Akzente. 175 years of Nordzucker. Sustainable. Dedicated. Together. EU sugar market regime. Previous year surpassed again.

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1 Akzente News from Nordzucker Issue 2 July years of Nordzucker Sustainable. Dedicated. Together. EU sugar market regime Decision made: The sugar market regime will be extended for the last time by two years until September Previous year surpassed again Revenues and earnings rose significantly for the third year in a row. Follow us Sustainability Report submitted Nordzucker saves energy and CO 2.

2 Rubrik Reihe oder Ergänzung 80,000,000 Nordzucker is investing EUR 80,000,000 across the entire Group in this financial year, surpassing the previous year once again. 2

3 Editorial We are on the lookout for ways in which we can develop the company further so as to continue to be able to operate as successfully as we are today even in a different environment. Dear Shareholders, Dear Readers, The previous financial year will go down in the history of Nordzucker as the most successful to date. We saw significant growth in revenues and earnings for the third year in a row. However, none of this would have been possible without an outstanding team that brings ideas and energy to the entire Group. Our excellent earnings are most certainly a reason to celebrate. Yet there is another one: 175 years! The first sugar factory in the present-day Nordzucker s region was established in Klein Wanzleben 175 years ago and is still in use now. This makes it one of the foundation stones of today s company. In the years and decades that followed, more and more factories were built. Early shareholders had a vision for the future: they recognised the opportunities presented by new technologies and, through their dedication, secured a long-term market outlet for their sugar beet. Today, we once again look to the future together. The markets remain volatile, meaning that price movements will continue to present a challenge for us in the future. By the same token, the structure of sugar producers in Europe will undergo changes. We also now know that the sugar market regime will come to an end in We are thus facing changes in many different areas, but we are preparing for all of them. We are making investments throughout the entire Group in equipment to save energy, to improve logistics and for product safety. Furthermore, we are on the lookout for ways in which we can develop the company further so as to continue operating as successfully as we are today even in a different environment. Nordzucker was and is a company heading towards the future. The very first shareholders were aware of this and it is just as important today to continue on this path together. I wish you all a pleasant summer. Best regards, Nordzucker has invested in a new juice purification facility at its site in Clauen. Hartwig Fuchs Akzente July

4 CoNtENtS Report: Two in one Since 2008, the annual beet campaign in the Polish town of Chełmża has been accompanied by a raw sugar campaign Summertime, berry time Europe makes jam with the help of products from SweetFamily and Dansukker. PANORAMA 6 Sustainable. Dedicated. Together. Nordzucker celebrates its 175th anniversary 8 Previous year surpassed again Nordzucker continues to grow strongly with rising revenues and earnings 10 Decision from Brussels: The EU sugar market regime will end in How will things proceed from 2017? 11 Hartwig Fuchs: Accelerating towards a new world of sugar 12 A late, cold start to the beet year A LOOK AT THE MARKET 16 European Commission approves additional imports from the global market CLOSE-UP : Boosting the competitiveness of beet with 20 tonnes of sugar 19 Responsibility, dedication, courage and appreciation: four values one company 20 Two in one a visit to the Chełmża plant 13 Interview: Not a record year 13 Nordzucker tests yield potential of the paper pot method 14 Follow us Nordzucker publishes its third Sustainability Report 15 Key investments made for the 2013 campaign SWEET STORIES 22 Summertime, berry time strawberries are Europe s favourite fruit 23 Summer with Dansukker 23 Taste of the year: Make and enjoy jam with SweetFamily by Nordzucker 4

5 Talking to People at Nordzucker: Kazimierz Kuśmierek has been working at the Chełmża plant for 38 years. IN BRIEF 24 The bright world of Nordzucker PEOPLE AT NORDZUCKER 26 Kazimierz Kuśmierek: Technical Manager Sugar House and Service Center in Chełmża CLICKED ON 27 Looking online RECIPE 28 Rote Grütze compote in mini sponge rolls 26 Prof. em. Dr phil. Hans Jürgen Teuteberg was Professor of Contemporary Economic and Social History and Director of the History Department at the University of Münster. In 1747, the Berlin-born chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf discovered that sugar from three types of beet is chemically identical to sugar from sugar cane. His pupil Franz Carl Achard continued this research and established the first sugar beet factory in Silesia in However, it would be decades before sugar production using sugar beet would catch on. Three questions for Professor Teuteberg on the history of sugar. In 1838, a sugar factory was opened in Klein Wanzleben. How did the sugar industry develop during the following decades? Between 1840 and 1870, when the German Empire was founded, the number of German sugar beet factories increased more than fivefold, from 54 to 304. At the same time, the amount of beet processed rose from 26,080 tonnes to three million tonnes. At the end of the 1850s, beet sugar production had already reached such a level that it exceeded domestic demand and began to be exported. What helped to drive this development? In addition to the fiscal environment, successful sugar beet breeding and advancing industrialisation were driving forces. In the middle of the 19th century, the Frenchman Louis de Vilmorin discovered that the sugar content of beets can be increased by means of systematic breeding. At the same time, it was possible to significantly cut production costs in the sugar factories by using steampowered machines and conveyor belts. What did this mean for sugar consumption? Until the middle of the 19th century, most people didn t consume sugar because they simply could not afford to pay the high prices. Sugar is a typical product of industrialisation and, together with the potato, represents the biggest change in our eating habits since the late Middle Ages. Akzente July

