Akzente News from Nordzucker | Issue 2 | November 2017
All set for the future A new period begins for Nordzucker
The Executive Board: restructured from within
New CMO: Erik Bertelsen
A great result – but forecasts are moderate
An interview with Hans-Christian Koehler and Hartwig Fuchs. Page 6
“Everything we do influences the market!” Page 10
An interview with Dr Michael Noth. Page 14
17 %
2
The area assigned to beet cultivation in the EU was expanded by 17 per cent for 2017/18. The oversupply has resulted in enormous price pressure.
| Editorial |
“In the last few years, Nordzucker has left no stone unturned in its quest to prepare itself for the transition to the free market. We have no debts, we’re efficient and market-oriented, and the size of our company means we have great potential.”
Dear readers, The campaign is in full swing, Christmas is fast approaching and a new era has begun for the European sugar industry. As expected, the area assigned to beet was increased by an average of 17 per cent in the EU, which has led to overproduction and enormous price pressure. At the same time, the world market price is very low, making exports less attractive. This has resulted in a situation that we have always warned about. Thanks to our size, our market position and our extensive preparation, we will be able to last out the coming phase with very low margins. And we know that the prices will rise again – the question is: when? In the last few years, Nordzucker has left no stone unturned in its quest to prepare itself for the transition to the free market. We have no debts, we’re efficient and market-oriented, and the size of our company means we have great potential. The next few years will also offer up opportunities because the consolidation of the market is now unstoppable. The sugar market is only experiencing growth in real terms outside of Europe, which makes it all the more important for us to get our foot in the door in other countries in the future. We are certain that Nordzucker will emerge from this phase even stronger as a major sugar producer in Europe and beyond, and as a great partner for beet growers. In this issue of Akzente, you can read more about our assessment of the market, beet cultivation after quotas, the current campaign and the various measures we are adopting to make Nordzucker even stronger, more efficient and flexible. Finally, this Akzente is also a Christmas brochure, which will see you through the festive season with delicious recipes. On 28 February next year, I will be leaving the company after eight years at my own request for personal reasons and will be returning to Hamburg. I look back on my time at Nordzucker with enormous gratitude and feel a strong connection towards my colleagues here – something that will remain the case even after I leave. I am certain that the new Executive Board line-up will be excellent. Nordzucker has an exceptional team of management and staff and it will be able to weather the current challenges and those to come. Best regards,
Hartwig Fuchs
Akzente November 2017
3
| contEntS |
12
Around the beet: “Sugar beet needn’t fear the competition” – an interview with Dr Lars Gorissen
MARKET & STRATEGY
CAMPAIGN & INVESTMENTS
6 10 12
The Executive Board: restructured from within – an interview with Hans-Christian Koehler and Hartwig Fuchs New CMO Erik Bertelsen: “Everything we do influences the market!” “The market will balance things out” – the European sugar market’s search for equilibrium
EFFICIENT & STRONG
14 15
16 19
20 22 23 24 26
Staying one step ahead with LEAN – for effective streamlining
27
“Sugar beet needn’t fear the competition” – an interview with Dr Lars Gorissen “Organic beet: we’re really getting going now” – initial test campaigns in Nykøbing and Schladen
“The 2017 campaign: never has it ever been so extreme” – an interview with Axel Aumüller Capital expenditure remains high – The focus is on logistics and energy savings Knowing where it comes from – Tracking sugar
PRODUCTS & CUSTOMERS
A great result – but forecasts are moderat – an interview with Dr Michael Noth
AROUND THE BEET
4
16
Market & strategy: “The market will balance things out” – the European sugar market’s search for equilibrium
28
“The knowledge about the global sugar market decides“ – From distant countries and volatile markets Pole position for customer loyalty – Events in seven countries attract guests from all over Europe Harmonized design strengthens the brand – Packaging design under the magnifying glass Through thick and thin: It’s the calories, stupid!
PEOPLE & WORK
30
Safety Officer Lothar Messerschmidt: “No one should lose out!”
20
Campaign & investments: “Never has it ever been so extreme” – an interview with Axel Aumüller
INNOVATION & FUTURE
32
Sweet stories: Christmas markets in Europe
34
Cover picture
Tapping into the potential offered by digitalization – “Linking and using information”
SWEET STORIES
34
Good glögg! Christmas markets everywhere herald the start of the festive season.
IN BRIEF
36
Company news
PEOPLE AT NORDZUCKER
38
Henrik Grönqvist Head of Department, Beet preparation & Extraction, Nordic Sugar Örtofta, Sweden
CLICKED ON
39
A look online
RECIPE
40
Mini tarts with salted caramel and chocolate ganache
New silo in Örtofta doubles storage capacity On Friday, 10 November, the new silo went into operation at the sugar plant in Örtofta. The new sugar silo has a capacity of up to 80,000 tonnes of sugar, practically doubling the plant’s storage capacity. The silo offers advantages both for the environment and for production, resulting in fewer transports and less reloading. Because the sugar can be packed gradually, no enormous inventories of pre-packaging products are required any more. This also offers another advantage: with the aid of the silo, Nordzucker can effectively ensure that the product is of exactly the quality that the customer wants. � red
Akzente November 2017
5
| MARKET & STRATEGY | Hans-Christian Koehler
“Hartwig Fuchs is a sugar market expert, as well as a practical, authentic and hands-on guy.”
The Executive Board: restructured from within The CEO of Nordzucker AG, Hartwig Fuchs, who has held the role for many years, will be leaving the company for personal reasons as of 28 February 2018. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Hans-Christian Koehler announced Hartwig Fuchs’ upcoming departure on 27 September. Three weeks later, the Board made a decision regarding his successor. Both of his areas of responsibility will be filled by people recruited from within the company.
6
Dr Lars Gorissen will be taking on the CEO functions as of 1 March 2018 in addition to his continuing responsibility for agriculture and will also become the spokesman for the Executive Board. Erik Bertelsen, who was Head of Sales for many years, started his new role as Chief Marketing Officer on 1 November. Akzente spoke to Hans-Christian Koehler and Hartwig Fuchs about these staffing decisions, their time together and their expectations for the future.
Mr Koehler, you worked together with Mr Fuchs as your CEO for many years. How would you describe him? Hans-Christian Koehler: Hartwig Fuchs is
a sugar market expert, as well as a practical, authentic and hands-on guy. He knows how to convince people and win them over, whether it’s with his speeches or in his day-to-day contact with them. He came to Nordzucker during a very difficult phase, faced the challenge and
did everything to lead Nordzucker to a healthy future. He reorganized, introduced change and efficiency programmes and shed unnecessary ballast in terms of investments. We’re very well placed today in terms of equity and debt. Hartwig Fuchs also provided significant impetus in changing us from a production-driven to a market-driven company. Mr Fuchs, what were your greatest challenges and successes?
harzer joining Nordzucker Holding AG, or whether it was the speed at which the right successor was found for me – something that was absolutely in my own interests. That all makes me happy because the company means so much to me. What was less enjoyable was working through the pending lawsuits from the old antitrust case and, particularly regarding this topic, badly researched, one-sided press reports.
The fact that we can say that Nordzucker is a European company with numerous sites makes me really proud. We’ve become ONE company; although our roots might be in different places, we have all grown together as one. And we have successfully made the transition from being a production-based company to a consistently market-focused one. We have won back the trust of the banks, >> the owners and the media.
Hartwig Fuchs: It’s true that when I
joined the company in 2010, it was going through a very difficult phase – my predecessors made the right strategic decision when they decided to take over Danisco Sugar but then had to deal with the financial consequences, which led to the company breaking the covenants for the bank loans. My predecessor was dismissed from the Supervisory Board, there was significant turmoil within the company, and outside the company, there was the impression that we were about to go under – which was not the case, but the media painted its own picture. In my first month, I had to meet together with my Executive Board colleagues the banks in Frankfurt and present to them our strategy for leading the company to calmer waters. Today, we can look back and say that we fulfilled the tasks we set ourselves: equity is up, calm has been restored to the company, we have successfully become a European company and the media landscape has been reassured. Great successes that were only made possible by working together.
Hartwig Fuchs
“The fact that we can say that Nordzucker is a European company with numerous sites makes me really proud. We’ve become ONE company; although our roots might be in different places, we have all grown together as one.”
What things were the most fun for you, what were the least, and what are you most proud of? Fuchs: What I enjoyed most was working
with my colleagues, the growing openness, including towards me if I happened to make an incorrect judgement or overshot the mark. And I enjoyed the professional decision-making clout of our owners when it came to setting the course for the business – whether it was Nord-
Akzente November 2017
7
| MarKEt & StratEGY |
net deBt/inVeStment Mio. Euro 400
308 52
0 -382
-400
-249
37
164
-59
net deBt
-730 -800
net inVeStment
-783 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17
Purchase price, Nordic Sugar
Net debt/investment
Source: Nordzucker
Debt completely reduced. Nordzucker has grown into a European marketoriented company.
>>
Continued from page 7
Mr Fuchs already mentioned that the succession management went quickly and the successors came from internal. What kind of process did it involve? Koehler: Mr Fuchs informed me in good
time that he would be stepping down as CEO from 28 February 2018. I regret this decision very much but of course I respect it. It was always important to me that we develop the management talent internally in order to be able to fill positions, including those on the Executive Board. Nordzucker is a special company with close ties to its beet growers and shareholders. Understanding the historical basis for this is the foundation for success. The second pillar of our success is represented by our exceptional employees, who – particularly in this case – have the right
8
to honest information and clear leadership. The third thing is excellent knowledge of the market. The decision in favour of Dr Lars Gorissen and Erik Bertelsen was an easy one to make. Dr Gorissen started his career at Nordzucker by building up and heading the legal department, bringing with him several years of experience as a company lawyer. When he took on the agriculture business in 2014, he really got to grips with the topic well, despite being a “non-farmer”, drawing on the expertise of his incredible team. Above all, Dr Gorissen’s structured approach and motivating leadership style will enable him to lead Nordzucker through even challenging times. We can also thank him and his team for the fact that the necessary changes to the beet cultivation contracts went so well.
