases have claims been subhelping us now – all 36 years of it. I know mitted. The number of such claims may the markets and am able to assess develincrease, notably when the claims for opments very well. Last but not least, damages reach levels Nordzucker is in a that are unjustified strong position. The “However, courage is according to legal plants, the expertise interpretation. We will of our employees, the needed in addition to fight these claims in relationship between optimism: the courage court, if needs be all Board Members, the to make decisions that the way to the highclose cooperation with may hurt on occasion, est court – we are, our beet farmers, our to get stuck into things after all, obliged to size in Europe and our and to change.” protect the owners’ very solid financial assets. In these cases, position all mean that we will no doubt be we are well-placed to faced with many years of legal wrangling operate beyond 2017. Cooperation with until a decision is reached by the court. the Supervisory Board has intensified and become much more professional in the Let’s look to the future. In the current last year in particular due to the difficult year, you have reduced the level of period. However, courage is needed in investment in the plants in view of addition to optimism: the courage to make the difficult state of business. How decisions that may hurt on occasion, to will things continue in the coming get stuck into things and to change. The year? market will certainly not give away anything for free in the future. We must We will increase the amount of investment always remember this. � in our core business; the Supervisory Interview conducted by Bianca Deppe-Leickel Board recently approved our plans. We believe that our investments will help us to earn more money in the future.

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

Into the future with efficiency and agility Driving continuous improvement In view of the difficult situation on the sugar market and the necessary preparations for 2017, Nordzucker launched a comprehensive efficiency programme entitled FORCE at the start of the year. Akzente spoke to Axel Aumüller and Dr Michael Noth about initial successes and the next steps. FORCE was rolled out at the beginning of the year with a high level of commitment and the involvement of many employees from different areas. What is so special about this programme? Axel Aumüller: First of all, efficiency pro-

grammes have been everyday life for us for a number of years. By way of example, in 2010 we launched the “Profitability plus” project, which we brought to a very successful conclusion last year. In

the first project, we made changes to existing structures and harnessed the advantages of the acquisition of Nordic Sugar. In addition, the focus was on cost-cutting investments. In the second project, we aim to build on what was achieved in the first project; we want to become even leaner. Furthermore, the action we take is not normally related to investments but primarily to the optimization of workflows and processes. This is new and works excellently in my view. Dr Michael Noth: We have made it our

mission to leave no stone unturned and to do everything we can to check for efficiency and potential savings. The key thing is that this is not a project that will be over again after one or two years. It is more a long-term task for which all managers and employees are responsible. This is why we involved a

large number of colleagues from the very beginning. The aim here is also to learn about methods to boost efficiency so as to optimize entire process chains, for instance. What success has FORCE had already? Dr Michael Noth: FORCE has two com-

ponents: first to create measures to achieve savings and then to drive the long-term change process towards a greater level of business-minded thinking and acting. As far as the first part is concerned, we have already made considerable progress and had much success. We have set up nine major initiatives. We intend to achieve savings of at least EUR 50 million every year and firmly believe that we will have achieved this three years from now. We have already

made a number of savings this year which will have a positive effect on our earnings in the coming year. The second part is much more challenging as we want to improve thinking as well as the market and customer-oriented behaviour in the company. This will take time. Axel Aumüller: For me, a very important

part is the mutual exchange of information and learning from each other. While in the past every plant was a little like its own island, it is completely normal today that, for instance, a plant manager from Germany meets with plant managers from Poland and Finland to find optimum, lean solutions together, implement improvements and learn from or (even better) with each other. This is the only way that

it is possible to develop and improve on a continuous basis. Dr Michael Noth: Of course, this also

r equired us to introduce a new standardized organizational and IT infrastructure in good time – key investments in the future that have put us in a very different starting position today. What’s next? Dr Michael Noth: We want everyone

at Nordzucker to pull in the same direction. We must, however, not lose sight of the markets. Not only will we get better and stronger, but our competitors are also working on the same issues. Only if we are faster and braver will we

be able to defend our advantage. We should therefore also look to other industries for lessons. Last but not least, it is very important for all managers and us in the Executive Board to set a good example, to convince and to motivate our employees. Axel Aumüller: I can only agree here.

In order to be agile and efficient, but most of all successful, we need people in all areas to be willing to learn, evaluate themselves and continuously improve. We are already on the right track here but we want to develop this much further in the years to come. �

Interview conducted by Bianca Deppe-Leickel

Earnings in the first half of the 2015/2016 financial year In the second quarter of the current financial year, the difficult situation on the sugar market again had an impact on business. Altogether the figures are better than expected, however. In the first half-year the Nordzucker Group’s revenues amounted to around EUR 768 million, some 21 per cent down

Consolidated Revenues

Consolidated EBIT

in EUR m

975

on the same period last year. Earnings also declined substantially. The loss for the period is nonetheless only slightly negative at EUR 0.6 million, which is above expectations. In addition to the steps taken to boost efficiency, the stabilization of sugar prices at a low level also improved the earnings position. � bdl

Consolidated net income for the period

Consolidated Net debt

in EUR m

Group equity ratio Percent

768

-2 6 month 6 month 2014/2015 2015/2016

6 month 6 month 2014/2015 2015/2016

-1 6 month 6 month 2014/2015 2015/2016

31/8/2014 31/8/2015

-205

-202

6 month 6 month 2014/2015 2015/2016

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

Serving the customer: stacking and loading sugar.

“We want to listen closely to customers” Lubomir Fischer talks about the findings of the most recent customer satisfaction survey

Lubomir Fischer, Marketing Nordzucker AG

It is not always obvious what makes customers happy, what influences their purchase decisions and what makes them loyal to a particular company. Nevertheless, knowledge in these areas is invaluable and plays a pivotal role in a competitive market. Therefore, the aim of the first Group-wide customer satisfaction survey at Nordzucker, which was carried out in March and April 2015, was to find out more about how we are seen in the eyes of our customers. Lubomir Fischer, Head of Marketing, told Tanja Schneider-Diehl how the findings will be used to shape the company’s future business practices. Akzente: How did the results of the customer satisfaction survey shape up?

All in all, we are extremely satisfied with the results of our first Group-wide survey. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. First of all, we are delighted with the exceptionally high response rate, which

we take as a huge compliment. Secondly, 92 per cent of our customers gave us a good or very good review, thus expressing their satisfaction with us. Overall, this is extremely pleasing. Why do we carry out customer surveys?