6 PaNoraMa The Klein Wanzleben sugar factory is founded a foundation stone of Nordzucker Start-up boom in Europe: The factories in Nordstemmen, Clauen, Schladen, Uelzen, Nakskov, Nykøbing, Arlöv, Örtofta, Chełmża, Opalenica and Trenčianska Teplá are opened Sustainable. Dedicated. Together. Nordzucker celebrates its 175th anniversary The sugar factory in Klein Wanzleben was the start of Nordzucker s 175-year-long history. Changing legal and ownership structures, conversions, wars, destruction and ultimately a completely new building have not changed the fact that the sugar factory founded in 1838 in Magdeburg Börde is the foundation stone of all Nordzucker factories still in existence today. Nordzucker has steadily evolved out of individual factory companies. Courage and an entrepreneurial spirit have shaped its history at many stages and played a key role in moving the company forward. Today, more than 15,000 farmers from all over Europe supply 13 sugar factories in seven countries with sugar beet. Nordzucker has taken this special year as an opportunity to reflect on its roots, as well as to look forward and generate new momentum. Official celebration The official anniversary celebration on 26 September represents the culmination of the year s events. Around 500 national and international visitors are expected in Braunschweig, including customers, politicians and various representatives from associations and the general public. The day s event will be kicked off by a ceremony accompanied by music and greetings from a number of people including the Honorary President of the German Farmers Association, Gerd Sonnleitner, the Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, Dr Reiner Haseloff, and the State Secretary from the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Dr Robert Kloos. Speeches and panel discussion Living and doing business in a sustainable way: are we living up to our responsibility? This is the question being addressed by the former Federal Environment Minister, Klaus Töpfer, in a talk on sustainability in the early afternoon, helping to steer the gaze of the guests towards the future. A high-profile panel will shed light on this issue from their own perspectives and thereby add to the thought-provoking nature of the anniversary event: Carl- Albrecht Bartmer will participate to provide the farmers 1985 Zucker-Aktiengesellschaft Uelzen- Braunschweig is founded The company s involvement in Eastern Europe begins in the Czech Republic, followed by Slovakia and Poland 2003 Union-Zucker joins Nordzucker AG 2012/13 Nordzucker AG s most successful financial year to date ends with record earnings Sugar is deemed vital to the war effort. Beet farmers and the sugar industry are called on to increase production 1990 Five companies join together to form the Zucker-Verbund Nord AG 1997 Nordzucker AG is formed 2009 Nordzucker acquires Nordic Sugar and truly becomes a European company 6

7 1 2 4 You can find more information here: Historical commemorative publication: The commemorative publication 175 Years of Nordzucker. A History of Sugar. will be presented on 26 September as part of the anniversary. The 150-page book provides details of the key moments in the company s history in an easy-to-read format over five chapters. Research includes interviews with contemporary witnesses. The book will be available in English and German. You may order a copy of the book on the internet: (nominal fee of EUR 10). Nordzucker will publish brochures in the respective local language for regional events which provide a summary of the key milestones in Nordzucker s history and which each contain one page devoted to that country. 3 You can find additional information about the company s anniversary, as well as news on regional anniversary events being held at Nordzucker plants in August and September at perspective, Ulrik Nehammer from Coca-Cola will give the customers point of view and Professor Luci Reisch will discuss on behalf of consumers. Dr Klaus Schumacher will represent Nordzucker s perspective. Inka Schneider, the well-known journalist from NDR, will lead guests through the day with entertaining interviews and small cultural treats. The celebration will be brought to a pleasant end with dinner in smaller groups. Events for all employees All 3,300 employees are celebrating with us at their own dedicated events, which range from breakfast and a family picnic to parties in the evenings. Guests from the surrounding regions and the local public are invited to the events. Nordzucker would like to express its thanks to its entire staff for their dedication and performance, and hereby recognises the contribution of each and every person to the success of the company. tsd Akzente July

8 PaNoraMa a Previous year surpassed again Nordzucker continues to grow strongly with rising revenues and earnings We have reduced net debt to EUR 59 million. Nordzucker is in very good financial condition. Dr Michael Noth, Chief Financial Officer cant increase in revenues and profit thanks to the good market situation and a number of its own profit-boosting measures. Revenues rose by more than 20 per cent to EUR 2.4 billion in the 2012/2013 financial year. Similarly, earnings reached a new high of EUR 360 million. This means that Nordzucker comfortably surpassed the very good earnings of the previous year once again. This is by far the best result in the history of our company, summarised the Chief Financial Officer of Nordzucker AG, Dr Michael Noth. And what is particularly pleasing to see in this anniversary year: We were successful across all regions. Nordzucker s shareholders will also be pleased about the good performance the dividend proposed to the Annual General Meeting in July 2013 will be EUR 1.80 per share. Last year, EUR 1.00 per share was paid out. In this way, shareholders enjoy a fair share of the company s good earnings, and the company s financing is strengthened at the same time. Earnings increase by EUR 152 million Compared to the previous year, Nordzucker was able to increase consolidated revenues by EUR million to EUR billion in the 2012/2013 financial year. This translated into a net income of EUR 360 million for the Group. Following EUR 208 million in the previous year, this represents a clear rise in earnings of EUR 152 million. Nordzucker benefited above all from comparatively favourable conditions in the market with higher prices for quota sugar and a larger volume of non-quota sugar sales. Earnings were also helped by Nordzucker has posted outstanding earnings for the third year in a row. The company was able to achieve a signifilong-term savings which took effect across the Group. These are the result of the Profitability plus programme, which has been running for three years. It consists of a range of measures designed to last five years and with which Nordzucker intends to boost its competitiveness. We have made the most of market opportunities and resolutely continued on our course without neglecting the ongoing development of the company. This course is paying off, emphasises CEO Hartwig Fuchs. Share of business abroad rises to 56 per cent Once again, Nordzucker generated more than half of its revenues outside Germany. We are a strong European company established in attractive regional markets, says Michael Noth and refers to the trend of revenues in the three Nordzucker regions: In the 2012/2013 financial year, 44 per cent of consolidated revenues came from the Central Europe region (previous year: 47 per cent), 40 per cent from the Northern Europe region (previous year: 40 per cent) and 16 per cent in the Eastern Europe region (previous year: 13 per cent). Equity rises above the one-billion mark The good earnings made it possible for Nordzucker to strengthen its equity further, lifting it above the one billion Euro mark for the first time to EUR billion. We set ourselves the goal of increasing the equity ratio three years ago, explains Michael Noth. In 2012/2013, we were able to achieve an even better equity ratio of 55 per cent despite a greater balance sheet total. Moreover, Nordzucker made the most of the good year and reduced net debt to around EUR 59 million. Michael Noth is happy about this 8