Erik Bertelsen lives for the sugar industry: a salesman through and through, he has built up years of contact with our customers. Since the end of the 1980s, Erik Bertelsen has worked in a variety of sales positions in the sugar industry. So, it is precisely the right decision to appoint a strong, experienced CMO to the Executive Board when markets are under pressure and customer relationships are changing. It is very important to me in general that the Executive Board sees itself as a team, can work together well and together serve as a lodestar for the company. It is not just our shareholders who need this, but our staff too. As such, the future spokesman will surely play a major role in setting the course. With this new structure, I see Nordzucker as being well placed for the future.
“I will always step in on behalf of our company and defend it against the demonization of sugar, no matter where I’m living or what I’m doing. Sugar sticks!”
“Embodying the spirit of entrepreneurship, thinking ahead and making sound decisions is what I expect to see more of from Nordzucker in the future.”
Mr Koehler, what do you think is the biggest challenge facing Nordzucker in the future?
Mr Fuchs, what do you think the last few months before your departure will be like? What do you still want to achieve?
Koehler: We will all have to do our bit
to help the company grow. For me, in addition to dealing with the volatility of the market, this includes fostering growth both inside the EU – as far as competition law allows – as well as outside of Europe. Efficiency and healthy internal structures are a good basis for adopting further steps. Embodying the spirit of entrepreneurship, thinking ahead and making sound decisions is what I expect to see more of from Nordzucker in the future. As members of the Supervisory Board, we will intensively accompany this process and aid the Executive Board in its implementation.
Fuchs: The most important thing is to
pass on my contacts to Erik Bertelsen and Dr Lars Gorissen and to bring them together with people from our industry that they may not yet know, or perhaps do not know as well as I do. Our business is still one dominated by interpersonal relationships. Apart from that, I will of course still be in my office as usual until 28 February and responsible for the business. What will your life be like without Nordzucker?
within Europe in order to maintain friendships that I’ve had for decades – and also to visit our son in Toronto. In autumn, my wife and I want to travel to New Zealand for a few months; perhaps buy a second home. And we also want to visit the south of Africa again. Apart from that, I’m not planning anything. Maybe I will take on a Supervisory Board mandate – although there are no such talks in that regard yet – or I will get my pilot’s licence, which I was unable to do in 2010. I’m open to all of it. But one thing is clear: I will always step in on behalf of our company and defend it against the demonization of sugar, no matter where I’m living or what I’m doing. Sugar sticks! �
Interview conducted by Bianca Deppe-Leickel
Fuchs: Very private, for a while at least.
I’m planning to travel to Canada and
Akzente November 2017
9
| MARKET & STRATEGY |
New CMO Erik Bertelsen: “Everything we do influences the market!”
During my entire career in the sugar industry, expansions and integration have always been an exciting part of my work. When Nordzucker acquired Danisco Sugar in 2009, I was suddenly on the other side of the negotiating table as part of the company that had to be integrated. That was new to me, but in retrospect I can say that it was a very useful experience. Since then, we’ve come a long way in the process of making Nordzucker a European company, although it’s been no easy task. What is so special about a good sales and marketing manager?
Since 1 November 2017, Erik Bertelsen has been the new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Nordzucker. Akzente spoke to him about his experiences, his knowledge of sugar and his initial plans. You have many years of experience in the sugar industry. What is it that ties you to it?
My aim was not originally to work in the sugar industry – instead, I was drawn to exports. It was a combination of this career aspiration and chance that brought me to the sugar industry. Once I had started working for the industry, I gradu-
10
ally discovered how much I was fascinated by it – particularly by the marketing of sugar, but also by the many political issues involved, such as the EU’s agricultural policy, and nutrition topics. Understanding the global market and knowing how the futures market can be used in order to manage risks were and remain important and interesting themes for me. The many years in the regulated sugar market were anything but boring because, despite quantity regulation, the fight for customers and market share was often hard. It came down to proving to our customers that we were the best supplier.
The most important thing is extensive knowledge: knowledge about the company, its products and services, knowledge about the market and the factors influencing it, and finally, knowledge about customers and their needs. This includes knowing what customers want to avoid or what represents a risk to them. If we can convert this knowledge into good solutions that represent added value to both Nordzucker and our customers, we can really make a difference. What do you think will be the greatest challenges facing Nordzucker over the medium and long term?
Internally, sugar is often referred to as a commodity. And it’s true that sugar has many of the characteristics associated with a commodity. However, for me, it’s something else. Because all of our European competitors are in a position to be able to produce sugar and transport it from the plant to the
Erik Bertelsen (1960), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) • Member of the Nordzucker AG Executive Board as of 1 November 2017 • Responsibilities: Sales, Non-EU Import/Export, Beet Fibre & Molasses, Bioethanol, Logistics, Marketing & Products Experience: • 2014 – 2017 Head of Sales at Nordzucker Group and Member of the Business Team • 2009 – 2014 Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing and member of Executive Board at Nordic Sugar A/S
Erik Bertelsen
“The product itself is only part of what the customer buys from us. Customers expect a whole lot of other services alongside this.”
customer. So, we need to do more. The product itself is only part of what the customer buys from us. Customers expect a whole lot of other services alongside this – for example, the complete traceability of the product, sustainability along the entire supply chain and specific certificates for each delivery. We also help our customers with any problems that they might have with their end products – because sugar can sometimes be the cause or the solution. In general, we are interested in our customers’ business and we help them wherever we can. What will your first tasks as CMO be?
I think that, generally speaking, we have a good strategy, a well-structured organisation and a dedicated team within
• 1998 – 2009 Market Director Industry & Export at Danisco Sugar • 1986 – 1998 Various management positions within the export & sales department at Danisco Sugar
the marketing department, so I’m not planning any revolutionary changes. But of course there are some topics that are important to me and which I’d like to focus on. In this respect, I think a CRM system (customer relationship management system) is an important tool for managing our customer data throughout the Group and also for sharing information internally. In the last two years in particular, we have made it a priority to reduce the complexity of our range of products, but also of our processes. It is important that we continue this work in order to avoid unnecessary costs arising from our system. I also believe that we can benefit from a closer partnership with select companies from other industries. The exchange of experiences and knowl-
edge with other people helps us to generate new ideas, concepts and solutions. My colleagues in marketing are probably sick of hearing this already, but I’m happy to state it once more here: “We’re number two in Europe and therefore have the responsibility to influence the market.” Will you be moving to Braunschweig?
Yes, I will be looking for a flat in Braunschweig as a kind of base camp for when I’m working there. In recent years, I’ve spent most of my time in Braunschweig. I like the city and am happy when I’m able to cook my own food in my flat and don’t always have to eat in restaurants or in a hotel room. �
Interview conducted by Bianca Deppe-Leickel
Akzente November 2017
11
| MARKET & STRATEGY |
“The market will balance things out”
The European sugar market’s search for equilibrium
Hartwig Fuchs
“We are now facing what Nordzucker has always warned of: increased competition.”
Erik Bertelsen
“This situation has neither caught us unaware nor caught us unprepared.”
The much-quoted watershed of 1 October 2017 is now behind us and the EU’s quota system for sugar has now come to an end. The sugar market in Europe will now be governed by supply and demand alone. Increased competition, overproduction and low sugar prices are already indicating that this phase will be very painful for the sugar sector. Low world market prices and a strong Euro make a bad situation worse. How will the second-largest sugar manufacturer in Europe deal with this situation?
“We’re not surprised. This campaign will result in overproduction on the European sugar market. The increased acreage announced by many of our competitors has resulted in exactly what Nordzucker has always warned of: increased competition and inadequate margins,” CEO Hartwig Fuchs explains. “We’ve already seen in the dairy industry how the abolition of milk quotas resulted in market developments that were very painful for dairies and dairy farmers. In the sugar economy, exactly the same thing is happening,” Fuchs continues. Was it just a date? “For us, 1 October was a date like any other. We have been preparing Nordzucker for the abolition of quotas for a very long time now and it was clear to us very early on that there would be a phase where all market participants would have to learn how to deal with the new situation. Only then will the market be able to find a new equilibrium,” explains Erik Bertelsen, who was appointed the new CMO of Nordzucker on 1 November 2017. Once we’ve established a free market, we need to understand the mechanisms driving the market and internalize them. “This situation has neither caught us unaware nor caught us unprepared,” Erik Bertelsen continues. Things will only start to improve from 2019 It is unlikely that prices will bounce back within the current campaign. After that, it may improve for a while once the
12
acute pressure on volumes has abated. “We only expect to see the market bounce back from 2019 onwards and reduced acreage and an improved international environment will play a part in that. Only then will volumes and prices adjust to one another. After all, crop planning, beet growth and sugar production take 18 months to two years,” Hartwig Fuchs predicts. Low sugar prices will result in low beet prices Conscious of what is to come, Nordzucker has only expanded its beet cultivation very moderately. “We’ve taken a very restrained approach to increasing production and we are at about the level of 2014/15 today. This is because it was absolutely clear that overproduction in Europe would result in price pressure,” Hartwig Fuchs explains. “But in a market, everything has a bearing on everything else. This pressure will once again result in a reduction in margins and a clear decrease in imports. At the same time, 14 cents (USD) for raw sugar is also not an attractive basis for increasing acreage and is also problematic for maintenance investments. So, clearly, prices are set to go up again.” Long-term loyalty to growers “For us, it is increasingly important to be very familiar with the commodities markets and to assess them so that we can also secure our raw materials base for growers in the competition for acreage with other crops,” Fuchs says, emphasizing: “A long-term and stable partnership with our beet growers, who are very loyal to us in Germany at least because of their delivery rights, is of high strategic importance to us. We knew that these first few years in the free market would result in price pressure, so it was all the more important to be able to conclude long-term supply contracts with our growers.” The long-term contracts allow planning certainty in a difficult time – for both
Supply and demand guide the sugar market Sugar price, EU and the world market (no. 5, London, EUR/t) 750 550
501 EUR/t
350
316 EUR/t
150 Juli 2006
EU
World market
Oktober 2017
Source: EU price reporting, 27/10/17
Johan Neikell
“It is particularly important now that we keep listening to our customers and maintain our direct contacts.”