It’s simple, we want to listen closely to customers. Although customer surveys are nothing new for us, we previously only had results from individual countries, making it hard to compare findings. But that’s now a thing of the past. We have now canvassed the opinions of customers in all countries, from Finland to Slovakia, in a standardized manner, thus giving us a meaningful overall picture of what is important in terms of our future market positioning. We plan to carry out a Groupwide survey every two years. Surveys are only worthwhile if they are carried out on a regular basis, as they then reflect developments over time instead of just a momentary snapshot. It’s important for

us to get a customer’s take on where we need to step up our efforts, where we are already well placed and where we have made improvements. What role do surveys play in commercial relationships with customers? Where is there still room for improvement?

We see ourselves as a strong partner to our customers, not just one of many sugar suppliers.” This view is backed up by our customers, who are particularly pleased with the services we offer. The results concerning the topic of innovation, however, prove that we still have some way to go and that we have to become more noticeable. Our other key aims are products that meet all food safety requirements, timely delivery and communication of our sustainable growth and the responsibilities we shoulder as a company. �

Interview conducted by Tanja Schneider-Diehl

Exciting insights into sugar production.

Behind the scenes of our production In Denmark and Sweden, we offer customers the chance to get to know our production facilities and our products up close – and we have received very positive feedback.

The world of Nordzucker can be experienced up close and personal through guided tours, giving visitors an impression of our many types of sugar and specialities. In addition to the various different aspects

of sugar production, it is particularly interesting for our customers to see how we put our sustainability and q uality claims into practice. Moreover, by providing information on topics such as markets, trends, nutrition and sustainability, we provide insights into general consumer trends in the food industry as well as the outlook of sugar production in Europe. � Lisa Thorup

Sustainability in focus: BSSP presents report at the EXPO in Milan When it comes to sustainability along the entire production chain, the European sugar industry has always played an important role. With a view to raising awareness of these efforts, the platform BSSP (EU Beet Sugar Sustainability Partnership) was established back in 2013, in which European sugar producers, beet farmers and trade unions in the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT) have come together. On 9 September, representatives of BSSP met at the EXPO in Milan (focus on sustainability) in order to discuss successes, good professional practice and progress in sustainability matters together with customers and other groups at round tables, and to present their first partner project on good practices. Jesper Thomassen, responsible for Production in Northern Europe and one of

the CEFS members in the BSSP, emphasized the importance of this new project. “The Good Practices is a unique report on best practice within the EU beet sugar sector and shows in examples – good practices – the high sustainability level of our operations. It captures a wide variety of sustainability techniques, tools and practices used by the sector and reflect the achievements of beet growers and sugar manufacturers together with their employees. Our mission is that the Practices will serve as a basis dialogue with stakeholders’ sustainability progress.” Talks with stakeholders Workshops were held as part of the round table in order to talk about good practices, how to put these into practice and to discuss their effects. Customer trends and sustainability approaches were also on the agenda. Nordzucker representa-

The focus was on sustainability at the EXPO in Milan.

tives emphasize the effects of sustainable management along the entire value chain. The good practices are available here: http://www.sustainablesugar.eu/ � tsd

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

“Key milestones of our dedication to sustainability”

Axel Aumüller: “We will press ahead on this path and make the issue of sustainable management top of our priority.”

Nordzucker joining the SAI is a clear step Nordzucker joined the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) sustainability platform on 1 September 2015. By taking this step, the company has underscored its claim to be the industry leader in respect of sustainability and to meet the requirements of large customers who are also members of this platform. SAI is the key initiative run by the food and beverage industry when it comes to developing s ustainable agriculture across the globe.

“The fact that we are an official member of this initiative that is so important to our customers certainly represents another milestone of our dedication and underscores how fundamental sustainable management is for us,” says Axel Aumüller, explaining this development. As the Chief Operating Officer, he is also responsible for sustainability. “Membership of SAI is key to being able to demonstrate and communicate the fact that our farmers produce beet on a sustainable basis. We are on our way to becoming sustainable along the entire chain of our business activities – from beginning to end. This is already a decisive factor

today, both for us and our customers, to work together with us on a long-term basis. Co-determine progress During a pilot phase and together with selected farmers, Nordzucker addressed the aims of the SAI platform and the documentation system that had to fit the needs of the beet farmers. The aim here was to compile documentation using an appropriate questionnaire that could be managed in a transparent and time-saving way. “We managed to do this. Now the focus is on further developing and anchoring the system along the entire production chain,” says the Member of the Executive Board. Introductory phase under way This process is currently in full swing. “Of course we want to continue to help develop the system, to make it lean and efficient and to contribute our own experiences.” As a member of the relevant committees and working groups, Nordzucker is now able to do this.

The SAI system is currently being rolled out in the Nordzucker Group in Germany, Poland and Sweden. Denmark and Lithuania will follow in 2016. “Even though the introduction of SAI in our Group countries is fraught with many challenges, we will press ahead on this path and make the issue of sustainable management a top priority.” � tsd

In 2002, Nestlé, Unilever and Danone established the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) platform, a non-profit organization, to facilitate the pre-competitive transfer of knowledge and initiatives to support the development and implementation of sustainable farming practices. The SAI platform now comprises more than 70 member companies. To find out more:

http://www.saiplatform.org/

New on the shelves

SweetFamily cocoa icing sugar Stirred quickly – a chocolate delight: cocoa icing sugar from SweetFamily for baking, decorating and adding a special touch.

A new look: SweetFamily brown and white tea sugar Tea is always in vogue – but never more than during the winter. Now the two sweet specialists of SweetFamily brown and white tea sugar are available in a new packaging design. Both packaging designs show a luxurious world of indulgent tea-drinking moments. White tea sugar is particularly well-suited to classic teas as well as light tea varieties. White tea sugar is also the perfect product when it comes to mulled wine, aromatic punch and home-made liqueurs.