9 Annual Report 2012/2013 Hartwig Fuchs, Chief Executive Officer Nordzucker AG Annual revenues increased further In EUR m 2,443 2, / /2013 Thanks to positive conditions in the market, revenues rose by more than 20 per cent to EUR 2.4 billion in the 2012/2013 financial year. Net income at record levels and believes Nordzucker is in very good financial condition. Sound foundation for sustainable growth With an eye on rising stock levels, Nordzucker expects global sugar prices to remain at the currently low level, which means that Nordzucker expects a decline in revenues and earnings in the current financial year. The company will continue resolutely on its chosen course for growth and improved efficiency. This is our key to sustainable strength and competitiveness, emphasises the CEO. sdp In EUR m / / /2013 Nordzucker posted record earnings for the third year in a row. This resulted primarily from higher prices for quota sugar, a greater volume of non-quota sugar sales as well as savings in production and administration in 2012/2013. Living our values. Creating growth. For more details, please refer to our Annual Report also available online at Akzente July

10 PaNoraMa a After more than 45 years, the sugar market regime is coming to an end. EU sugar market regime to end in 2017 Four more campaigns under the usual conditions Now it s official: in just four years on 30 September 2017 the EU sugar market regime will permanently expire. This market system, the core elements of which have been in existence since 1968, will not be extended beyond this date. This was the agreement reached by the EU agriculture ministers at the end of negotiations with the European Commission and European Parliament on 26 June in Luxembourg. According to this, the market period valid until the end of the sugar marketing year 2014/2015 will be extended for one last time by two years until 2016/2017. This decision forms part of the comprehensive reform package which has been passed by the three EU bodies for their Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The negotiations leading to the end of the sugar market regime represent a compromise. On 13 March 2013, the European Parliament had called for it to be extended by five years until 2020, whereas the European Commission wanted to let the sugar market regime expire in 2014/2015 without any extension. The EU agriculture ministers also spoke out in favour of an extension to the regime in March, but only until 2016/2017. It has now been decided to allow the quota system to expire at the end of the sugar marketing year 2016/2017. The compromise is the result of protracted and difficult negotiations. Fulltime refineries will retain their exclusive access to imports of up to 2.5 million tonnes of raw cane sugar for the first three months of the sugar marketing year until September Less planning security The end of the sugar market regime and the associated discontinuation of the quota system on 30 September 2017 means that Nordzucker and its beet farmers will lose a certain degree of planning security. The EU will also continue to collect the controversial production levy amounting to EUR 12 per tonne of sugar, which has been in place since the 2006 reform, until Easier access to the global market Just how much the end of the sugar market regime will impact on the EU s current ability to meet 85 per cent of its own demand, which has up to now been guaranteed by production quotas, remains to be seen, as does how sugar prices in the EU will be influenced by greater exposure to the global market in the future. Access to the global market will become easier for EU sugar companies, as the end of the quota system also means that the 1.37-million-tonne limit on exports of EU sugar by the World Trade Organisation will also be lifted. It also remains to be seen how the European market for isoglucose will develop following the end of the sugar market regime. sdp 10

11 COMMENT BY HARTWIG FUCHS Accelerating towards a new world of sugar Two years, four years or seven years: how much time will the EU allow for changing the system of the EU sugar sector a sector which is in many areas still dealing with the aftermath of the drastic reforms carried out between 2006 and 2009? At the end of June, we learned the answer: after four more campaigns, Nordzucker will enter a new sugar industry without a market regime. We have been given two more years than originally feared to prepare for the change but three years less than we would have liked. A compromise. No reason to celebrate, but also no cause to stick our heads in the sand. Quite the opposite! How will things proceed from 2017? Following the drastic reforms in 2006, the time following the end of the sugar market regime will once again present major challenges for beet farmers and the sugar industry in the EU. The focus of the coming years will also be on boosting the efficiency and competitiveness of beet cultivation and sugar production. In addition to this, new systems of contracts for beet cultivation will be required to be able to manage the two-year period between crop planning and sugar sales without the market regime instruments which had previously applied. Nordzucker will continue to negotiate beet cultivation and delivery terms with the agricultural associations. A key issue will be what forms of price hedging for sugar will be in place in four years. Under consideration are systems such as those commonly used for rapeseed and wheat, for instance. Protection against sugar imports to the EU which will remain valid after 2017 is also important for sugar production in Europe. This means that sugar must continue to be excluded from talks on bilateral and multinational trade agreements. sdp Quickly becoming more commercial and competitive Nordzucker must become more commercial and competitive at a much quicker pace. That s the key message! The fact that we have the strength required for this is a testament to the enormous progress we have made in recent years. We set our course early on to improve efficiency and profitability on a continuous basis. Now it is for us and our beet farmers to continue on this path with dedication and resolution. And now we have a fixed deadline which is good for us all. With the discontinuation of the quota system and the WTO export limit, the EU market will be influenced to a greater extent by events in the global market after The EU currently covers around 85 per cent of the sugar required for the food industry from domestic production. After 2017, all of the sugar produced in the EU will be available for use in food. Moreover, we will be in greater competition with isoglucose among our customers as this will also no longer be subject to a quota system. Last but not least, beet must hold its ground over the long term against competing crops in the field and also compete with a potential rise in imports of cane sugar. However, not only does the end of the sugar market regime bring new tasks, it also brings new opportunities. The lifting of the WTO limit on sugar exports means that we will be able to benefit much more from the export market provided of course that we do well and prices allow for this. It is also certain that there will be another wave of consolidation in the EU. And Nordzucker will be actively involved in this. We will be able to master successfully the discontinuation of familiar regime instruments and the transition to a new world of sugar with passion and courage in the right places I am sure of this! The important thing is to stand together with our farmers. And to have policies that live up to their responsibility to create new, sensible framework conditions. Akzente July

