[Closed] why are there only two sugar producers in the UK ?

Economy of scale.

Didn't they start as co-operatives so farmers could get their beets processed relatively locally and get a decent return?

I think there's a *really* small geographical area that the farmers who service the main factories grow in and the factories are essentially mothballed for about 9 months of the year.

Why would you expect there to be more?

British sugar only have one factory now dont they. I worked at the Kiddi one for a while. Tate and Lyle only refine sugar from sugar cane syrup they dont really make it like British sugar do.

factories are essentially mothballed for about 9 months

True they only openned during the winter and had few permanent staff.

why are there only two sugar producers in the UK ?

Beets me.

Anyway, I assume the OP is unaware of how much consolidation there is in the food market.

This is US-centric, but you get the picture....or you will if you click the image to make it bigger.

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Edit: This one seems to be more UK based:

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EU Quotas and tariffs.

There's a lot of history regarding sugar production. Makes an interesting read.

Slave laws.

bongohoohaa - I suspect that chart's out of date now - Kraft and Heinz have agreed to merge today.

More concentrated than that - Tate and Lyle is cane sugar only, British Sugar is beet sugar only.

There's a lot of history regarding sugar production. Makes an interesting read.

Do tell...

Those charts are like a collection of all the most disgusting food brands in the world.

I can smell BS factory from here on a good day. 16m away

the BS factory at Bury certainly gives off an interesting aroma when it is processing - kind of used to it now. They built it so that the prevailing wind blows the steam away from the town.

However a new build estate is now planned for the other side of the factory, right in the smell path. Presumably they are going to do all the marketing in summer when the factory is shut down!

All run by lizards.
They love sugar, but can't open the packaging - next logical step, control the means of supply.

Make the population addicted and controllable.
The bees are in on it as well.

Basically, it's all one big consyrupy.

[quote=Rusty Spanner ]Basically, it's all one big consyrupy.[img] [/img]

Anyway, I assume the OP is unaware of how much consolidation there is in the food market.

It gets worse: [url= http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32050266 ]Kraft Foods to merge with Heinz[/url]

I like both kinds of sugar, Tate AND Lyle...

I was given some double sweet sugar in my tea* today.. one sugar instead of two, without any orible after taste.. WFT was that?

*like I GAF about if I 'should' sugar tea or now BTW...

All that food conglomeration leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

You are only going to grow beet where it can be processed, I think there are only two or three plants and they are all in the East. Not viable to ship the beet more that 25 miles on the road. There are also crops that are more profitable.

Simply comes down to money.

mefty - Member
More concentrated than that - Tate and Lyle is cane sugar only, British Sugar is beet sugar only.

Pretty certain BS have been aah, investigating cane as well. Also pretty sure it was a controlled commodity until very recently which might explain certain controls. If you look very carefully from space, you can just see their current stockpiles of unsold stock...

In the east? Apart from the one in the midlands...

Double post.

I like both kinds of sugar, Tate AND Lyle...

😆

Oooo, Rusty, [b]cornsyrupy[/b] too.

Can the sugar be turned into some fancy alcohol to power cars, etc?
I guess that if we the UK public petitioned to have the amount of excess sugar in our food reduced, then turning the surplus sugar into fuel would keep the sugar barons happy?

Can the sugar be turned into some fancy alcohol to power cars, etc

Brazil done it already.

google "brazil sugarcane ethanol"

Pretty certain BS have been aah, investigating cane as well. Also pretty sure it was a controlled commodity until very recently which might explain certain controls.

I think this is right, the one on the Norfolk broads was rumoured to be earmarked for cane processing. Tate & Lyle have sold Silvertown too so are no longer refiners, although the name is still used by the purchaser.

They've been fiddling about overseas as well.

The one at Cantley, on the Broads has recently informed all the local Beet growers of their quotas for this year. Many have been reduced by 30%, some by more. Some of the growers have been told not to grow any at all this year.

Reason is as said earlier, we are obliged to import a certain amount of sugar from our European producers, furthermore, the amount of sugar being used in the food industry is, amazingly enough, reducing. This lower demand has also impacted on the wholesale price, which last year was £35/ton. This year, growers are to be paid £25/ton.

The cost to grow Beet is also very high, with high dependency on machinery to sow, fertilise and ultimately harvest. Harvesting machines cost in excess of £400k and have annual running costs in the region of £40k. Additionally, as a root crop, rotation is essential and Beet can only be planted on the same land every 3 years, so to make it economically viable, growers need to have large acreages available.

The estate/farm that I live and work on has just harvested 110,000 tons of Beet and whilst we have circa 9000 acres, we're not the biggest grower by far. The result of the new quotas means that many local growers will be turning to other crops, which in turn will increase supply of them and thereby reduce their market price. Tough times ahead for the UK growing industry...

Basically, it's all one big consyrupy.

I recently attended a seminar held by one of the uk sugar producers giving advice on how to reduce sugar in foods and the substitute ingredients to use. They obviously know that sugar is the new fat and are investing in the alternatives to avoid losing market share.

bongohoohaa - Member

Beets me.

Is the best so far

My great Aunt worked for Commonwealth Sugar as PA to Jock Campbell and won an MBE for her work with cane growers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jock_Campbell,_Baron_Campbell_of_Eskan if anyone cares he heh