Would you like to make biscuits with a delicate chocolate taste? Or quickly whip up some chocolate glazing? You can’t go wrong with SweetFamily cocoa icing sugar. It can be used to easily make exquisite icing for a cake in no time at all – virtually free from fat and with fewer calories than conventional glaze. But it can do even more: cocoa icing sugar is ideally suited to baking chocolate biscuits or adding a special touch to creams – particularly now during the Christmas period, SweetFamily cocoa icing sugar is versatile and easy to use. Try the unique combination of icing sugar and cocoa. Cocoa icing sugar is available in selected stores in Northern Germany. �

tsd

With its sweet and aromatic hints of caramel, brown tea sugar also goes very well with classic teas and is the ideal companion for many comforting warm, strong beverages. Both types of tea sugar are available across Germany. �

tsd

Baking sugar from Dansukker makes baking easier Whether it be meringue, cupcakes or macaroons – baking is even en vogue in Denmark too. Dansukker has now developed a finely granulated baking sugar (Bagesukker) for festive baking and particularly trendy specialities, which helps to succeed in making light, exquisite recipes. The fine granules dissolve quickly when stirred and ensure that mixtures become particularly light and fluffy when whipped. Baking sugar is produced from local Danish beet and is the perfect product for tasty baked goods. Bagesukker from Dansukker is only available on the Danish market and is advertised particularly via blogs, press releases and media collaborations. The promotional activities also include recipes on the website and product samples. � tsd

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

Zucker – “Schmeckt Richtig!” Nordzucker supports the new information platform of the German Sugar Association (WVZ), and is in favour of a factual and confident debate. The German sugar industry stands squarely behind its product. With the new initiative “Schmeckt Richtig!” (Tastes Great) and the website www. schmecktrichtig.de, it would like to contribute to an objective discussion, to show consumers, the media and politicians why sugar is a healthy natural foodstuff and why it cannot be held responsible for obesity and the associated problems of our society. Christian Kionka, Head of Communication and Public Affairs at Nordzucker, highlights the benefits of sugar as a pure and high-quality natural product. In his position as chairman of the WVZ committee for public relations, he is closely involved in the new external image: “Sugar is a fixed and proven part of our eating culture. Food simply tastes ‘great’ when it is used. A more offensive approach to this issue and more objectivity are urgently required to dispense with erroneous claims – we are working on this.”

Living conditions are changing in today’s society. Physical activity is often replaced by other activities such as sedentary office work. Knowledge of foodstuffs, their origin and how to prepare them has been lost in many places. New forms of stress, new social challenges and new psychological demands are on the rise. It is particularly important given the circumstances to convey the fundamentals of ensuring a balance between diet, enjoyment and exercise. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that many factors may cause or promote the development of illnesses such as excess weight, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore you can not single out sugar. The aim of “Schmeckt Richtig!” is to help people better understand the links between lifestyle, nutrition and weight. Find out more at: www.schmecktrichtig.de � tsd

What Germans know about sugar

54 per cent know that the sugar processed here comes primarily from Germany and Europe.

77 per cent are aware that sugar is a product coming from nature.

70 per cent know that the sugar sold here is produced from sugar beet.

73 per cent want sugar and not sweetener.

Sugar as an economic factor

1:9 Every job in a sugar plant generates nine more in upstream and downstream areas.

80 per cent of gross value added comes from the (beet-growing) region.

35 kg of sugar per capita and year is sold by the German sugar industry – but not for consumption. For instance, sugar is also used in plastics, paint and lacquer.

Source of infographic: Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung Zucker e.V. (WVZ) / Date of publication: September 2015 / Image sources: ©Fotolia.com, ©Shutterstock.com

18–20kg is the annual per-person consumption.

HOME

The German sugar industry stands squarely behind its product with the new online platform.

THEMEN

KONTAKT

ZUCKER SCHMECKT RICHTIG! Mehr dazu

The “Schmeckt Richtig!” initiative interviews nutritionist Katrin Kleinesper from Sport & Food

what the food is. By the same token, it is not about whether something is ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’; the important thing is to ensure a balanced diet and enough exercise. People who keep their energy balance in check do not gain weight.

Schmeckt Richtig: Ms Kleinesper, what exactly is sugar?

Schmeckt Richtig: So why are there more overweight people now than in the past?

Katrin Kleinesper: Sugar belongs to the carbohydrate

Katrin Kleinesper: A major reason for this is that

food group. In Europe, it is mostly produced from sugar beet – in other countries also from sugar cane. Sugar is therefore a natural product.

people today are less physically active than in the past. However, some people continue to eat as if they needed to undertake considerable physical tasks. Today, many people are seated when working and also prefer to spend their free time on the sofa. Many people simply do not get enough exercise. Children prefer to play on the computer rather than run around outside. At the same time, the range of food on offer is enormous and fewer people are cooking for themselves. Being overweight therefore has many causes.

Sugar under fire – unjustly

Katrin Kleinesper, a nutritionist known for her appearances on german TV and the radio, has been a self-employed food coach in Hamburg for 20 years. Her company is called Sport & Food and this is part of her programme. Her latest project is a range of children’s cookery shows to teach children in a fun and playful way about the subject of nutrition without abstention.

Schmeckt Richtig: And what does our body need sugar for? Katrin Kleinesper: Sugar supplies our body with

energy. Our body requires a minimum amount of energy every day, known as the basal metabolic rate. This is used, for instance, to keep the body’s temperature, breathing rate and heart beat constant. We also need additional energy when we move. Our muscles and our brain would not be able to function without energy.

Schmeckt Richtig: Many prefer to reach for sugarfree or low-sugar food. Does this make sense? Katrin Kleinesper: This is often a mistake because,

Schmeckt Richtig: However, sugar is now often associated with obesity. What is this about? Katrin Kleinesper: Oh yes, I hear this every day but

there is nothing to this. Sugar itself does not make you fat. The key factor is how high our calorie intake is and how much we actually use. This means the energy balance must be right. Anyone who eats or drinks more than their body needs over a longer period of time will gain weight. It doesn’t matter

by way of example, the message ‘less sugar’ is usually associated with fewer calories. However, this is often a misconception. If you compare normal and low-sugar cornflakes, for instance, you can see that they both have almost exactly the same number of calories. This is not really surprising because if there is less sugar, another ingredient must be added in its place. And this also has calories. It makes much more sense to pay attention to the number of c alories. � wvz

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

A field for the best Managing raw materials beyond 2017 The penultimate campaign under the ‘old conditions’ is drawing to a close. What do you see as being the main tasks for beet management?