12 PaNoraMa A late, cold start to the beet year Delayed growth particularly in the German and Danish growing areas In Denmark crops are lagging around ten days behind normal years. On a positive note, we are seeing high plant populations per hectare and excellent herbicide effects in all four countries. Christer Sperlingsson, Senior Manager Beet Supply, Nordic Sugar The long winter, wet soil and flooded fields did not allow for early sowing. We are all the more happy that our growers in Poland and Slovakia made use of all available resources and were able to get the beets planted in just 16 days. Dr Gerd Jung, Senior Vice President, Beet Procurement Nordzucker Eastern Europe Just like humans, beets don t like being cold and wet! Our 2013 beet year is likely to be below average. Volker Bückmann, Senior Vice President, Beet Procurement Nordzucker Central Europe In 2013, sugar beet sowing began later than the five-year average in most of the countries where Nordzucker grows sugar beet. Compared with the very early compact sowing in 2012, almost every Nordzucker beet office recorded a much later start to sowing at the beginning of April and much longer sowing periods were also widespread. In many places, orders had to be interrupted on several occasions due to late frost and heavy downpours. Sowing was fully completed in Germany, Poland and Slovakia at the end of April. Sowing in Denmark was also eleven days behind the five-year average. Only in Sweden was it possible for growers to drill their beet at their usual times and even then there were major differences between growing areas in the west and the east. Very good initial conditions Good soil structure, mellowness due to frost and sufficient soil moisture ensured very good initial conditions across the board and thereby enabled even plant carpet levels to be achieved with optimum plant density. Likewise, the effect of herbicides was very good on the whole thanks to favourable soil moisture, although growth delays brought on by herbicide stress were observed locally. April and May were persistently cold and rainy months, particularly in Germany and Denmark. Sugar beets grew at a very slow pace and row closure was only observed at the end of June in many parts of both countries. Shortly after Whitsun, Germany was hit by local flooding and surface siltation following heavy rains. Low-lying parts of the beet catchment areas of the plants in Schladen, Nordstemmen and Clauen were particularly affected, with over 100 mm of rain per day and square metre falling on and around 25 May. Crops in Finland and Lithuania developed rapidly and very well under 12

13 Not a record year In almost all of Nordzucker s growing areas, beet was sown later in 2013 than in previous years. How big is the actual delay? Dr. Pörksen: Across the Group, beet seed was sowed between two and three weeks later this year than in the previous year. However, when compared with the five-year average, we are only an average of ten days late. There was a late spring in all growing countries, which was particularly pronounced in Germany and Finland, where beet sowings were completed on average three weeks later than in What is the current situation in the beet fields? Do you see any chance for stocks to make up lost ground? Dr. Pörksen: Definitely not. The delay can no longer be recovered. Persistently cold weather, a lot of rain and not enough sunshine meant that the crops persisted for too long in the two-leaf and four-leaf stage. This was compounded by growth delays brought on by the outstanding effect of herbicides on the moist soil during Moreover, many of our growers in Germany had to deal with heavy rainfall at the end of May, including some flooded fields and siltation. Fortunately, there were not many cases of complete losses. Nevertheless, beet growth has been impacted by extremely warm, sunny weather conditions with sufficient rainfall, which meant it was also possible to partially compensate for the late sowing here and, as in Sweden, to achieve stock levels on a par with the five-year average. In Poland and Slovakia, warm weather conditions following sowing together with sufficiently moist soil conditions and regular rainfall ensured rapid field emergence and good development of crops. Growth here was also slowed by a cold snap in the latter part of May. these additional factors in many of these areas. From today s perspective, what does this mean for the 2013 beet harvest and campaign? Dr. Pörksen: It is clear that this beet year will not be a record year. Nordzucker will process a significantly smaller beet harvest. If everything goes well, we will achieve maximum yields on a par with the five-year average. The decision as to when we will begin processing the beets will depend on the results of the lifting tests in August. What I can say is that, from today s perspective, I do not see any reason to start the campaign early. Interview by Susanne Dismer-Puls Overall, stock levels in both countries are healthy. Approximately half of the areas sowed saw row closure by 10 June, with the remaining areas following around ten days later. Harvest outlook: about average Overall, beet development in Germany and Denmark at the end of June points to a generally below-average beet year in Nordzucker expects average yields in Sweden, Finland and Lithuania, and solidly average yields in Eastern Europe. sdp The amount of beet to be processed will be much smaller in this campaign. Nordzucker tests yield potential of the paper pot method Early sowing and a long period of growth are the keys to success for sugar beet cultivation. The longer the frostsensitive beet can grow, the greater the chances are of achieving above-average yields. To what extent can the yield be increased through longer growth periods made possible by using young beet plants grown in advance? Nordzucker investigates this question as part of its initiative in a field trial in Schleswig-Holstein. Eight-week head start In Kronprinzenkoog in Dithmarschen, around 7,000 young beet plants were transferred from the greenhouse on 10 April The plants were transferred using a cabbage transplanter by the farmers Björn Göser and Hans-Reimer Thießen and have a growth advantage of up to eight weeks over the sugar beet usually drilled in Schleswig-Holstein. The plants were sown early in the greenhouse in paper pots on 19 and 26 February. The paper pots are around 15-centimetre-high containers made from paper that dissolve in the soil. sdp Akzente July