Expectations for sugar consumption and sugar production 2017/18
Sugar consumption 2017/18
Sugar production 2017/18
184.4
191.0
Million tonnes, raw value
Million tonnes, raw value
Sugar consumption 2017/18
18.6
EU-28
Million tonnes, raw value
Sugar production 2017/18
20.0 Million tonnes, raw value
Source: F.O. Licht World Market Balance 29/9/2017
parties. After all, the market will find its balance again, allowing for higher sugar prices, and it is then that securing our raw materials base will be more important than ever. Living at break-even The coming two years are going to be demanding and not particularly satisfactory in terms of earnings. “It may be some time before the market finds its equilibrium. But we are not worried because we know that our size and our financial situation will enable us to see through even a longer drought. We will also be able to manage on lower earnings even if the efforts
to increase efficiency don’t bear much fruit. But not all of our competitors will be able to do that. So the consolidation process is now inevitable,” Fuchs explains. Planning for the long term, acting with flexibility Nordzucker benefits from long-term relationships both with its growers and with its customers. The conditions on the market also present new opportunities. “We need to be constantly on the look-out and constantly active in order to seize new opportunities both inside and outside of Europe and to expand our market share in specific areas,” Dr Volker Diehl,
Dr. Volker Diehl
“We need to be constantly on the look-out and constantly active in order to seize new opportunities both inside and outside of Europe.”
Head of Industry Sales, states. And Johan Neikell, Head of Retail, adds: “It is particularly important now that we keep listening to our customers and maintain our direct contacts. After all, the situation is new ground for our customers as well.” “Being second in the European rankings also brings with it certain responsibilities. Long-term customer loyalty, excellent service and high quality are what define us as a major sugar producer. We are the right partner for our customers in industry and retail and will emerge from this difficult phase even stronger – we are sure of that,” new CMO Erik Bertelsen emphasizes. � bdl
Akzente November 2017
13
| Efficient & strong |
A great result – but forecasts are moderate
Earnings in the second quarter of the 2017/18 financial year Consolidated Revenues
of the previous year. But looking at the final year as a whole is deceptive: The first six months were good, the third quarter will be average and the fourth will be weak. The lower sugar prices will make themselves felt in the last quarter of 2017/18 but will have the biggest impact on earnings in the subsequent year.
in EUR m
Consolidat in EUR m
833
846
53
Does that mean that shareholders will have to reckon with losses for 2018/19? 6 month 6 month Not going by how things are at the moment, but 2016/17 2017/18 there are major uncertainties. The extent to which prices will actually fall depends on the world market Consolidated Revenues and market dynamics; the competition will not abate in EUR m Consolidated EBIT so quickly. But then things will start to look up again in EUR m at some point – both on the global market 833 and in 846 121 Europe. We’ve taken lots of steps to prepare ourselves – and we will continue to work on that. The situation does not surprise us, even if we might have wished for a better global market environment for the time the 53 sugar quota came to an end.
6 month 2016/17
Consolida income fo in EUR m
37
What kinds of preparations were they?
Dr. Michael Noth
In the first six months of the 2017/18 financial year, Nordzucker achieved revenues of EUR 846 million and net income for the period of EUR 88 million, making for a very respectable result. But the markets have come under pressure in recent months. Dr Michael Noth, CFO, forecasts a difficult phase for Nordzucker.
The whole company worked hard to prepare6 month Nordzucker 6 month for the new market situation. A few years2016/17 ago, we 2017/18 Consolidated Revenues restructured our organization and systems to make in EUR m Consolidated EBIT them more streamlined and much more effective. Our in EUR m comprehensive optimization strategy, LEAN, and our 846 833 FORCE efficiency programme help us to continue to121 reduce costs and to tailor processes perfectly to the customer. We are much more market-oriented than we were before and our customers are our clear focus. 53 yields Our beet growers have significantly increased in recent years – without this incredible effort on their part, we would not be able to hold our own on the market today. 6 month
6 month
6 month
6 month
Will you be implementing more efficiency pro-2017/18 2016/17 2017/18 2016/17 grammes?
Dr Noth, compared to the result from the previous Consolidated I’mRevenues no fan of taking action for action’s sake. We first year, the result from the first half looks great. What in EUR m Consolidated EBIT need to complete the last project successfully and esare your expectations for the next six months? in EUR m Consolidated net tablish 846 LEAN within the company as envisaged. How833 income for the period 121
The prices on the world markets are still very low, the white sugar premium, i.e. the surcharge differentiating it from the raw sugar that is generally traded on the world market, has all but melted away. At the same time, we have a lot of sugar in Europe and a tough fight for market share after the abolition of the sugar quotas. This new market status quo will gradually make itself felt in our earnings. 2017/18 won’t be a particularly bad year because we had achieved a great result 6by the month 2016/17 end of September; we will even exceed the net income
14
ever, it’s no secret that we will need gainin clout EUR m in the new market environment once FORCE has been com88 pleted. Efficiency isn’t a state of being that you achieve and that’s that, but an ongoing process. However, it’s 53 not just efficiency: We will also have to continue work37 ing on making ourselves even more market-oriented and customer-focused, boosting our sustainability and growing the business – we are facing exciting times will not only bring lots of challenges, 6but lots of6 month 6that month 6 month 6 month month 2017/18 2016/17 2017/18Bianca Deppe-Leickel 2016/17 2017/18 opportunities, too. � Interview:
6 month 2016/17
6 month 2017/18
6 month 2016/17
Net debt ( investmen Consolidated net income for the period in EUR m
in EUR m
378
88
37
6 month 2016/17
6 month 2017/18
Net debt (-) / investment (+) in EUR m
431
378
6 month 2016/17
6 month 2017/18
6 month 2016/17
Staying one step ahead with LEAN For effective streamlining
“Encouraging our staff to bring their ideas to the table and improve work processes is clearly one of our leadership tasks” Sven Buhrmann Head of Investment and Maintenance
On-site with LEAN: Sanna Bomholt and Martin Eckström analyze a process.
Avoiding waste is one of the primary aims of the LEAN approach: And waste results wherever old structures are not adapted to new processes, where the interfaces between process steps are unclear, where people do not take a holistic or business-focused view, or where customer requirements and thus customer benefits are not sufficiently transparent. The LEAN approach launched by Nordzucker provides methods for getting to the root cause of waste and for avoiding it over the long term.
Nordzucker is facing a difficult time. Now that the free market is upon us, it is more important than ever that we stay cost-efficient in all areas of the business – from production and administration to sales and beet growing. After all, continually adjusting to changes on the market and to customer needs only bears fruit if everyone is pursuing the same aim and is committed to making ongoing improvements and consistently reducing costs.
The use of process aids has been massively reduced at the Nakskov plant in Denmark thanks to the LEAN methods.
Small projects with a big impact “We have already implemented lots of successful improvement projects with our LEAN method. For example, we have significantly reduced the use of process aids in the Nakskov plant in Denmark, streamlined our partnership with customers in shared projects by analyzing interfaces and reducing friction losses, or optimizing planning beyond the various business areas,” says Sven Buhrmann, Head of Investment and Maintenance and Head of the LEAN team.
Improvements happen at the grassroots level The staff who are responsible for dayto-day work are the ones who have to work on improvements. After all, they are the ones who actually know where the problems are and what can be done. The LEAN methods help to visualize problems and recognize them before defining common goals. “We have now trained almost 500 employees throughout the Group in the LEAN methods. There are over 50 measures and projects being implemented and there are many more in the pipeline for 2018. LEAN can only be successful if we stay on the ball,” Sven Buhrmann continues. LEAN is part of what we do According to this motto, the LEAN concept needs to become part of what we do and approached practically and on the smallest scale. “Improving things using the LEAN methods doesn’t have to be complex – quite often, it’s the small things that make our work harder, that reduce efficiency and lead to unsatisfactory results. This is where our methods come in. Encouraging our staff to bring their ideas to the table and improve work processes is clearly one of our management tasks,” Sven Buhrmann concludes. � bdl
Akzente November 2017
15
| around the beet |
“ Sugar beet needn’t fear the competition” The market is in motion. Chief Agricultural Officer Dr Lars Gorissen on the prospects for beet cultivation, the price drops in sugar and on the return of the ratio for volume planning. The new contract system will be going into the next round in 2018. Have all contracts and volumes already been finalized?
Dr. Lars Gorissen
“The market determines what volume should be cultivated every year.”
16
As good as. I’m satisfied because we’ve almost finished concluding the contracts everywhere now. We’ve already achieved our targets in Germany and Poland. In Denmark, Sweden and Lithuania, we’re slightly below the level of last year, which is partly to do with the subdued market expectations. But overall, we’re on the right track. From your point of view, which contracts are particularly popular with growers?
