Tate & Lyle welcomes government officials to Lille Skensved

Tate & Lyle PLC (Tate & Lyle), a leading global provider of ingredients for healthier food and beverages, today announced the completion of the first phase in its decarbonisation strategy at its facility in Lille Skensved, Denmark. This sustainability and energy efficiency-driven investment, which was part-funded by the Danish Government, was celebrated at an event with employees, media, and local and national officials.

The ingredient-manufacturing facility and customer innovation and collaboration centre was acquired by Tate & Lyle in November 2024. Following a multi-million-euro upgrade to the site’s evaporator system, a process in the production of pectin, a fibre, the site’s overall energy consumption has been reduced by 6% and carbon emissions by 7%. The evaporator uses heat to extract water from re-hydrated citrus fruit peel – the starting material used to make pectin – so that the remaining pulp can be transformed into this ingredient used by companies world-wide to thicken and add mouthfeel to beverages, desserts, dairy and dairy alternatives. The new evaporator system traps and reuses hot steam to heat and concentrate the peel, reducing the previous supply of steam, delivering the added benefit of reducing site water use by 2%.

A second project to upgrade the site’s distillation column, another key technology in pectin production, was also announced today, which will aim to deliver more than a 20% reduction in energy use and carbon emissions when operational, expected in 2027. Both projects support the Danish government’s requirement that manufacturing businesses in the country reduce carbon emissions by 70% from a 1990 baseline to 2030.

Nick Hampton, CEO at Tate & Lyle, said: “I congratulate our colleagues at Lille Skensved for delivering a successful project that delivers clear environmental and economic benefits, and helps us towards our stretching carbon emissions targets, and those of our customers. We are excited to begin work on phase 2 and thank the Minister and the Danish Department for Energy for their longstanding partnership and direct support that help us further our shared commitment to decarbonisation.”

Morten Dahlin, Minister for Cities and Rural Districts, who attended the event, said: “I would like to express my gratitude for you taking responsibility and contributing to elevating Denmark’s green business ambitions. It is important that we have businesses that create jobs and generate growth here in Denmark. The entire foundation of us having a welfare society is that we have sustainable private businesses, that do well and generate revenue.”

Joern Stryger, Plant Manager at Tate & Lyle Lille Skensved, said: “Today, is an important moment in our site’s history, as we celebrate a significant sustainability milestone. Our name and brand may have changed, but we continue to manufacture the same high-quality ingredients at our plant, and we remain as committed as ever to having a positive impact on our community and to protecting our environment for future generations.”

In November 2024, Tate & Lyle, a 165-year-old, UK-headquartered global company, completed the acquisition of CP Kelco, a leading provider of pectin, speciality gums and other nature-based ingredients, and a significant employer in Lille Skensved. The local workforce have joined a wider Tate & Lyle network of around 5,000 employees based in 75 sites in 38 countries, supplying food and drink producers – from start-ups to multinationals – in around 120 countries.

With a complementary portfolio of low- and no-calorie sweetening ingredients, dietary fibres, texturants, stabilisers and functional systems Tate & Lyle combined with CP Kelco to create a leading global speciality food and beverage solutions business. Focused on Transforming Lives through the Science of Food, Tate & Lyle’s food scientists use pectin and carrageenan made in Lille Skensved to develop healthier, tastier, more sustainable food and drink such as gluten-free crackers, fibre-fortified gummies, and reduced fat yogurts with exceptional mouthfeel, which are then enjoyed by consumers across the world.