14 Sustainability Report 2012/2013 PaNoraMa Sustainable production from the field to the end product is becoming increasingly important. Defined product, environment, safety and social standards are documented. Follow us: take an interest in our work Nordzucker publishes its third Sustainability Report Follow us Nordzucker s Sustainability Report: available in print and online. Follow us is the confident title of Nordzucker s 60-page report. The idea is for people to follow us or take an interest in our work, as people do on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter. We no longer need to call for this, laughs Chief Operating Officer Axel Aumüller. There has long been an interest in what Nordzucker does when it comes to sustainability. And this interest is rising, he emphasises. In importance and commitment. The number of customers coming to us with questions about the sustainability of our production is increasing. This trend has been led by large customers, explains Axel Aumüller. Particularly food producers that buy and sell around the world have developed very clear requirements. Nordzucker is expected to introduce defined product, environmental, safety and social standards in its production and for these to be clearly documented. In focus: the entire process chain Indeed, with such requirements, Nordzucker customers also safeguard their own sustainability approach. And this now extends along the entire supply chain for an increasing number of our customers, highlights Axel Aumüller. From the field to our factories and, finally, to the end consumer. Setting an example for generations Follow us also means follow our example. A number of the interim results documented by Nordzucker in its current Sustainability Report are truly trend-setting. It is no coincidence that Nordzucker will celebrate its 175th anniversary in the days and weeks to come. Wherever beet grows, it has been growing for generations: up to today with sustainably rising yields and the decreasing use of resources. This anniversary would be unthinkable without the generations of farmers who have been investing in the fertility of their soil over the long term certainly something which is not to be taken for granted, summarises Axel Aumüller. By the same token, the high standards in Nordzucker factories achieved by continuous improvements in energy efficiency and CO 2 savings are also recognised. In this respect, we are a popular model for others. But we are also in a good position across the Group in matters relating to product safety. 14

15 Energy efficiency and CO 2 savings at Nordzucker set an example. Dedicated: Nordzucker provides a comprehensive summary in its Sustainability Report. Values provide guidance in daily business In its Sustainability Report, Nordzucker provides interesting insights into all stages of the sugar production process: points of contact for discussion and orientation by way of the guidelines according to which Nordzucker works. Key objectives how to live the Nordzucker values and how to incorporate our sustainability goals into daily work will be dealt in the Nordzucker Code of Conduct which will be available online soon. Voluntary compendium, not just for customers Our Sustainability Report is not something that is required by law, emphasises Marion Schaefer energetically. This is something we do voluntarily and which our business partners really want to read, explains Nordzucker s sustainability coordinator. It s a compendium for experts and anyone who wants to know more about us. There is particular interest within the company from sales, according to Marion Schaefer. Externally, the report is on hand during every customer audit. In future, there will also be an abridged version for customer talks. It is also useful during discussions with banks or in the factories if a visit from the environmental authorities is due, for instance. Nordzucker s 2012/2013 Sustainability Report has been in print since the beginning of April and is also available online: anyone can leaf though it virtually at Nordzucker/downloads. sdp Key investments for the 2013 campaign Energy, water, product safety, logistics Nordzucker concludes two large, multi-year investment projects for the 2013 campaign: The new EUR 17.5 million evaporation dryer is entering service for the first time at the Danish plant of Nakskov; the Clauen factory also is launching the new juice purification system installed at a cost of EUR 5 million. At the same time, preliminary work to install an additional evaporation dryer and a vertical crystallisation tower (VCT) will be completed in the Swedish factory of Örtofta two new large projects with a total volume of EUR 23.3 million, which will both be ready for use in Energy and CO 2 savings are also top priorities in The evaporation dryer in Nakskov will cut annual energy consumption across the entire plant by a quarter in the future thanks to the innovative technology used to dry pulp. Furthermore, Nordzucker is investing around EUR 3.7 million in the enhancement of product safety. Starting in autumn, packaging machines and loading stations at all Nordzucker factories are to be equipped with socalled all-metal recognition. Ongoing projects for the futureoriented treatment of wastewater have also taken big steps. A further EUR 1.7 million has been invested in the Nordstemmen plant for the third construction phase of the project launched there to improve odour emissions. After having completed the anaerobic system in the previous year, the Polish Nordzucker plant in Opalenica will complete the modernisation of its wastewater treatment plant with the commissioning of the aerobic system. The new facilities in Opalenica were installed for a total of EUR 3.9 million. Moreover, a new, 80,000-tonne silo is currently under construction in Uelzen, which will enter service during the next campaign sdp Akzente July