Our growers clearly appreciate the great flexibility that we offer with our contracts. One-year and multi-year con-
tracts, fixed and flexible models – everyone can find the right fit with us. There are some distinctions, however: In Germany, multi-year and variable contracts were the most popular, while farmers in Sweden and Denmark were more focused on the market with one-year fixed contracts. Meanwhile, in Poland, we offered multi-year contracts for the first time for 2018 and they have been well received. Did the run on sugar beet by the growers surprise you?
It delighted me! Because it shows us that sugar beet is still very attractive and our growers are still committed to this crop. With good reason: Sugar beet is a high-yield crop, has development potential and need not fear
Claus-Friso Gellermann
“We’re expecting good beet yields” Claus-Friso Gellermann, Head of Grower Relations and Agri Consulting on the expected yields from this year’s campaign: “Across the Group, our expectations of the yields from this year’s campaign are still high. The sugar beet are of good quality, even if the sugar levels are lower than we expected in the beginning. Unfortunately, the sugar beet are also bringing much more soil into the plants with them than in previous years. This is primarily due to the rainy weather in September and October in almost all of our Group regions and countries. The extensive rainfall has made harvesting the beet much more difficult and also placed great strain on the logistics in terms of loading and transporting. Only in Finland will the campaign be much shorter, and in Slovakia yields will be much lower than in the previous year due to the summer being much too dry. We would like to thank all of our beet growers and supplier communities for their hard work in recent weeks in order to supply the plants with beet, even in difficult circumstances.”
the competition from other crops. And that’s great news for the future of the growers and for us as a company. How do you ensure that you can react flexibly at any time to the demand situation among the farmers?
I can give you an example: This year, lots of farmers in Germany initially went empty handed when the “free volume” was assigned. The disappointment was immense and tangible. That’s why we
offered a one-year additional contract as an alternative. And it was a success: Everyone signing this type of contract was also able to contract their volume for 2018, too. This went down very well. In general, our contracts allow us to react to volumes and prices – but within reason. After all, it is the market – and not production capacities – that determines what volume should be cultivated every year. It is only in this way that we are able to plan properly.
Romuald Wiśniewski Grower from Slawkowo, Poland
“I’m up to date” “I’m taking an optimistic view of the future and hope to be able to grow more sugar beet because my farm is in the immediate catchment area of the Chełmża sugar plant. Because I also grow other crops, I am familiar with the mechanisms of the free market. I have adapted my management system to a certain degree to accommodate the new era in order to achieve higher beet yields and higher sugar content. In addition, I am working on lowering production costs and achieving stable, high returns. I am up to date in terms of the latest developments in sugar beet production technology and use much of it on my farm. Finally, I benefit from the partnership with scientists and the agriculture department at the sugar plant, and follow their field tests for improving production efficiency with great interest.”
The expansion in beet cultivation was moderate this year at Nordzucker. Why was this the case when the competition is implementing huge increases in acreage?
We have expanded our acreage moderately as opposed to last year and have thus gone back to our old level. All I >>
Akzente November 2017
17
| around the beet |
>>
Continued from page 17
Helmut Gockel
Head of Goods Management, Reinau, Germany “We know sugar beet” “We can enjoy the great situation that the sugar beet is a major part of our crop rotation. We have learnt about beet and we know beet! There is no question about it: the market situation has become more volatile. For this reason, we need to say goodbye to the financial advantages of sugar beet and factor that in to future investments. However, our operation is familiar with its indicators and is cost-efficient with the highest yields. Our harvesting costs, for example, are excellent. Fertilizer and pesticide use and agricultural work have all been largely optimized. We have also found the ideal proportion of sugar beet for our farm. Our delivery rights offer us the greatest possible flexibility. Because we view sugar beet over a period of three years, not over the short term.”
can say is that this is the right decision. The drop in prices that we are currently seeing in Europe has largely been of our own making. Some countries have expanded their acreage excessively and will produce much more sugar than the market in Europe is able to absorb. The fact that the world market price currently makes exports unattractive will only make the situation worse. Of course we cannot close our eyes to the effects and will have to draw the appropriate conclusions. How are things progressing with organic sugar beet?
We’re continuing to pursue it. 2017 was for us a year of new beginnings and trials and, as such, was a success. Above all, we were able to produce organic sugar in our first year! We are very optimistic here and will continue to work at speed on this. With more staff on the beet side, we will continue to pursue this business over the long term. What aims have you set yourself for when you start as CEO from March 2018?
I’m really looking forward to my new role. We are well prepared for the future and for the many challenges it will bring. Now is the time for the sugar market to change as a result of the reform. As a company, we want to face this challenge, draw the right conclusions and act in a consistent way. And that’s what I will continue to represent in my new role. � Interview: Tanja Schneider-Diehl
18
Magnus Bengtsson Grower from Scania, Sweden
“Beet cultivation is an interesting business” “Beet cultivation is an interesting business! I expect a beet price that is based on market demand. At my farm, I opted for one-year and multi-year contracts with variable prices because I find that sugar beet are still competitive within the crop rotation. In general, I believe that sugar beet cultivation will still be worth it and my investments will pay off. I have analyzed my farm for profitability, optimized the growing area and, for example, outsourced drilling and harvesting so that I don’t have to tie up precious capital in expensive machines. Of course, I will continue to keep my eyes open when it comes to crops and will always compare the pros and cons of each. Because, at the end of the day, the financial contribution a crop makes to my farm is what determines what I will grow.”
Organic sugar from locally grown beet
“Organic beet: we’re really getting going now” Initial test campaigns in Nykøbing and Schladen The organic boom proved to be the tipping point: the two plants in Schladen and Nykøbing entered uncharted territory. For the first time in its history, the processing of organic beet was on the agenda before the start of the “normal” campaign. The short campaign was planned as a test run under real conditions – not least because the volume of beet was small. Perfect timing “We are starting at the right time. The market is calling for organic sugar from regionally grown beet – and we are now ready to really get started next year,” says Dr Piotr Wawro, Head of Technology and Innovation and project manager of the organic beet campaign at the two plants. Dr Wawro also has an eye on pellets, which are in great demand as animal feed for organic livestock farms, as the overall market for organic products continues to grow, and with it demand for these two products. This is why Nordzucker already did the groundwork for organic sugar from regionally grown beet back in 2016. For the organic growers, this first year was very challenging: weeds profited from a cold and damp spring and a lot more work was required on the fields to keep them in check. This battle is reflected
in the yields of organic beet, which range widely from very good to below average. Valuable experience gathered
One good thing, according to Dr Wawro, is that everyone involved in the growing and production processes has learned a lot and gained experience for next year: “Our two-country strategy has been a success. There are growers in both countries who are focusing on organic beet. In addition, we mastered the audits and their different procedures in each country. Now we can do it, and that will help us with the organic campaign in future.” There were also a couple of surprises for the project manager: “The purity and quality of the juice that is used to produce organic sugar were very high.” This is important for further processing. He is in no doubt: “It all went much better than we initially thought it would.” And adds: “We were able to build on a highly motivated and extremely dedicated team on the ground, which really picked up the ball and ran with it – from the detailed planning through to certification. That was amazing!” Looking ahead to 2018, Dr Wawro still has one wish: “We want to run a much longer organic sugar beet campaign. That only works with more beet.” That too is already well under way.
Nordzucker has already sent the new contracts for 2018 out to the farmers. That means the growers can plan their volumes much earlier than last year. Want to find out more? Here are the contact persons for Germany and Denmark: Germany: Thilo Hahnkemeyer Tel.: +49 5335 802 128 Denmark: Jørgen Gylling Jensen Tel.: +45 54883 464 � tsd
Nordzucker intends to have more farmers growing organic beet in 2018.
Akzente November 2017
19
| campaign & investments |
Axel Aumüller
“Two new silos in Clauen and Örtofta have provided significant relief to the storage situation.”
Persistent rain made it difficult to supply the raw materials. Many plants could not operate at full capacity at times.
“ The 2017 campaign: never has it ever been so extreme” Heavy rainfall prevents the harvesting of beet in all of Nordzucker’s growing regions. Axel Aumüller has seen many campaigns. In this interview, he talks about too much rain, successful investments and the long road to increased safety in the workplace. If you had to sum up the current campaign in a motto, what would it be?
Always surprising. I’ve been here for a very long time and experienced many extreme campaigns – this year we were surprised by the prolonged rain in almost all countries. Not locally or regionally. Just about everywhere. I have never seen something like that before. And this has an effect in our plants ... ... which manifests itself how? There is still some way to go in the current campaign.
Let’s take Trenčianska Teplá in Slovakia as an example. We had to delay the
20
start of the campaign by one week because it was simply not possible to harvest enough beet. There was too much rain. Similarly, we were unable to operate our German plants at full capacity because there was no beet coming in. It has been the same story throughout out all other countries, except for Sweden and Poland. We are already expecting the campaign to be long – 128 days in Germany alone. We really have our hands full everywhere to deal with the large quantities of earth that comes into the plant together with the beet. Minor technical malfunctions that occur in every campaign fall clearly behind the weather-related influences of the harvest this year. Moreover, we still do not know exactly what the consequences of this rain will be and how it will change our raw material, e.g. in the pile – the rot, adherent soil and
moisture. As such, I currently expect the campaign to take longer. It is great that Agri and Production are handling the tasks on-site together. As regard the first organic beet campaign – how did it start?
We only processed a small quantity of organic beet overall, but it was definitely the right decision to run this initial campaign in two countries and to gain experience. At our two plants in Schladen and Nykøbing, we experienced everything that can go well and what can also happen without warning, e.g. a lightning strike that crippled important bits of equipment, bringing processing to a standstill for many hours, but also an excellent performance in Schladen. By the end, we knew that we could do it and how to do it. I am very optimistic for 2018.