Two framework conditions that have applied to our business for almost 50 years will cease to exist as of 2017. Supply and demand will replace EU quotas and minimum prices for beet. This means that whatever we do or do not do, market and customer orientation is top priority. Whereat we sign contracts regarding the sugar beet delivery quantity and

ooperation, transparency, the transfer C of knowledge and the sharing of experiences are therefore of paramount importance. Our Heads of Agri are driving forward our shared plans in their respective areas of specialization, and they also have competent support coming from our Agricenters at the plants, which manage the dialogue with the local farmers. What is important to us is cost efficiency along the entire chain. We want to score points with our beet farmers in the face of the competition with sustainably profitable beet cultivation that ensures the reliable supply of beet to our plants at competitive prices. The beet offices of old are known as Agricenters today. What has changed in the interface between farmer and plant?

We harmonized the name across the Group in the course of the reorganization in 2014. Nothing has changed with regard to the tasks performed locally. What has changed is the way we work: Our experts in the Agricenters work together functionally in a network, sharing information and knowledge efficiently across borders. We are currently thinking about how the Agricenters should be positioned in the future to continue Lars Gorissen talks about the beet at the Uelzen plant.

to be able to perform their role as an interface in an optimum way. When will you present farmers with specific contract proposals for the delivery of beet beyond 2017?

Negotiations are under way with farmer representatives in all Nordzucker countries. In Germany we have a special situation as a result of the share delivery right that will come into force from the 2017 growing year. This is why we want to create planning security for the farmers as early as possible – in agreement with the farmer representatives of the DNZ. To this end, our German farmers will receive a contract proposal from Nordzucker in March 2016 based on the share delivery rights with the conditions for the 2017 growing year. At the same time, we will offer every farmer the chance to enquire about ‘available quantities’ over and beyond the delivery right. Upon expiration of the deadline for signing supply contracts, we will then confirm the final contractual quantities of each farmer. It is also our intention to offer the delivery terms for 2017 as soon as possible in all other Nordzucker countries. Here our farmers already may, however, plan on quantities similar to those of their previous contractual quantities. �

Interview conducted by Susanne Dismer-Puls

asic price well in advance, i.e, when b the farmers are planning their work for the following year. This is usually as much as 24 months before the last kilogramme of sugar produced from the beet sown and harvested under this beet contract has been sold and delivered. The long cycles are a real challenge for everyone involved. On the other hand, our sugar customers also know that sugar doesn’t grow in three days. And they too want security of supply for their business. What are you doing to keep beet attractive for your farmers?

We will put an emphasis on the expertise of our beet farmers and employees from every field and country to ensure success in the market after 2017. 16

Dr Lars Gorissen talks to the head of the Uelzen Agricenter, Georg Sander.

Market direction and future The 2015 campaign is well under way. At the same time, a future without quotas and minimum prices is starting to take shape. Market analysts, beet buyers and cultivation advisers are working on the new world of beet from 2017 together with Nordzucker’s Agricenters – coordinated by the Heads of Agri.

Improve the transfer of knowledge and quality of advice “The information and advisory needs of our beet farmers will also change with the new market conditions. We are preparing for this locally in twelve Nordzucker Agricenters. Our benchmark is short distances and response times for the farmer. Important information should be in the right place at the right time, and direct dialogue with our Agricenter advisers encouraged. It is our overall aim to increase the availability of expert knowledge for our farmers. We believe that this is the way that we can effectively contribute to future success on the field. Greater yields increase the competitiveness of beet and is feasible. These are the preliminary findings of our 20 · 20 · 20 project and the cross-border trials of our cultivation advisers.” � Dr Gerd Jung, Head of Grower Relations & Agri Consulting

Perfecting logistics across the Group “Beet should reach the beet yards, undamaged and clean. It should also arrive when expected by the farmers and plants. And it should be transported in the most environmentally friendly and cost-effective way covering the shortest distance. This brings benefits in equal measure for the environment, the fellow citizens, farmers and Nordzucker. We are still working with very different transport concepts in the various countries at present. In order to ensure that the best and most suitable solutions are chosen, beet logistics are on the agenda during negotiations with our beet farmers in every country. The primary aim is for the beet to be fully cleaned before leaving the field. This is something we want to have soon in all Nordzucker countries. The same goes for proper

clamp maintenance. This must satisfy different climate conditions in Sweden compared to, for instance, S lovakia. It is a major part of reliable beet logistics during campaigns that last a long time.” � Holm Kemmer, Head of Agri Logistics, Nordzucker Group

Understanding the business of farmers “Farmers must make accurate calculations when making decisions about what to grow. How are the prices trending for other types of crops such as rapeseed, wheat or maize? Which crops can be used where in crop rotation? What are the prices for seeds, diesel, pesticides and fertilisers? We want to understand the farmer’s business in their region. To this end, we analyze the profitability of agriculture in Nordzucker’s beet-growing countries from the farmer’s perspective. How is sugar beet bearing up in the regional ranking of field crops? In which regions do we have potential for more beet cultivation? The answers are incorporated in the process to develop contract models that are intended to ensure the supply of beet to our plants at fair prices on a sustainable basis.” � Frank Knälmann, Head of Agri Analysis & Sourcing Models

Adopting market impulses and shaping the future “What will Nordzucker beet cultivation contracts look like in the future? This is a subject now being discussed with farmer representatives in all seven countries. We have taken it upon ourselves to pursue two goals: market orientation and simplification. What may sound easy is actually a monumental task for both parties. There are many questions on table: What is worthwhile now? What must we definitely change? How can we improve our competitiveness? How can we design the value chain from the field in the best way? How can we avoid or reduce costs – regardless of who must ultimately bear them? We want to carry on with customary contract models with a new focus on the market. Standardize where it makes sense. And make local adjustments where there is good reason to do so.

At the same time, these talks present a major opportunity: to make progress with things or make them simpler in the future. What is the situation with bonuses, supplements and discounts? What was the purpose of these? Have we achieved what was intended? Can this payment perhaps be put back in the pot of money for beet? Or do we have new targets for which we want to provide incentives? A good example is the quality bonus for potassium and sodium in Sweden. Sugar beet fertiliser has been optimized to such an extent in terms of potassium and sodium content that it no longer makes sense to offer a quality bonus, i.e. this is simply no longer an issue.” �

Beet management leadership team: Lars Gorissen, Frank Knälmann, Holm Kemmer, Gerd Jung and Jannik Olejas (from the left).