16 A LOOK AT THE MARKET THE SUGAR MARKET European Commission approves additional imports from the global market European Commission: 1.2 million tonnes of additional sugar. Since the 2006 amendment to the EU sugar market regime, the EU has only been able to meet around 85 per cent of its needs in the food industry from domestic production. The EU has since become a net importer of sugar and, in particular, has become dependent on imports from so-called ACP / LDC countries (ACP = former colonies of France and the UK in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific; LDC = least developed countries). However, these imports do not come automatically. If the world market price is above the prices which can be achieved in the EU, there is only a limited incentive for the ACP / LDC countries to sell their sugar to the EU. In order to prevent a potential shortage of supply in the EU market, the European Commission has the option of ensuring a greater supply of sugar. There are two particular instruments available here: on the one hand, the conversion of non-quota sugar to quota sugar which may then be used in the food sector and, on the other, allowing additional imports with reduced import duties. As Akzente reported, the European Commission already made use of both of these instruments in the two previous sugar marketing years. Approving sugar for human consumption would relieve the market Given that the European Commission also expects supplies to be tight in the EU s sugar market in the current 2012/2013 financial year, it decided in January 2013 in the Management committee to bring an additional 1.2 million tonnes of sugar to the EU market. With human consumption of around 16.9 million tonnes, this amounts to around seven per cent of annual sugar consumption in the EU s food sector, says Nordzucker market expert Dr Klaus Schumacher. Half of this, totalling 600,000 tonnes, comes from the conversion of nonquota sugar to quota sugar. The applications for this approval were made by the sugar producers (maximum 50,000 tonnes per legally independent corporate entity). The European Commission divided the release of the 600,000 tonnes into four tranches, each with 150,000 tonnes. In view of the fact that the volumes applied for were much higher, allocation was made on a pro-rata basis. If non-quota sugar is released then levies must be paid. These are below the usual rate as a result of the special measures taken (see image). The remaining 600,000 tonnes approved in January may be imported from any non-eu country with reduced import duties. This volume may not be imported all at once, but must be divided into a total of four tender procedures. Four tender procedures in 2013 In these so-called import tender procedures, the interested companies make a bid as to the amount of import duties per tonne they would be prepared to pay for a certain quantity of additionally imported sugar. Approval is then given to the bidder who offered to pay the highest import duties, explains Klaus Schumacher. In the course of these four tenders, offers were accepted for a total of 371,000 tonnes of raw sugar and 174,000 tonnes of white sugar. The reduced import duties were between EUR 141 and EUR 195 for raw sugar per tonne and between EUR 161 and EUR 240 per tonne for white sugar. The European Commission expects that the additional supply of 1.2 million tonnes of sugar will ensure sufficient stock levels until the end of the 2012/2013 sugar marketing year, and thereby ensure adequate supply in the market. tm, nt 16

17 731 per tonne [as of April 2013]. As a result, it is above the reference price of EUR 404 per tonne. Interview In contrast to the situation around two years ago, when the global market price was sometimes above the EU price, it is currently at EUR 391 per tonne, well below the EU market price and even on a par with the reference price. The gap is therefore now widening significantly in the other direction. However, the statistics do not tell the whole truth, as they reflect prices from contracts which are currently in effect and which were signed last year in some cases. The market situation today is different. Prices for new contracts and for spot sales have fallen. Global market prices are currently at a much lower level than in July The reason for this is that harvests have been good, leading to an increase in stockpiles in the global market. Nevertheless, the European Commission expects supplies to be tight in the EU s sugar market during the current sugar marketing year. Reasons cited for this include higher consumption levels than previously expected and the resulting smaller stockpiles. Consequently, the European Commission has introduced measures to bring an additional 1.2 mil- lion tonnes of sugar to the EU market by means of import tenders and allowing non-quota sugar to be used as well. Nina Tatter spoke to the Chief Marketing Officer, Mats Liljestam. How high are sugar prices in the global and EU markets at the moment? Mats Liljestam: The average EU market price as indicated in the EU Commission s price reporting has been very stable in recent months and is currently at EUR What do you think of the release of 600,000 tonnes of non-quota sugar by the EU and the lower customs duties for imports of another 600,000 tonnes of sugar from the global market? What does this mean for Nordzucker? Mats Liljestam We have been involved in the process to release non-quota sugar but, in actual fact, this measure wasn t really necessary as the market has a sufficient supply of sugar. On the contrary, these steps result in increases of stockpiles in the EU and we had to inform our beet farmers that they should grow less beet for the 2013/2014 campaign. Measures used by the European Commission to avoid supply shortages in the EU Measure 1: Allowing additional imports with reduced import duties: Measure 2: Approving the conversion of non-quota sugar to quota sugar for use in the food industry: Reduced customs duties for imports in 2012/2013: (in EUR per tonne) Raw sugar White sugar Normal customs duties for sugar imports to the EU: Duties levied for the European Commission s special measures: between EUR 148 and EUR 224 per tonne Normal duty: EUR 500 per tonne Raw sugar 339 White sugar 419 Akzente July