Not to be taken for granted: adequate stocks at the beet yard at the Klein Wanzleben plant.
Our high European standards for food are important and a clear distinguishing factor compared with sugar from abroad, for example – what do our customers demand?
A lot to do: in 2017, beet delivered to all Nordzucker plants brought considerable volumes of soil with it.
A new silo in Örtofta and Clauen and a high level of investment – what objectives is Nordzucker pursuing with these investments and how will this continue?
EUR 87 million of investment is no small matter – that’s true. During this campaign, we are looking at the conditioning silo in Clauen, which has already passed its test and is helping to improve the storage and logistics of our products. The fact that the silo in Örtofta is also available in this campaign is very pleasing and helping to relieve the storage situation considerably. Of course, such a silo also helps to supply customers even more precisely as the further development of our plants brings us very close to our customers and their needs. And we intend to continue along this path next year as well.
You are also aware of the burden on the population throughout the campaign. What are you doing to ensure the long-term acceptance of the local residents?
We are doing just about everything we can to keep the burden on the local residents as minimal as possible. This includes meticulous planning of the delivery, truck intervals over 24 hours spread across six days a week, posters with appeals for adapted driving styles, dedicated speed displays, driver training and, of course, talks with the responsible local people in the run-up to the campaign. We approach the population and do so with great dedication. Unfortunately, we cannot completely mitigate the adverse effects of the noise.
Our customers have clear demands regarding punctual and flexible deliveries – think, just in time. This doesn’t work if the sugar has to be shipped in from the other side of the world, and it supports our local concept. Another demand placed on us is sustainability – along the entire supply chain. Our customers also want to see that we meet agreed standards at all times. We were the first in the industry to approve such requirements with a sense of proportion. This also explains why our home-grown sugar product is more expensive than sugar from countries where all of these issues play only a minor role. The last issue is occupational safety – zero accidents remains the vision – what is the current situation?
It’s not great this year, unfortunately. The number of accidents has increased again despite consistent and considerable efforts. I am very sorry to say that we had a tragic accident that resulted in a fatality. That is particularly awful. Virtually all other accidents involved finger cuts, twisted ankles, trips and the like. What it shows is that we have to stay on the ball and work together. For example, we can intensify our efforts with the employers’ liability insurance association to return to our very good level. It is a long path and every single one of us must remain attentive. � tsd
Akzente November 2017
21
| campaign & investments |
Pre-washing in Örtofta, Sweden.
A small model of the new silo in Örtofta is now coming to Chełmża.
Boiler house in Kėdainiai, Lithuania
Capital expenditure remains high The focus is on logistics and energy savings Nordzucker has once more set out an ambitious investment plan for 2018/19. The coming year will again focus on sugar storage and delivery to the customer, beet deliveries and the field of energy savings.
“For 2018, we have undertaken a whole package of investments at the different locations. After we were able to complete the silo in Örtofta and the conditioning silo in Clauen during this campaign, logistics and storage capacities are now set to be expanded at other locations,” says Sven Buhrmann, Head of Investment and Maintenance. At the interface with the customer In order to further optimize sugar storage, Nordzucker will build a 45,000tonne silo in Chełmża, Poland, next year. A high-bay pallet warehouse will also be built in Uelzen so as to optimize delivery
22
to customers in the retail business. The existing silo in Trenčianska Teplá, Slovakia, will be renovated and made fit for the future. On the one hand, this will involve making significant improvements to explosion protection and, on the other, simplifying the supply of customers with the right qualities. Enabling exports Export loading in Uelzen will be enlarged to include a third loading track for containers. Direct loading at the factory considerably reduces loading costs at the terminal at the Port of Hamburg. Saving energy “The demand for heating or energy in a sugar plant is immense as a result of the evaporation and crystallization processes. This is why energy savings have been right at the top of our agenda for many years – in order to be able to cut costs
and protect the environment,” says Sven Buhrmann. The boiler in Opalenica will be modernized next year, which will have a major impact on the facility’s energy efficiency. The evaporation plant in Schladen will be expanded with the same objective and, in Lithuania, work will begin to modernize the boiler house as part of a two-year project. New burners will be installed, among other things. One of the aims here is to comply with future EU emission requirements. Modernizing beet yards Nordzucker will build new beet testing stations in its two Polish plants in 2018 while, in Lithuania, the entire beet yard will be overhauled, including the beet washing facility. The Swedish plant in Örtofta will also receive a pre-wash drum and a new cosset mixer. � bdl
Birgit Rothe has everything to hand for the tour.
Headsets are provided for the walk.
Knowing where it comes from Tracking sugar You don’t to be a detective – all you need is two hours, sturdy footwear and a generous helping of curiosity. And just like that, the secret of how beet becomes sugar is no more.
Nordzucker opens its doors for guided tours in all 13 plants during the campaign. As many as 15,000 visitors every year take advantage of the opportunity to find out how sugar beet, which often grows on their doorsteps, is processed into sugar. The tours have long been an important part of local PR work, as they provide an insight into large industrialscale facilities that can be seen and felt across the region. The plants also represent a regional product responsible for sweet moments in life but also fuels debate like nothing else.
Guided plant tours are popular Birgit Rothe from Uelzen knows the many sides of the product inside out – as well as what the guests perceive in the plant. She has been coordinating the guided plant tours for many years and also takes groups herself. She is proud of the many guests that leave the plant highly impressed: “Our visitors are mostly unable to imagine how much beet is needed to keep a plant like Uelzen running. Similarly, most imagined the facilities to be much smaller.” As is the case in all other plants, strict safety measures are in place at the Uelzen plant. Guests may only take part in the tour when wearing a helmet and a high-visibility vest. “It’s important that guests are able to walk comfortably and are physically fit, as such a tour is very
challenging,” emphasizes Birgit Rothe. The guided tour covers everything from the beet delivery and sampling to the sugar house and the control station. At most Nordzucker plants it is also possible to take a closer look at packaging and loading in the sugar service centre. “I never thought producing sugar was such an involved and complex business” – this is something that a lot of visitors say. General information about the company and the plant serve to complement the guided tour in advance, along with a film. This way, visitors can be sure of understanding the insight they get into the production of sugar. Now available for school classes “We started taking schoolchildren from year 8 through the plant last year – with a shorter, more compact tour and a detour to the training workshop,” explains Birgit Rothe. Students are also given an insight into apprenticeships at Nordzucker. Special conditions apply, which are individually agreed when registering at the respective plant. There are only a few slots left for groups or individual visitors for this year’s campaign – but it is definitely worth finding out. And if it doesn’t work out, then you can always put your name down for next year. By the way: the guided tours are free but not for nothing! Arrange guided tours at www.nordzucker.de � tsd
Huge dimensions – not something that guests often expect. Akzente November 2017
23
| productS & cuStoMErS |
Jesper Lindskog
„Brazil plays the most important role. The country is by far the largest producer and exporter of sugar worldwide.“
„The knowledge about the global sugar market decides“ From distant countries and volatile markets The good news first: Since 1. October, export of sugar from the EU is fully permitted. However, there is also a bad one: the highly volatile world market with extreme price and volume fluctuations affects the sugar prices in our home markets more than ever. It is therefore very important to keep the market, the weather and other influencing factors, such as political or speculative, in mind.
“The export contingent for sugar from the EU, imposed by the WTO, has become superfluous with the expiry of the quotas. This opens up opportunities for export, which can be attractive at high prices. However, we must assume that
24
the fluctuations in the world market are also, affecting our prices here in Europe much more direct than before”, says Jesper Lindskog, who has been responsible for import and export outside the EU in Nordzucker since 2011. A round thing: The market in cycles The sugar market fluctuates. As a rule, high prices, which are based on a low supply on the market, lead to an overproduction, which then pushes back the prices again. “A circuit in long waves. High prices lead to investments in sugar production, resulting in a greater supply volume, which then leads to lower prices. As a result, investments are cut back, the
supply is reduced and prices are rising again. Then the cycle starts from the front“, underlines Erik Bertelsen, CMO. Brazil, Thailand and India What sounds like distant holiday destinations are the countries whose sugar production affects the world market most. “Brazil plays the most important role. The country is by far the largest producer and exporter of sugar worldwide. Brazil also affects the world market so strongly, because the allocation of sugar cane can very quickly be switched between production of sugar and production of ethanol. Brazil is able to react in flexible manner to changes in price parities between
men
Lowe
r su
es t Inv
pp
ly
Higher pr ices
ts
the market in cYcleS
Hi
nt
gh
me
er
su p
ply
t ves Desin Lower prices
A circle of long cycles
Sugar production in 2017/18: the moSt important Sugar producerS
Brazil: the most important export country
Sugar production
BRAZIL
INDIA
EUROPEAN UNION
CHINA
THAILAND
40.1
26.5
20.0
12.1
12.0
27.5
18.6
17.5
3.5
in million tonnes, raw value
Sugar conSumption (INLAND)
12.0
Source: F.O. Licht global sugar supply, February 2017
the sugar market and the fuel market and thus has a considerable impact”, explains Jesper Lindskog. Thailand and India are two other important players; Thailand is the second largest sugar exporter in the world and plans to grow strongly in the coming years and India is because sugar production in India is subject to considerable fluctuations from year to year which have a strong impact on the structure of supply and demand worldwide. The question is when the market is recovering, not if Currently, world market prices are very low. “So it is not a question of whether the cycle described above will work, it
Erik Bertelsen
“It is not a question of whether prices will rise again, but when.”
is rather a question when this happens. If you look at the fundamentals, i.e. projected global supply and demand it could take some time – maybe until end 2018 – but there are so many factors in-
fluencing the market. It could also happen that we suddenly see an upward turn. One of many things which make the sugar industry a challenge but also exciting”, Erik Bertelsen states. � bdl
Akzente November 2017
25
| Products & Customers |
Pole position for customer loyalty
Lubomir Fischer Head of Marketing
“Active communication with our customers is important to us for successful cooperation. This is why we continue to be committed to face-to-face meetings during events of this kind. They are very well received.”