Jannik Olejas, Head of Agri Sourcing, Nordzucker Group

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

Lighting the kiln in Chełmża.

Axel Aumüller in Örtofta.

Campaign 2015: short and sweet – producing for the market The 2015 sugar beet campaign for Nordzucker is set to end around the turn of the year, much earlier than in past years. “We have consciously pulled the plug this year,” emphasizes Axel Aumüller, Chief Operating Officer at Nordzucker. After eight years with processing periods of up to 125 days, he anticipates an average campaign duration in the Group of around 90 days.

“Two effects are being felt in Europe this year,” explains Axel Aumüller. “It is not just Nordzucker that has restricted cultivation in view of the market and low sugar prices. Moreover, we expect only moderate sugar yields across all countries, well below the exceptional yields achieved in the previous year – however with significant regional differences. A short campaign is nothing dramatic for us,” emphasizes Axel Aumüller. Nordzucker was quick to undertake major structural changes and

is in a good position to face future challenges in respect of production capacity and costs. Moreover, the company works with clear cost-cutting targets through profitable investments. In the meantime, Nordzucker has implemented a sophisticated evaporation dryer concept. And this is just one example of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technology ensuring competitive cost structures for the company in the future. “The key thing is that we are in a position to be able to deal flexibly with increased market volatility. Nordzucker is able to do both: shorter campaigns as is the case this year, or very long ones as in 2014.” Invest in a profitable and market- oriented way “Our aim is 30 per cent profitable investments,” explains Sven Buhrmann, Head of Investment & Maintenance & Major Projects. “Investments that, for instance,

improve our cost structure through energy savings on a sustainable basis.” There is also a focus in the current year to replace existing assets. According to Sven Buhrmann, this includes a multi-year programme to modernize the process control technology. Following on from Clauen and Nakskov, the process control system in Örtofta will be updated in the coming year. “We will of course try to make the capital expenditure required for machinery and equipment as profitable as possible. We will also bring our service centres in line with customer requirements and future market demands. With investments in the warehouses, silos and varieties of our products, we will create customer benefits that make Nordzucker attractive to its customers. This also includes the construction of a new 80,000-tonne silo, which will begin in Örtofta next year.” This is in addition to the mandatory programme, the share

2015 sugar beet yield: better than expected The 2015 sugar beet yield is better than expected for Nordzucker. After a late spring, delayed sowing, and long dry spells in the summer, Dr Gerd Jung, Head of Grower Relations & Agri Consulting, expects the Group to achieve an average yield, the result of which is in line with the long-term average. “A respectable result given the unfavourable conditions at the beginning,” says the Head of the Nordzucker Agricenters, drawing a provisional conclusion. “2015 has shown us that beet is able to provide satisfactory yields even after a lessthan-ideal start to the growing period, if the conditions for growth are ideal in late summer.” Nordzucker farmers achieved slightly above-average yields in Germany and Denmark. Nordzucker recorded sugar yields on par with the long-term average in Sweden, Lithuania and Slovakia. A veritable summer drought in Poland and parts of Lithuania had a significant impact in places on sugar yields. A rainy summer in Finland and early night frosts in Finland led to a drop in yields. Harvesting in 2015 experienced very good conditions throughout the entire Group. According to Gerd Jung, this work was largely finished in all Nordzucker countries by the middle of November. � sdp

Hier steht eine Bildunterschrift.

Cutting machine in Uelzen.

for what is known as compliance expenditure: “Statutory requirements that we must meet in order for the plants to keep their licence to produce.” Nordzucker anticipates a short campaign. Targeted investments in 13 plants Nordzucker’s 2015 campaign began on 17 September with the Trenčianska Teplá plant in Slovakia. This was followed just a few days later by the Nordzucker plants in Germany, Poland and Lithuania. Since the beginning of October, beet processing has been in full swing in all Nordzucker countries. “We were able to begin campaign

Centrifuges in Kėdainiai.

operations well in almost all locations,” summarizes Axel Aumüller. There were some start-up problems in the Nakskov and Örtofta plants. Under overall favourable conditions stable production have been established here by now. The ethanol facility in Klein Wanzleben has proved to be a success, being able to initially perform its function in full as a market outlet under attractive market prices. 2015 campaign in Germany, Poland and Slovakia Dr Michael Gauß, Head of Production for the Nordzucker plants in Germany, Poland and Slovakia has reported a

good start and very good campaign so far. Beet processing began a few days later in the Klein Wanzleben plant. “Time during which we used the sugar from silo fire in Uelzen to produce ethanol,” explains M ichael Gauß. “The beet we are processing in all three countries is of a good quality with a lower sugar content on the whole compared with the previous year.” The start-up of new machinery and equipment components was also very smooth. In addition to normal maintenance measures, Nordzucker invested primarily in replacing assets and measures to reduce energy consumption. In Germany, there is a

Akzente December 2015

| PANORAMA |

Kiln in Chełmża.

Vertical crystallization tower (VCT) in Clauen.

2015 campaign in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Lithuania “We had different experiences to the start of the campaign in Scandinavia and Lithuania,” reports Jesper Thomassen, Head of Production for the five Nordzucker plants in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Lithuania. “While the plants in Nykøbing (Denmark), Säkylä (Finland) and Kėdainiai (Lithuania) entered regular operations quickly and smoothly, we had a number of disruptions right at the beginning in Nakskov (Denmark) and Örtofta (Sweden). In particular, a fire in the electrical systems of the kiln, a leaky steam pressure line and damage in the beet washing facility resulted in a much longer start-up phase in Örtofta.” The new evaporation dryer modified between the campaigns has since been in full use. Beet processing in Sweden will be completed in the middle of December. The Nykøbing plant has improved its environmental footprint with the commissioning of a new wastewater reactor and an optimized flue gas cleaning system. Nordzucker will end the campaign in Denmark around Christmas. The Säkylä plant in Finland has taken a new beet washing facility into service and processed the last of its beet at the end of November. The Lithuanian plant Kėdainiai will continue to process beet

with a relatively high sugar content until around the middle of December,” reports Jesper Thomassen. A new continuous centrifuge was successfully brought into service here. � sdp