18 CLOSE-UP Boosting the competitiveness of beet with 20 tonnes of sugar meeting in Reinstorf Dr Niels Pörksen: Nordzucker is preparing for the future with What adjustments need to be made so that 20 per cent of beet farmers are able to produce 20 tonnes of sugar per hectare in 2020? The beet procurement team is investigating this question across the entire Group. A large meeting took place in Reinstorf on 13 June. The motto of the day was Agri and beet shape the future, since in order for beet to remain competitive with other crops, yields need to be increased. This is the starting point of our project Since the project was launched in 2011, we have already handled a variety of different issues, such as the autumn strip tilling process on heavy soil, combined drilling or avoiding harvest losses. Now the task is to think ahead with our entire Nordzucker team of advisers, says Chief Agricultural Officer Dr Niels Pörksen. The task in the future, even more so than today, will be to increase the competitiveness of beet one of the conclusions of the meeting. Just how Nordzucker benefits from international exchange was evident in the working groups. Colleagues from the various Nordzucker countries came together to discuss the issues of increasing yields, cultivation advising, communication, sustainability and cooperation with farmers. Conditions are different in every natural environment. However, there are regions in our Group that are comparable to each other. As a result, sharing and discussing the results and findings from various countries with colleagues is a key part of our international cooperation in the Group. Together we will achieve our objective, underscores Niels Pörksen. The aim of the meeting in Reinstorf was not just to discuss what had already been achieved and how the results could be used in other natural 18

19 Four values one company Responsibility, dedication, courage and appreciation Senior Vice President Jannik Robin Olejas led the discussion. Together and international: Nordzucker colleagues from every site exchanged views and ideas. Which values guide our actions? Employees at all Nordzucker sites have been discussing and examining the four values of responsibility, dedication, courage and appreciation for more than a year. The aim is to turn these values into a common framework for action across the entire Group. In order to achieve this, last year s motto was The values are being discussed. The values were discussed in all Nordzucker countries and at every level in order to develop a shared understanding. The focus of this second year is now to see that they become a standard part of everyday work at Nordzucker. The aim is to live out the values in matters both big and small forming the basis of our actions in negotiations, meetings or employee appraisals. The same applies to Group guidelines and standards, which are also set on the basis of these corporate values. With our values, Nordzucker is in the process of creating its own Nordzucker culture that transcends both cul- tural and national borders. With their help, we will work together even better, regardless of whether we work in Germany, Poland or Finland, in an office or a factory. The values bring us closer together and this will strengthen Nordzucker. I am proud of the level of dedication our employees have brought to the process and its development, said CEO Hartwig Fuchs. Discussing and reflecting on the values is not an end in itself: Each of us has our own individual set of values, of which we may not even be fully aware. By talking about this, we develop a shared understanding and raise awareness for the application of these values. The values are also a good tool if, for instance, decisions need to be made, says Bianca Deppe-Leickel, project manager in the values team. The fact that the values process at Nordzucker is being supported by the whole company shows how much the staff is interested in it. Colleagues who want to be value ambassadors and advance the process forward have been found throughout the company. nt environments, but also to gather new ideas. In the working groups, we looked for ideas that were a bit off the beaten track. After all, if you look at where we are now and where beet cultivation was 10 or 15 years ago, you can see that a big leap has been made. Much of what we do today was unimaginable back then. This is why we were looking for ideas for new things in Reinstorf that would be difficult to implement today, says Jannik Robin Olejas, Senior Vice President Beet Procurement Northern Europe, who led the groups. nt Responsibility Courage Engagement Dedication Appreciation Akzente Juli

20 CLOSE-UP Tomasz Soliwodzki has been Director of the Chełmża plant and sugar refinery since The factory has been running a raw sugar campaign every year since Two in one The Chełmża plant runs a sugar beet and raw sugar campaign every year The Dvadesetprvi Maj lies shining with its red hull and the four white loading cranes in the port of Gdynia. The bulk carrier from Africa took about three weeks to get to the Baltic port to north of Gdansk. It will take nine days for the raw sugar in the port to be completely unloaded, after which the carrier can depart on a new trip. The raw cane sugar is destined for the Chełmża refinery. A visit to Nordzucker Polska and the Chełmża site: When we equipped the Chełmża sugar factory to produce sugar from beet as well as refine raw cane sugar in 2008, we were the first sugar refinery in Poland. Today there is a second and it belongs to a competitor, explains Tomasz Soliwodzki, Director of the Chełmża plant and refinery. Between spring and summer, the refinery turns raw sugar into white sugar for around two months. The sugar comes from Central America, South America or Africa. The sugar is brought to us by truck. They reverse up the ramp and unload. The sugar is brought to the warehouse by a screw conveyor and conveyor belts, continues Tomasz Soliwodzki. We enter the factory s raw sugar warehouse. Around 4,000 tonnes of raw sugar can be stored here. During our visit, there is only a small amount of raw sugar in the warehouse. A wheel loader tips the brown raw sugar, which resembles sand from a distance, though coarse grating onto large piles. Conveyor belts located below take the sugar to the first stage of the refining process: The sugar we receive needs to be cleaned before it can be processed. In the affination mash stage, which we rebuilt in 2008, the sugar crystals are washed and then spun in the affination centrifuges to separate them from non-sugar substances. This is the first stage of cleaning, says Kazimierz Kuśmierek, who led the conversion from conventional sugar factory to combined factory as production engineer. This produces the syrup, which is then purified and filtered before being decolourised. Decolourisation plays a critical role in the refining of raw sugar: a special resin absorbs the colouring. The syrup is then concentrated, filtered and crystallised. The decolourisation station in Chełmża is one of only a few in Europe. We continue on through the refinery and Kazimierz Kuśmierek explains: The real difference between refining and campaign operation is that white sugar is produced simultaneously at three stages during refining in our plant. At the same time, three additional products are created, known as recoveries, which need to be processed again. They are dissolved and boiled a second time until white sugar has formed. In contrast, we receive one product during the beet campaign, white sugar, and two products that need to be dissolved and processed again at the same time. The plant runs a beet campaign every year in the autumn and winter, and processes the beet of local farmers just like other Nordzucker plants. The time between the end of the beet campaign and raw sugar refining is short and the window for the necessary conversion work is correspondingly small: In order for the factory to become a refinery, flow paths between the different pieces of equipment have to be changed. This involves resetting various flaps differently and recalibrating around 200 dummy discs, explains Tomasz Soliwodzki. nt 20