Events in seven countries attract guests from all over Europe 400 customers, seven events, three main themes: this is the result of a broad-based personal customer communication, in which Nordzucker addressed important messages shortly before the end of the current sugar market regulation and with customers from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and South-East-Europe in dialogue. “In our industry, we are setting new trends in market d evelopment and sugar,” emphasizes Lubomir Fischer,
project manager and Head of Marketing at Nordzucker. The meetings were held country by country from April to September of this year and were thus all before the magical date 1 October. The way into the free market therefore also determined the agenda: How does the sugar market continue? What developments does Nordzucker expect from the global sugar markets and how do they affect volume and price formation? What does the new era mean in terms of supply reliability and the future cultivation of sugar beet in Europe? The raw material beet also met with keen interest. Above all the competition for acreage and income as well as the new contractual systems were questioned. The fact that the perception of sugar in the diet is now being discussed across Europe was an important point at the events. Some events opened with industry-independent keynotes from experts or scored points with the audience with baking and gourmet events. “We have balanced our program so that we have found the right mix between corporate topics, entertainment and local references,” Lubomir Fischer points out. The result can be seen from his point of view: “We have received very good feedback overall and obviously fulfilled the expectations of our guests.” In the evaluations the guests praised the quality of the speakers and emphasized that background and insights into the currently relevant to their own business. The events are continued at regular intervals. � tsd
Nordzucker invites customers from all over Europe to engage in a dialogue.
No quotas and minimum prices: what is changing for sugar processors?
Positive reception: expertise for the own business.
Fruity sweet and beautifully decorated: Swedish treats. Very good feedback received: Peter Ostergaard, Claus Noorgard and Erik Bertelsen at the event in Copenhagen. 26
on top of our minds when developing our brands”, says Lubomir Fischer, Head of Marketing. “Thus, we take an important step towards a further strengthening of Nordzucker’s competitiveness in the European consumer sugar market.”
Standardized design: the new packaging of Dansukker products.
Harmonized design strengthens the brand Packaging design under the magnifying glass Nordzucker’s brand in the Nordic and Baltic consumer markets – Dansukker – was introduced around the turn of the millennium. After fifteen years in the market with ever-increasing products and categories, it is now time to tie the products closer to the brand and harmonise the look of the wide product range.
“An ever-growing assortment, such as Dansukker’s, tends to evolve in different directions as a response to new target groups, trends and needs,” says Angela Everback, Head of Marketing SE, DK, FI, IE, LT, LV. “It undermines the brand in the long run and gives an unclear image for the consumers.” In order to strengthen and clarify the Dansukker brand and thus facilitate consumers to understand the product portfolio, the Dansukker assortment has therefore been put under the magnifier for the purpose of harmonizing the design on the packaging. “Our goal is that consumers should experience a clear whole when choosing among our Dansukker products in the store – no matter if there are five, ten, or 25 products on the shelf,” says Ann-Louise Hallgren in Marketing, who has run the project in Marketing
with harmonization of the packaging design. “So harmonization is not about redesigning the design – it is about adjustments, such as ensuring that fonts, logo and design languages are the same throughout the brand portfolio. “A brand is a valuable asset. It must be taken care of. At the same time we need to keep consumers and their demands
Local production is still an important trend The concept of the redesigned packaging will be launched gradually, starting in autumn 2017 in the Nordic countries. First out are two kilograms of granulated sugar, followed by syrups, lump sugar, nib sugar. The entire range is expected to be in the stores during the fall of 2018. “Locally produced and other labels that link the products to a specific country or region are still a very important trend. In connection with re-launching the assortment, we have therefore given these labels a clear and prominent place on the packaging“, says Ann-Louise Hallgren. A project across functions The project has involved many employees in a number of functions across the entire value chain from Procurement to Production, Sales and Marketing. The first steps were taken in spring 2016 and the project is expected to be completed in the latter part of 2018. � mm
Angela Everback and Ann-Louise Hallgren examine the new packaging. Jeanette Nordenheim and Inari Kettula were also part of the team.
Akzente November 2017
27
| productS & cuStoMErS |
Through thick and thin: It’s the calories, stupid! “Calories are the decisive factor” It is an individual’s calorific intake that determines body weight, or more precisely, the ratio of calorie intake to calorie usage. • Anyone who eats more calories than they consume will gain weight • It doesn’t matter where these calories come from. • In order to fight obesity, it does not help to focus on a single ingredient, like sugar. • Instead, people must be made more aware of the importance of their personal calorie balance. The majority of consumers do not pay attention to the amount of calories in food. This is confirmed by a current representative survey taken on behalf of the Sugar Trade Association (WVZ). The link between calorific balance and body weight must become more of a focus in the classroom. Moreover, children need to be encouraged to do more exercise at school and in their free time so that being more active just becomes part of every-
day life for them. After all, it is not just calorific intake that affects body weight, but also how much we actually use. “If we really want to fight obesity effectively, we need to talk about our lifestyles. The balance between diet, enjoyment and exercise must be right. There is no point making sugar the scapegoat,” says Günter Tissen, Managing Director of the Sugar Trade Association (WVZ). What is a calorie actually? In connection with diet, a “calorie” or, more accurately, a kilocalorie (1 kcal) indicates the energy contained in an item of food. Every individual needs energy every day: to breath, to think, to move. You even need energy when sleeping. Energy supplies nutrients such as carbohydrates, fat, protein or alcohol. Not only do people who do more exercise use more energy, but they also develop muscles. And these actually burn more calories when resting than “lazier” fat. � tsd
Sugar is tasty and is a natural part of a balanced diet. It is increasingly suspected of making people ill. The “Tastes good” initiative (Schmeckt Richtig!) by the German sugar industry would like to encourage objective debate about the issue of sugar and is open to dialogue – on Facebook, on its website www.schmecktrichtig.de and in person.
28
US restaurants must indicate calories in the future
Brits target calories to fight child obesity
The USA intends to fight obesity with a new regulation. From May 2018, many restaurants will need to indicate the number of calories in their dishes. The aim here is that Americans eat more healthily. Calories must be indicated, among other things, on alcoholic drinks, freshly prepared food in supermarkets and petrol stations, and by pizza delivery services. The responsible authority (FDA – Food and Drug Administration) states that an increasing number of US citizens want to watch their health and that indicating calories is very helpful here.
The British government is set to update its plan to fight child obesity in 2018 and focus on food with a high calorific content. The responsible persons see the reason for rising obesity rates as being excessive calorie intake – and no longer just excessive sugar consumption. The government agency Public Health England (PHE) stated that it intends to define the “aim of the programme to reduce calories” to be to remove excess calories from food that is consumed the most by children. According to PHE, ready meals, pizzas, hamburgers, hearty snacks and sandwiches are the products that will most likely be included in the programme. In 2017 as a first step, PHE started a programme to reduce sugar, which aimed to cut the sugar content of the most important foodstuffs by 20 per cent by 2020.
Calorific values of different foods
The British food industry has welcome the approach as it shows that a well-balanced diet is the best way to fight obesity.
(in kcal per gramm)
7 4
SUGAR
4
9
4
STARCH PROTEIN ALCOHOL
FAT
Tasty treats during the festive season – they are worth it!
1 triple chocolate muffin (301 kcal)
97 minutes of walking
1 Lebkuchen soft gingerbread (289 kcal) 78 minutes of hoovering
What has how many calories? And how can you burn them off? Work it out quickly at: www.schmecktrichtig.de/energiebedarfsrechner/
1 caramel cream biscuit (143 kcal)
31 minutes of climbing stairsn
1 teaspoon of flavoured vanilla tea sugar with rum (33 kcal)
4 minutes of cycling
Akzente November 2017
29
| People & work |
“No one should lose out!”
Lothar Messerschmidt, safety officer at the Nordzucker plant in Uelzen.
Lothar Messerschmidt, 61, has been working as a safety officer at Nordzucker for 33 years – this report reveals what he likes about his work and how he does to the best of his abilities with his experience.
Lothar Messerschmidt has many years of experience as an employee in plant engineering and machine operations during the campaign. “After a total of 36 years in the company, everyone knows me. It makes sense, doesn’t it?” says Lothar Messerschmidt smiling. How did he come to Nordzucker?