Continuation from page 19

focus on investments to modernize and adapt the process control technology. In Clauen, the new control centre was successfully brought into service in addition to the new vertical crystallization tower (VCT). Two additional slicer machines and an enlarged beet bunker ensure a high degree of processing stability in the Uelzen plant. In addition to this, the beet sample stations in all German plants have been converted to the new evaluation system with fewer samples and non-varying deduction factors. Michael Gauß expects the campaign for the five plants in Germany to end between Christmas and New Year. Yields are expected to be much lower in Poland following significant damage to the beet caused by the dry weather. “The beet is very small and very sweet particularly in the Opalenica region. We are literally processing raisins,” says Michael Gauß. The focus of investments in Poland was on the new kiln and the modernization of the power plant in the Chełmża plant, as well as the first construction phase of the new beet processing facility at the Opalenica plant. Nordzucker’s plants in Poland will finish their campaign at the end of the year. The power plant was modernized in the Trenčianska Teplá plant in Slovakia. The campaign here will be over at the beginning of January.

Scalping station in Örtofta.

Campaign start-up in the Nordzucker plants Germany Clauen Nordstemmen Schladen Uelzen Klein Wanzleben

22 September 22 September 22 September 22 September 29 September

Denmark Nakskov 3 October Nykøbing 1 October Sweden Örtofta 1 October Finland Säkylä 29 September Lithuania Kėdainiai 22 September Poland Chełmża 1 October Opalenica 2 October Slovakia Trenčianska Teplá 17 September

Silo 9 has been filled again. A good fifteen months was needed for the clean-up and renovation work.

“A very special day” Silo 9 in Uelzen back in business An imposing white structure, the newly repaired 80,000-tonne silo is now again one of Uelzen’s dominant landmarks. Following extensive renovation work in the wake of the blaze that broke out in June 2014, the silo has been filled again since the end of October. This means that the reconstruction work has now been completed, more than a year since the fire, the cause of which remains unclear. The work at the site with the largest variety of products in Germany went according to plan. This event was honoured at an emotional ceremony held at the Uelzen plant on 16 October 2015. It was a very special day for all those present, especially for Dr Mathias Böker, the plant manager in Uelzen, and Dr Thomas Mörle-Heynisch, who led the project to rebuild silo 9. Both men thanked the project team, all companies involved, the fire service, the police, colleagues and supporters for the huge amount of work done in such a short space of time. Member of the Executive Board Axel Aumüller used his speech to emphasize the fact that a “can-do” attitude enabled the company to successfully take charge of the crisis – despite severe damage in excess of EUR 10 million and a loss of storage capacity. It was particularly pleasing that no one was injured during the complicated and challenging work. Nonetheless, safety procedures have been tightened further as a result of the fire. � tsd

Happy faces at the end of the project. From left to right: Dr Mathias Böker, Sven Buhrmann, Axel Aumüller, Dr Thomas Mörle-Heynisch. Dr Michael Gauß was not present.

Akzente December 2015

| CLOSE-UP |

Smart interface between the sugar plant and sugar beet farmers At Agricenter Denmark, the focus is on paperless planning and advice

“We ensure that beet cultivation is a straightforward and profitable exercise for farmers. As far as the production plants are concerned, we deal with all beet-related issues and ensure that the beet arrives at the factory as cost effectively as possible.” Claus Nørgaard, Head of Agricenter Denmark Experts in beet cultivation.

In autumn, the nights are short at Agricenter Denmark. For Claus Nørgaard, Head of Agricenter Denmark, and his five team members, the early shift starts at 5:30 a.m. They manage all communication between 1,200 beet farmers and the production staff at the two Nordzucker plants in Nykøbing and Nakskov in Southern Denmark. Their office is located at the sugar plant in Nykøbing, a town that is home to a population of 17,000 people. They are just a few hundred metres from the Frederik IX Bridge, which spans the Guldborgsund strait. Measuring 300 metres, this bascule bridge links the Danish islands of Falster and Lolland – the heartland of beet cultivation in the country.

“During the campaign, everyone has to be able to do everything.” “We work to an extremely tight schedule on campaign days,” explains Claus Nørgaard. “We work in shifts and are on call during the night and at weekends. The office, the beet scales and the central beet lab in Nakskov have to be staffed on a regular basis.” This is why you will almost never find two Agricenter employees in one place in autumn. “During the campaign, every one of us has to be able to do everything. It’s only once the campaign has ended that we go back to being full-time specialists in IT, beet planning, beet consultancy, contractual issues or beet payment,” says the 42-year-old Dane, who studied agriculture in Copenhagen, with a smile.

Shifting 30,000 tonnes of beet in 11 hours The first consignments of beet roll along Nykøbing’s Østerbrogade at 6 a.m. sharp, on their way to the incoming beet scales. At the same time, staff at the Nakskov sugar plant, a good 50 kilometres to the west on the neighbouring island of Lolland, start receiving beet. “We estimate current stocks at the beet yards first thing every morning and reduce/increase the planned daily deliveries by between 10 and 20 per cent, depending on plant capacity.” Delivery plan adjustments are decided on at the production meeting with the team’s plant colleagues, which is held at 7 a.m. on campaign days. In the event of technical problems or persistent rain, there is an increased need for coordina-

Conversation on the incoming beet scales.

At a glance

Agricenter Denmark l Base:

Nykøbing

Sugar plants: Nykøbing F, Nakskov

Sugar beet cultivation area: 35,000 ha

No. of beet farms: 1,200

Average sugar yield: 12.8 tonnes/ha

l Competing

crops: Winter wheat, barley for brewing, grass seeds

Tractor to lorry delivery ratio: 40: 60 per cent

straightforward and profitable exercise for farmers. As far as the production plants are concerned, we are the people who deal with all beet-related issues and ensure that the beet arrives at the factory as cost effectively as possible.”

Update for www.sukkerroer.nu: Claus Nørgaard and his team use the portal to communicate with 1,200 farmers paperlessly.

