Roquette celebrates 40 years in the Americas and reaffirms its growth ambitions

Geneva (Illinois, US), July 23, 2018 – Roquette, a global leader in plant-based ingredients,  celebrates the 40th anniversary of its presence in the United States. Since 1978, the Group has expanded its footprint in the country through the establishment of three sites,  complemented with a presence in Mexico, Brazil and Canada to serve its American clients  in the Food, Nutrition and Health sectors.

(Picture : Edouard Roquette, Chairman – Jean-Marc Gilson, CEO of Roquette– Eric Loges, President Americas of Roquette)

Roquette opened its first American office on 5th Avenue in New York City in 1978, 45 years after the creation of the Group in Northern France in 1933. As a family-owned company with a long-term vision, Roquette identified early on the strong opportunities offered by the US and American markets for plant-based ingredients, notably to serve local players in the Food, Nutrition and Pharma sectors. Today, Roquette offers innovative ingredients for a variety of applications, such as baking, cereals and snacks, savoury, dairy, specialized nutrition, nutraceuticals, pharmaceutical oral dosage form and biopharma.

To continuously address and anticipate customers’ and consumers’ needs, the Group has always continued to invest in the region. And beyond this, the Group has also been engaged with local communities to contribute to their developments thanks to sustainable relationships. All Roquette’s sites in the US partner with local United Way organizations and schools through the Roquette College Scholarship Program in the US.

Eric Loges, President Americas of Roquette stated: “It is a great pleasure and an honor to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Roquette’s presence in the Americas together with our clients and employees. Since the opening of our first US office, Roquette’s long-term vision and mission to offer the best ingredients for the Food, Nutrition and Health markets has driven its success in the Americas. Four decades later we are established as a trusted partner. Roquette has also significantly contributed to the local communities where our sites are located. I am looking forward to pursuing the development of the company across the Americas in order to offer ever more innovative and tailored solutions to our clients’ needs.”

Jean-Marc Gilson, Chief Executive Officer of Roquette added: “These 40 years of success, innovation and commitment have been possible thanks to our employees, our customers and business partners. We reaffirm today the Group strategy to grow in the Americas with a clear focus on Food, Nutrition and Health and we want to accelerate our expansion through organic and inorganic growth strategies. We rely on our family heritage and strong values to constantly explore, collaborate and innovate, driven by our ambition to unlock the potential of Nature. Roquette is today very well-positioned to address health and dietary challenges and the growing consumer demand for plant-based ingredients!”

The Americas is a promising market with an enormous potential for Roquette. The Group has strong ambitions to develop its business alongside its clients in the Food, Nutrition and Health sectors. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently confirmed the dietary fiber status of one of its innovative ingredients NUTRIOSE®. In addition the Group aims to benefit from its increased offering in the pharmaceutical market to reinforce its activities in this sector. Plant-based proteins is another key focus for the Group, and as such, Roquette plans to fully leverage its existing NUTRALYS® pea proteins offering to help its customers address a booming demand from consumers increasingly looking for healthier lifestyle. Its new production facility in Canada, under construction, will help more than double the Group’s supply capacity.

Roquette’s growth in the US (from 1978 onwards)

Roquette rapidly expanded its footprint in the USA first, with the construction of a sorbitol plant in Gurnee (IL) in 1982, and the acquisition of the Hubinger Co. Corn wet-milling plant in Keokuk (IA) in 1991. Three years later, the companies merged into Roquette America, Inc. In 2011, Roquette opened an Innovation Center in its headquarters in Geneva (IL) to further support its clients by developing and offering adapted solutions to their needs. More recently, Roquette signed an agreement to acquire Sethness Products Company, the worldwide leader in the production of caramel color. Roquette currently employs 550 people across three sites in the US.

Expansion in the Americas (from 2006 onwards)

In addition to its US footprint, Roquette opened an office in Mexico in 2006 and reinforced its presence alongside American clients in the Pharma sector with the acquisition of Itacel, a leading player in the pharmaceutical excipients market in Brazil and Latin America in 2017.
The same year, Roquette also announced a $400 million CAD investment to build a pea protein
manufacturing site in Manitoba (Canada) to expand Roquette’s pea protein production capacity and help to address the growing customer demand for plant-based proteins in North America and globally.
Roquette currently employs 350 people in Mexico, Brazil and Canada.

About Roquette: “Offering the best of nature”
Roquette is a global leader in plant-based ingredients and a pioneer of new vegetal proteins.
In collaboration with its customers and partners, the Group addresses current and future societal challenges by unlocking the potential of Nature to offer the best ingredients for Food, Nutrition and Health markets. Each of these ingredients responds to unique and essential needs, and they enable healthier lifestyles.
Thanks to a constant drive for innovation and a long-term vision, the Group is committed to improving the well-being of millions of people all over the world while taking care of resources and territories.
Roquette currently operates in over 100 countries, has a turnover of around 3.3 billion euros and employs 8,400 people worldwide.


MEDIA CONTACTS

Roquette Corporate
Carole Petitjean
[email protected]

Roquette Americas
James Bozikis
[email protected]

Brunswick
France – Domitille Harb / Tristan Bourassin
[email protected]
+ 33 (0) 1 53 96 83 83