30
“Actually, this is a little different to the profession I learned.” After training as an agricultural technician on a cereal farm, he got an offer to work for Nordzucker. “I accepted immediately,” he says. Why? “Nordzucker is the most attractive employer in the entire region,” states Lothar Messerschmidt with complete conviction. Today, the 61-year-old still works in the front building on juice purification and evaporation systems. A good idea from the new recruit Lothar Messerschmidt’s first job was to operate the plant’s kiln by himself. A job that absolutely carries some risk. “Many colleagues at that time did not really fully
realize that carbon monoxide can escape from the kilns and be dangerous,” recalls Messerschmidt. “At that time in the eighties, the awareness of occupational safety for most employees was still rather low. Messerschmidt proposed an effective hazard prevention measure: You could install CO/CO2 sensors in the compressor rooms to indicate any potential flooding with gas. Occupational safety as an important topic Messerschmidt did not let go of this first encounter with safety in the workplace. “My foreman at the time drew my attention to the opportunity to train as a safety officer. That encouraged me to attend
Awareness about safety issues has risen enormously among employees since the 1980s. Team orientation and variety are what Lothar Messerschmidt enjoys most about his work at Nordzucker.
regular training.” First came the normal occupational safety training course lasting several days at the employer’s association – since this time, there has been regular training in safety issues, including PPE (personal protective equipment) as well as other qualifications. Autonomous working is motivating What fascinates Messerschmidt the most in his work at Nordzucker? “Without a doubt: the variety. After all, we do not simply run the same kind of shift work the whole year round.” This is due to the special nature of sugar production: the campaign begins in autumn. An important factor for job satisfaction is, above all, the team orientation at Nordzucker. “We organize our tasks ourselves as a team – this gives us a lot of responsibility and is fun to do. The responsible foreman is more of a coach for us, giving direction and checking the results of the work. As the group spokesman when organizing tasks and improving workflows, he is always up at the front to ensure that colleagues are also aware of
occupational safety issues. In his experience, there must be no personal insults when communicating safety issues. If PPE is not worn, Messerschmidt tries to communicate in such a way “that, in the end, both conversation partners win. You must not talk down to people. That is very important,” he explains. Is he able to be heard by everyone today? Messerschmidt thinks for a moment: “Yes, by almost everyone.” And what about the few remaining tough nuts? Of course, they always exist – colleagues who are incorrigible. Messerschmidt remains consistent with them for their own safety: “First there is the understanding conversation, then the emphatic admonition – and then,
if the threat does not change, a clear message from the manager,” says Messerschmidt. Training, advice and leaflets alone are not enough to achieve the vision of “zero accidents” as pursued by Nordzucker. In operating routines, dangerous moments creep in wherever work is carried out. In order to prevent this, the personality and the perseverance of a safety officer are crucial success factors: “You just have to be persistent,” says Messerschmidt. “Sometimes it is hard to get a person to act in a conscious and safe way. But ultimately we manage to do this.” � Christoph Fasel
Akzente November 2017
31
| Innovation & future |
Tapping into the potential offered by digitalization “Linking and using information” The process of making sugar is already largely automated today. Where many employees used to rush through the plant during the campaign, today it is almost deserted and production is controlled and monitored from a central control station. Here, the colleagues can follow every single production step and every little deviation on the computer and react immediately. This creates an infinite amount of data and this is precisely where what is referred to as Industry 4.0 comes into play: linking data and information between machines, computers and people to make operations smarter, safer and more efficient.
“The data is there. We just need to tap into it. Our process control systems store large amounts of data every day, but sometimes they cannot be recovered, compared or linked so that we can really use them for process optimization and predictive maintenance,” says Sven Buhrmann, Head of Investment and Maintenance. “The standardization of data and systems is the big issue here,” adds Franz-Josef Elsing, Head of IT. Taking a targeted approach to a mammoth task “Overall, digitalization and Industry 4.0 are very broad topics with an enormous number of facets. Our task is to define an overarching strategic concept with the corresponding specific goals and measures. IT is currently working on this together with many colleagues from other areas of the company. We must not be blind to these developments; instead we must find out where they are of use to us,” says Dr Michael Noth, CFO. In addition, we have started a lot of smaller innovative projects and measures to bring us closer to the topic. “The principle here is a little like “trial and error”, meaning that it can go wrong, but under certain circumstances, we can also draw a lot of benefits. If we want to achieve something
32
Digital: at the control station and in the field.
in such future topics, we also have to address the issue boldly,” explains Sven Buhrmann. Humans – soon to be superfluous? If thought through to the very end, optimum decisions without human involvement may be made in the Internet of Things or in cyberphysical systems by connecting computers and machines. The fully automated plant is, generally speaking, one of the objectives of Industry 4.0. “There are definitely areas in which automation will progress at a faster pace than
we can imagine today. Many initiatives are already under way. Just think of the many trials involving self-driving cars. We clearly have to be open to new concepts, for example, in logistics. Within the next 15 years, transportation will take place autonomously without human intervention. And further automation and optimization of processes will occur in the plants. The technology available today helps to implement ideas faster. However, I don’t think it would be possible to do without any people whatsoever in the short or long term,” says Axel Aumüller, COO, with conviction.
Considerable volumes of data are generated everywhere in the process. This needs to be used.
An objective of digitalization: to give people better controlling opportunities.
The interface with the customer: automation is a matter of course
Having the right data available leads to better decisions For example, the better the available data can be evaluated from a production process, the better and easier it is to make decisions. “To this end, technical assistance systems can be used, which provide people with aggregated, visualized and understandable information. This enables sound decisions to be made and any problems that arise to be resolved faster,” says Franz-Josef Elsing, explaining one of the many areas of digitalization. Seeing the value chain as a whole It is still often the case today that data is not transmitted digitally at the interfaces with customers and suppliers, which can
lead to information loss. Digitalization also offers considerable opportunities here: In addition to improved processes, the exchange and use of data can result in completely new products and services for customers or suppliers, and thus real market opportunities. “When it comes to digitalization, the question is not “if”, but merely “when” and, more importantly, “how”. One of the key ideas is the cross-linking of digital data across the entire process chain and thus the creation of transparency. With our agri!og and AgriPortal Consult projects, we are already closely connected to our farmers today. This is a new and promising path for use, and we are just at the beginning. We will
now merge the threads of individual, successful projects, continue to tap into the technical possibilities, and create even tighter networks,” explains Dr Lars Gorissen, CAO. Humans must be included In addition to the influences and opportunities offered by technology, innovation is always only possible with people and through people. This is why Nordzucker is taking its employees on a journey into a new digital world. With the fall of the sugar market regime, it is imperative today to act even faster and with greater market orientation and flexibility. Digitalization is an important factor in this instance. � bdl
Akzente November 2017
33
| SwEEt StoriES |
Good glogg!
Germany
Christmas markets everywhere herald the start of the festive season.
With a special atmosphere, enchanting sounds and wonderful fragrances, Christmas markets attract thousands of visitors each year. Families and friends meet over roasted almonds, mulled wine or bratwurst, but jewellery, clothing and decorative items also lend a special air to each market. Nordzucker colleagues have put together travel tips for you on a few particularly special Christmas markets in our Group countries.
Sweden
â–˛
The christmas market in Braunschweig is always worth a visit. It is open from 29 November to 29 December 2017.
ann-louise hallgren and Jeanette nordenhem recommend for Sweden the Christmas market in Skansen, Stockholm: Since 1903, the Christmas market in Skansen enchants visitors with its nostalgic charm and officially heralds the start of the Christmas season. Stall after stall of traditional sausage and cheese specialities, spices and fragrance oils, Christmas decorations, embroidery, leather goods, home-made Skansen mustard, glassware, bread and cake and much more. More can be found at: http://www.skansen.se/de/weihnachten-in-skansen
Finland â–˛
34
Susanna Soderlund from Finland recommends the Christmas market on old great Square in turku, finland. It has a particularly nice atmosphere, is framed by old buildings and offers visitors traditional Finnish food. The Christmas market is open on the four weekends before Christmas, this year on 25 to 26 November, 2 to 3 December, 9 to 10 December and 16 to 17 December, from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Spice tea sugar Ingredients (for a 700 ml glass): 4 4 1 1 tsp 2 1 150 g 500 g
star anise cinnamon sticks vanilla dish fennel seeds cloves tsp black peppercorns SweetFamily brown sugar SweetFamily brown tea sugar
Preparation: Spices with brown sugar and 150 ml of water in a saucepan and stir boil once. Allow to cool, then pour into a large lockable glass. Add the tea sugar and close the glass. Preparation time: approx. 10 min. plus cooling time (can be kept for around six months at room temperature) For more flavoured tea sugar, visit www.sweet-family.de.
Christmas toffee with walnuts Ingredients 180 g 50 ml 200 g 2 tbsp 100 g 100 g
Dansukker Cane Sugar Dansukker Glucose Syrup butter water finely chopped walnuts dark chocolate, melted
Preparation Line a tin or baking tray with baking parchment. Carefully heat the sugar, glucose syrup, butter and water, stirring constantly, in a heavy saucepan until they begin to melt. Boil until the mixture thickens and turns light brown (for 10 – 15 minutes) or until it reaches 140 °C. Add the walnuts to the toffee mixture and spread out on a sheet of baking parchment. Allow to cool and pour over the melted chocolate. Crush coarsely.