Professionally timed: cleaning the beet once on the field.

tion. As both plants are located on the outskirts of town, no beet deliveries are allowed during the night. As a result, the Agricenter team and the farmers only have eleven hours on weekdays to supply the plants with sufficient quantities of sugar beet. As each plant can process an average of 12,000 tonnes a day, this means that approximately 30,000 tonnes of sugar beet have to be transported to both factories on a daily basis so that production can also carry on uninterrupted at the weekend. Back in 2001, the beet departments of three Danish sugar plants were amalgamated to form the Agricenter. “That was before my time,” says Claus Nørgaard, who has worked for Nordic Sugar since 2012. In his opinion, the benefits of a

centralized Agricenter speak for themselves. “We can always be reached, and our farmers can resolve all their questions – whether they’re about delivery planning, cultivation or payment – in a single call, regardless of to which plant the farmer delivered his beet.” He also points out that the quality of advice increases dramatically when advisers are not alone and can discuss any questions or doubts with expert colleagues. Knowledge centre for beet cultivation in Denmark “We now see ourselves as a knowledge centre for beet cultivation in Denmark and are a service provider for farmers,” explains Claus Nørgaard. “The work we do ensures that beet cultivation is a

The joys of a paperless office: Beet management by text message, website portal and telephone Agricenter Denmark has witnessed a considerable lightening of the load ever since it introduced completely paperless communication with its 1,200 beet farmers. Letters and stamps, as well as fax and email distribution lists, are all a thing of the past. “Three years ago, we made a conscious decision to stop using paper altogether,” explains Claus Nørgaard. Whether beet delivery timetables, sales of beet seeds, cultivation agreements or test results from the central beet lab in Nakskov, almost all Danish beet farmers access specialist regional information provided by their cultivation advisers, as well as individual data, by going to the in-house Agricenter portal at www.sukkerroer.nu. Nørgaard is especially proud of the fact that his farmers now conclude beet delivery agreements solely by using the portal. This simplifies the work involved for both parties and considerably reduces the amount of administration. A web portal, text messages and a telephone are all that is required to access key data – on the beet field, in the plant or anywhere else. � sdp

Akzente December 2015

| SWEET STORIES |

Sweets for the festive season Tasty Christmas treats with SweetFamily and Dansukker Bright lights along the street, sparkling windows and decorated Christmas trees, as well as the delicious aroma of freshly baked cookies are a clear sign that Christmas is fast approaching. Like any celebration, Advent also has its own special t raditions, particularly when it comes to meals and dishes. Baking cookies in particular has become an increasingly important international tradition in the run-up to Christmas. Kitchens in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and many other countries turn into creative Christmas bakeries. From the crescent-shaped ‘Kipferl’ with a hint of vanilla, aromatic gingerbread covered in dark chocolate and cinnamon stars to multicoloured biscuits with sugar coatings – countless types of cookies are created around the world. People in Ireland on the other hand prefer to make a range of different desserts using dried fruit at Christmas time. Fruit is boiled and stored in alcohol and spices months in

advance, before being served in cakes, puddings and other baked goods. In Lithuania at Christmas, for instance, large quantities of poppy seed biscuits are eaten – ideally dunked in the customary ‘poppy seed milk’. Poppy seeds are also very popular in Polish and Slovakian desserts. However, what all countries have in common is that family, close relatives and friends come together at Christmas like at no other time in the year. The focus is always on the family during this time of peace and harmony. In order to make this time even sweeter, you can once again find numerous recipes for the Christmas period at www.sweet-family.de and www.dansukker.co.uk/. Do you like nutty and chocolatey treats? Or would you prefer a slice of juicy Danish Christmas cake? If so, we have two tasty tips for you here. � Margarete Sivov

Chocolate almond stars

Ingredients 120 g soft butter 40 g flour 80 g SweetFamily cocoa icing sugar 100 g blanched, ground almonds 3 egg whites 50 g “Unser Feinster” sugar from SweetFamily 1 tbsp SweetFamily icing sugar for sprinkling

Preparation 1. Grease two silicone muffin trays each with six star moulds using 20 g of soft butter, sprinkle with flour and tap off the flour. Preheat oven to 200 °C (fan-assisted 180 °C).

2. For the mixture, melt 100 g of butter in a pan, brown slightly at medium heat, pour through a fine sieve and leave to cool to room temperature. 3. Sieve cocoa icing sugar and flour into a bowl. Mix in almonds. Whisk the egg whites using a hand mixer until stiff. Mix in sugar until just combined. Place the almond mixture and warm butter under the whisked egg white using a spatula. 4. Fill the muffin trays with the mixture using a piping bag without a nozzle. Bake on the middle shelf for approx. 20 minutes. Preparation time: 35 minutes

Filled Christmas cake

Ingredients

50 g 200 ml 25 g 70 g 1 pinch 1 tsp Approx. 500 g

butter or margarine milk yeast fine sugar salt crushed cardamom flour

Filling 50 g ground almonds 60 g icing sugar 75 g butter or margarine 1 pinch saffron or the grated zest of an unwaxed orange

Decoration

1 egg 1– 2 tbsp cane sugar

Preparation Melt butter or margarine. Add the milk and heat to around 37 °C. Crumble the yeast into a bowl, and add the sugar, salt and cardamom. Work in the flour until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Cover the dough and let it rise 1 hour. Stir together the ingredients for the filling. Roll out the dough on a surface sprinkled with flour into a rectangle of approx. 25x50 cm. Spread the — filling on top. Roll up, shape into a spiral and place in a greased springform tin, 24 cm in diameter. Cover the dough and let it rise 1 hour. Glaze the cake with beaten egg and sprinkle with cane sugar. Bake in the centre of the oven at 200 °C for approx. 20 minutes.