▲
marzena kobusinska from Poland recommends: The Jarmark Betlejem poznanskie (poznan Bethlehem market) takes place in Poznan from 2 to 23 December. Here, ice sculptors have been competing to make the best ice sculptures in Europe since 2006. It is the only festival of its kind in Europe. www.poznan.travel
▲
Poland
Saulius mozeris from Lithuania recommends the christmas market on the place of the cathedral in the christmas city of Vilnius. The Christmas market is ceremoniously opened on 1 December 2017 at 7 p.m. with the lighting of the candles on the large Christmas tree. Over 50 charmingly decorated wooden Christmas market stands are stocked with seasonal treats and various hand-crafted gifts. It takes place from 1 December 2017 to 7 January 2018. More can be found at: http://kaledossostineje.lt/eng/
Lithuania
Akzente November 2017
35
| IN BRIEF |
Change New colleagues at the AgriCenter Germany The AgriCenter employees are important partners at Nordzucker for the beet growers. There have been some personnel and subject changes at this important interface in the company. After 31 years at Nordzucker, 13 of which as the Head of the AgriCenter Klein Wanzleben, Axel Schönecker left the Axel Schönecker company at his own request at the end of August. “Together with his colleagues, Axel Schönecker developed and implemented projects from which we continue to benefit today. We would like to warmly thank him for his dedication and are delighted to have a found a qualified successor, Harm-Henning Wolters, for the AgriCenter in Klein Wanzleben,” says Dr Andreas Windt, Head of AgriCenter Germany and Clauen. The topic of organic beet is also a new one. Thilo Hahnkemeyer, organic farming at the AgriCenter Schladen, has been a member of the team since 1 August. “We really want to get things moving in this field and substantially increase the growing areas for organic beet. This will only be possible if we develop new contacts
From left to right: Dr Andreas Windt, Franz Hesse, Georg Sander, Harm-Henning Wolters, Frithjof Pape.
with farmers. In the area of organic farming, there are many things to do, and fighting weeds is a particularly major challenge. We have a great team and tackle the issue with a lot of energy,” says Dr Andreas Windt. Furthermore, Nina Anastasia Wolf has been part of the AgriCenter in Schladen since 1 September. Frauke Mävers has moved from the AgriCenter in Schladen to Clauen. There she works both in beet deliveries and also supports the beet logistics project agri!og � bdl
Thilo Hahnkemeyer
Code Nordzucker is committed to the German Sustainability Code Sustainability is a key corporate goal for Nordzucker. The aim is to integrate sustainability into everyday business life and thereby set a leading example. Emphasizing transparency here plays an important role. This is why Nordzucker has now voluntarily committed to the German Sustainability Code (GSC), which enables a greater degree of comparability between companies. The Council for Sustainable Development developed the GSC together with businesses. Companies provide information in accordance with 20 criteria, which are published online in a database and thus easy to compare. From the 2017 financial year, larger companies in Germany and the EU must provide information about environmental and social standards, among other things. This is based on the EU Directive 2014/95/EU as of 22 December 2014 regarding disclosure of non-financial and diversity information. Although Nordzucker is not directly affected by this directive, the company voluntarily complies with these obligations. The GSC provides a good overview for customers and other interested parties, and is thus a good poster child for the company in terms of sustainability. More information is available here: http://www.deutscher-nachhaltigkeitskodex.de/ � bdl
36
Sustainable Gold and silver for sustainability Beet cultivation at Nordzucker SAI-certified Proof of sustainable beet cultivation is a high priority for Nordzucker customers. This is why the company has been involved in the SAI (Sustainable Agricultural Initiative) platform for many years now. Within this platform, Nordzucker has participated in the development of assessment standards for sustainable agriculture under the name FSA 2.0 (Farmer Sustainability Assessment). FSA 2.0 was successfully launched in Germany, Sweden and Poland in 2015. Denmark and Latvia were included in the process for the first time in 2016. All were also able to achieve excellent results for 2016 as certified by external auditors. “One of Nordzucker’s most important goals as a company is sustainability in beet culti-
vation. In 2016, production in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania and Poland achieved the silver or even the gold standard. We are very proud of this,” says CAO Dr Lars Gorissen happily. The remaining two Nordzucker countries, Finland and Slovakia, will also be certified according to FSA criteria this year. The standards to measure sustainability pursuant to FSA 2.0 have become important to show the way forward in the industry and thus one of the most important instruments for farmers and food and beverage producers to support the production, sale and procurement of sustainably grown agricultural products. � bdl
Nominated Nordzucker in the final: nomination for the German Sustainability Prize The Nordzucker Group qualified for the final round of the German Sustainability Prize (DNP) from a pool of over 400 competitors. After a very demanding application process, Nordzucker competed for the prestigious prize with nine finalists in the category of mediumsized companies and finally reached the top five. Nordzucker had to submit facts, goals and achievements for the entire value chain, from beet cultivation to production and consumption. “We are proud of this result, which demonstrates our exceptional position in the industry. With this nomination, our special commitment to sustainability has been rewarded – even if we were ultimately unable to reach any of the top three places. It is a major success just to be among the finalists,” explains COO Axel Aumüller. � bdl
Award-winning Nordzucker is demographically sound and ready for the generation change On 22 August, Nordzucker received the certification “Demografiefest. Sozialpartnerschaftlicher Betrieb” to show that it is demographically sound and a company that values social partnership. The Lower Saxony Ministry for Economics, Labour and Transport, together with the Demography Agency, recognizes companies that prepare for the future by involving social partners and, in this way, work to ensure sustainability. During a comprehensive auditing procedure, the Demography Agency took a close look at Nordzucker as regards its HR strategy, corporate culture, health management, work design and personnel development. It found that Nordzucker has a clear roadmap for the future. The award was presented during a festive event in the Altes Rathaus in Hanover, during which Olaf Lies, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Economics, Labour and Transport, gave out the awards on stage. Dr Michael Gauß and Dieter Woischke, Chairman of the Central Works Council, accepted the award Nordzucker’s behalf. � bdl Akzente November 2017
37
| PEOPLE AT NORDZUCKER |
Henrik Grönqvist Head of Department, Beet preparation & Extraction, Nordic Sugar Örtofta, Sweden It was a basic interest in processes and operations that led Henrik Grönqvist to return to the sugar world after 25 years and assume the challenge as new Head of Department in Örtofta. “The operating process is neither given nor happening automatically, that’s what is so fascinating about it. It must run 24/7, be adapted to the unpredictability of nature and the rhythm of the site and, not least, handle large quantities, in Örtofta around 800 tonnes of beet per hour. This requires great efforts from both people and machines,” says Henrik about the processes in the factory front end – beet preparation and extraction. Henrik is marine engineer with an extensive knowledge about machines and operations, both from the sea as a machinist on giant transnational carriers and from land. “My department ensures that the front end deliver. Our results are input to the next step in the process chain. If we have problems, it will have consequences for the operation in the rest of the factory.” “The most important thing is that the interaction between people works – that we help and trust each other and respect each other’s competencies. Regardless of whether it concerns large projects, such as the installation of two new pulp presses this year, or finetuning, troubleshooting and problem solving in the process.” � mm
38
| CLICKED ON |
A look online Visit SweetFamily on Facebook and click on “like”.
weetFamily also now on S Facebook Now you have to “like” it! SweetFamily is now sweetening Facebook with recipes, tips and tricks about backing, jam making, decorating and refining. With a fresh appearance, SweetFamily gets closer to its friends with regular posts, making the brand itself one that can be experienced. Seasonal delights, baking favourites, suggested designs for home-made treats and handicraft tips – the content is colourful and diverse. Depending on the season or special occasion, posts are selected so that they have a direct benefit for the Facebook friends. The account is targeted in particular at a young female audience. Take a look and “like” the page: www.facebook.com/SweetFamilyVon Nordzucker/
Nordzucker AgriApp for growers Want to access your own data about the campaign quickly and easily from your mobile? Not a problem (any more)! From December the first Nordzucker AgriApp will be available to download for Apple and Android. What will growers find exactly in this AgriApp? With the AgriApp, Nordzucker is responding in particular to the wishes of many growers to be able to access reports and important data relating to their beet cultivation quickly, easily, at any time and from any location. In the first step, the AgriApp will mainly display news from the Agriportal as well as campaign data relating to the current campaign. More content from other areas, such as Agriportal Consult, will follow gradually. The AgriApp will be available across the Group to growers in seven countries, and has already been presented at Agritechnica 2017. � tsd
Available soon: access data about the campaign...
...on the road with the AgriApp.
Imprint Published by: Nordzucker AG, Küchenstrasse 9, 38100 Braunschweig, Germany, Tel. +49 (0)531 2411 0, ir@nordzucker.de; Editorial team (ed): Bianca Deppe-Leickel (bdl), Susanne Dismer-Puls (sdp), Lubomir Fischer, Mariann Mellström (mm), Tanja Schneider-Diehl (tsd), Marion Ahnert, Björn Windfall; Layout: Sieler Kommunikation und Gestaltung GmbH, Frankfurt; Printed by: Leinebergland Druck GmbH & Co. KG, Alfeld Image credits: iStock, Nordic Sugar (Apelöga, Jonas Bylund, Lars Thornblad, Linnéa Treschow, Christina Bull, Peter Kam) Nordzucker, Shutterstock
Akzente November 2017
39
Mini tarts with salted caramel and chocolate ganache Ingredients Pie crust ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆
100 g butter, room temperature 45 g Dansukker Icing Sugar 1 egg yolk 120 g plain flour 4 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp Dansukker Vanilla Sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Filling ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆ ❆
300 ml cream 120 g butter 2 tsp Dansukker Vanilla Sugar 140 g Dansukker Glucose Syrup 140 g Dansukker Light Syrup 1/2 tsp salt 280 g Dansukker Light Muscovado Sugar
Chocolate ganache ❆ 100 g dark chocolate ❆ 100 ml whipping cream
Garnish
Preparation In a bowl, whisk the butter and icing sugar until fluffy and then whisk in the egg yolk. Mix together the flour, cocoa, vanilla sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl, and then fold into the butter mixture. Work together to a dough and cover in plastic film. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Set the oven temperature to 180°C. Divide the dough into 20 pieces and press into small foil cases, prick with a fork and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Leave to cool. Meanwhile make the caramel filling. Heat the cream, butter and vanilla
❆ Salt flakes sugar in a saucepan. Put aside and bring the glucose syrup, salt and sugar to 120 °C in another saucepan, stirring occasionally. Carefully pour the cream mixture into the syrup mixture and heat to 124°C, stirring occasionally. Pour the filling into the cases and leave to cool at room temperature. Chop the chocolate. Bring the cream to the boil. Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate and stir to a smooth mixture. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to cool. Spread the ganache on the caramel filling and sprinkle with salt flakes. Place in the refrigerator. Remove the tarts a little while before serving.
Time: About 2 hours About 20 tarts
www.dansukker.co.uk