Akzente December 2015

| IN BRIEF |

Site visit

Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, visits the Uelzen plant On 2 November 2015, Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil visited the Nordzucker plant in Uelzen. He also held political talks with CEO Hartwig Fuchs, plant manager Dr Mathias Böker and Chairman of the Central Works Council Dieter Woischke. The talks focused on the economic situation at Nordzucker, as well as on the future of the company, its sites and beet c ultivation in Lower Saxony post 2017. Weil underlined the importance of the sugar industry for Lower Saxony, which is Germany’s foremost state in terms of agriculture. He stated that unfair competition within the EU, such as caused by government subsidies, is simply not acceptable, especially once minimum beet prices and sugar quotas cease to apply in 2017. There has to be a level playing field for all market participants. Hartwig Fuchs thanked Prime Minister Weil for his “moral support” at such an important time for Nordzucker and outlined to numerous journalists a series of measures to improve the company’s current market position. “We forecast that we will once again make a profit in two years.” He pointed out, however, that the sugar market is currently subject to devastating competition triggered by huge surpluses of sugar, thus making it necessary for the company to act. Nordzucker has therefore reached an agreement with its beet farmers to reduce the amount of beet grown this year, which will directly influence production. “This campaign is much shorter than in previous years and will end around the New Year.” Furthermore, the CEO set out his aim of streamlining processes across the Group and scaling back underused services with the help of the FORCE efficiency programme. “But it is not a redundancy programme,” he emphasized, also setting out plans for further investment in the company’s plants, including Uelzen. On an ensuing tour of the sugar plant, Prime Minister Weil was given the opportunity to have a closer look at some of the stages of sugar production and talk to staff in the control centre. He thanked everyone for such an interesting visit, which he summed up by saying “It was most enjoyable.” � tsd

Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, is on Nordzucker’s side. From left to right: Dr Mathias Böker, an NDR journalist, Dieter Woischke, Hartwig Fuchs, Stephan Weil, Klaus-Peter Dehde, Helmut Bleckwenn.

Visit

Peiner Wirtschaftsspiegel invited to the Clauen plant Around 70 guests were invited to the Clauen plant at the beginning of October to present the new Peiner Wirtschaftsspiegel, a business magazine, entitled ‘Zucker – wertvolles Wirtschaftsgut aus der Region’ (Sugar – a valuable commodity from the region). The business magazine is published by PAZ in cooperation with the Association of Industry and Business, the merchant guild and the Peine city community. Plant manager Zoltán Tóth presented the plant and the underlying economic conditions in more detail. With 165 employees (197 during the campaign), Clauen represents a key pillar of the Peine economic region. From the time that the beet campaign starts in September until the planned end in December, the plant will have to convert more than a million tonnes of the valuable crop into snowy white, trickling sweetness. “The organizational effort is enormous,” says Zoltán Tóth. During a guided tour of the plant, the visitors were able to get an idea of campaign operations on site. �

tsd

20 · 20 · 20

Autumn is the ideal time to bring farmers together

Delicious!

Trendy desserts with Dansukker In mid-September, Nordic Sugar invited a number of journalists and bloggers from the biggest magazines and the most wellknown food blogs to an interesting Dansukker event with the dessert chef Joel Lindqvist, who amongst other things is known for his appearances on Swedish television. He showed the participants how, using sugar and traditional methods, you can incorporate completely untraditional ideas into desserts. The participants tried different types of juice, mousses and cakes. Many of them also eagerly posted pictures and tips from the day on Facebook and Instagram. � ed

On 17 September, Nordic Sugar and Nordic Beet Research hosted a meeting at the Lovisero farm. This is part of the 20 · 20 · 20 initiative in the course of which new beet cultivation methods are tested. Visitors spent most of the time in the fields to see what had become of the trials since the summer meeting in June. One of the field trials was of particular interest. This test is called ‘einfach oder alles’ (simple or everything), and compares the best practice beet cultivation methods with a strategy to lower costs, such as in the choice of fertiliser and application techniques, in weed management and fungicide treatment, etc. Early trials results showed that sugar yields in the best practice areas were 2.3 tonnes higher than in the areas where the strategy ‘produce at the lowest cost possible’ was applied. The best practice option needs to generate an additional sugar yield of 1.7 tonnes for it to be economically viable, which means that the best practice option was indeed more profitable. “The additional 600 kg per hectare represent pure profit for the farmer and the difference will only increase by the time of harvesting in November,” explains Ola Cristiansson, Head of Agricenter in Sweden. � ed

Award

Magdeburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s education prize Magdeburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry has presented Nordzucker, along with Avacon and the Water and Waste Water Association (TAV), with this year’s education prize. The jury recognized the three companies’ special commitment to forward-looking education and training and their networked, cross-industry approach to working in the SaxonyAnhalt region. At the heart of this award is the so-called “Berufe-Karussell”, a condensed work experience placement that gives schoolchildren the chance to carry out a project assignment at three different companies over the course of two weeks. This project allows young people to find out about four different occupations in the technical area and the field of business management. The Magdeburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s education prize is an important award that reflects the crosscompany commitment to helping young people choose a career. � ed

Akzente December 2015

| IN BRIEF |

Trade fair

Nordzucker organizes sugar congress at Polagra The leading trade fair for food, Polagra, held in the Polish city of Poznań was once again this year an advertising and information platform for Nordzucker and various companies and customers in the food industry. Polagra attracted visitors from over 50 countries – mainly decisionmakers from food producers, as well as wholesalers and retailers. The focus was on the presence of Nordzucker Polska and SweetFamily, whose rather exceptional design was awarded the Acanthus Aureus Prize. Moreover, Nordzucker Polska organized a sugar congress for the third time to which key customers and partners were invited to take part in open debates. The main topics of the sugar congress were the future of beet cultivation, developments on the global market and changes to the sugar market after 2017. � tsd

Competition

Sugar Cup 2015: Seventh year in a row for popular pony race The pony race Sugar Cup with the aim to inspire and develop young horsemen in Sweden, was arranged for the seventh time this year. After several regional finals around the country approx. 40 horsemen had qualified for the final race at the 1,000 m long steeplechase course situated in – as tradition – central Malmö, Sweden. The Final SUGAR CUP 2015 is ridden within the frames of Pony European Championships 2015 and sponsored by Nordic Sugar-Betfor/Nordzucker. � mm

On site

MDR invited to the Klein Wanzleben plant MDR presenter Madeleine Wehle visited the plant in Klein Wanzleben for the programme “MDR vor Ort” to attend the event ‘Ein süßer Tag’ (A sweet day) on 17 October 2015. The plant, which was established in 1838 and recommissioned in 1994, was one of the 41 stations and offerings along the sugar and beet route highlighting the importance of Börde in Magdeburg as a sugar region. Nothing was left out, from sugar beet

c ultivation to the final, sweet product. From the beet yard of the plant itself, plant manager Udo Harten explained that between 20,000 and 22,000 tonnes of beet arrive at the plant every day. This was the cause of great surprise, as well as the visible piles of beet that were only enough to meet the needs of the plant over the weekend. The TV team, presenter and guests also discovered that sugar beet tastes good raw too. � ed