21 Everything under control: whether in the midst of raw sugar refining or a beet campaign the control centre monitors every stage of production. Are the colour values correct? Quality controls are carried out in the laboratory. Chełmża is approximately 20 kilometres away from Toruń. Beet was first processed here in During the campaign, around 70 trucks bring their raw sugar to the factory every day. Raw cane sugar from Africa Ships carrying raw sugar arrive at the port in Gdynia in order to supply the refinery with sugar for its two-month-long refining campaign.. Automated At the service centre in Chełmża, 1 kg packs, 25 kg sacks and big bags of up to 1,000 kg are filled. The service centre s performance was expanded and optimised with the addition of the third palletising robot in Akzente July

22 SWEEt StoriES Summertime, berry time... Strawberries are Europe s favourite fruit The summer can be stored in jars in the form of home-made strawberry, apricot, currant or blackberry jam. All you need is fruit, preserving sugar or normal sugar and jars for the finished jam. This way you can continue enjoying summer even in the winter. The methods used to make jam vary considerably throughout Europe. Polish households mainly use strawberries, apples and plums to make jam. This means that tasty jam is made at home the whole summer long. In contrast to Germany, most people use normal sugar and add gelling agents such as pectin themselves, explains Mária Cselková, Marketing & Communication Specialist at the Slovakian Nordzucker subsidiary Považský cukor a.s. In Slovakia, strawberries, followed by peaches and plums, are the preferred ingredients when it comes to making jam. The fruits are brought to a boil and then sugar is added. We often use normal household sugar as well as preserving sugar. Strawberry jam is also very popular in Germany. It is a top seller for the large jam producers, and strawberries are preferred over any other kind of fruit for home-made jam, just as in Poland and Slovakia. The season begins a little later in Northern Europe than in Germany or Poland. Strawberries are also one of the preferred fruits in Northern Europe. In Finland, most customers use our Dansukker preserving sugar. Customers in the Baltic states often use household sugar without the addition of pectin. The jam is then boiled for a very long time until it has reached the desired texture, explains Jeanette Nordenhem, Product Marketing Manager at Nordic Sugar. nt 22

23 Summer with Dansukker Nordic Sugar gives its customers in Denmark and Sweden tips on making preserves with Dansukker products. The brochures Det smager af sommer! ( The taste of summer! ) form part of the summer campaign along with recipes and ideas, as well as a video on the social media sites You- Tube and Facebook. Here you can learn, step by step, how quick and easy it is to make jam yourself using fruit and berries. We invite our customers to make their own jam. To do this, we make concerted use of different channels so that our customers receive tips in different ways, says Product Marketing Manager Jeanette Nordenhem. Tasty: Jam made from fresh summer fruits. Make and enjoy jam with SweetFamily by Nordzucker Fancy some jam with a hint of vanilla and lemon balm? Try the Taste of the Year. This year, SweetFamily by Nordzucker is offering its customers in Germany two new products for making jam. A new Taste of the Year and a preserving sugar with reduced calories thanks to the sweetness provided by the stevia plant. Our preserving sugar Taste of the Year with a vanilla and lemon balm taste is particularly suited to strawberries and brings variety to the breakfast table with its fresh and harmonious combination, says Anne Hofmann, Product Manager. SweetFamily s stevia preserving sugar is new on supermarket shelves and combines the calorie-free sweetness of the stevia plant with the sweetness of sugar. Home-made fruit spread made with SweetFamily s stevia preserving sugar contains 40 per cent fewer calories than the same amount of a fruit spread prepared entirely with preserving sugar, says Anne Hofmann. For tasty recipes and ideas for jam and jellies, go to Akzente July

24 in BriEF Holdings Nordharzer Zucker AG and Nordzucker Holding AG propose a merger At their Annual General Meetings on 9 and 10 July, Nordharzer Zucker AG and Nordzucker Holding AG put forward a resolution to their shareholders which proposes the merger of Nordharzer Zucker AG and Nordzucker Holding AG. The aim of the merger is to increase influence over Nordzucker AG, to pool the interests of agricultural shareholders and to thereby strengthen the voting right at the Annual General Meeting of Nordzucker AG, says Hans Jochen Bosse, Chief Executive Officer of Nordharzer Zucker AG, and Helmut Bleckwenn, Deputy Chairman of Nordzucker Holding AG, adds: We see the merger as a key strategic step. A merger with Nordharzer would reinforce our influence over Nordzucker AG. ed Birthday Nordzucker starts the anniversary year by donating Nordzucker AG has provided the local church and town trust of Klein Wanzleben with support amounting to EUR 60,000 in its anniversary year. After all, it was in years ago that the sugar factory, which has retained its importance at a European level, was established in the Magdeburg Börde by 19 farmers, craftsmen and proprietors. Klein Wanzleben has since acquired the nickname Zuckerdorf, which means sugar village. This connects the two historically successful developments of the sugar factory and seed production of KWS. ed Nordzucker helps Donations for flood victims Nordzucker helps, the internal fundraising campaign for the flood victims, raised almost EUR 20,000 from employees, which the company then rounded up to EUR 50,000. We are very impressed by our employees willingness to donate and would like to thank all donors for their support. This result is evidence of the wonderful attitude of our employees, says CEO Hartwig Fuchs. The donation will go to the alliance of German aid organisations Hochwasser Aktion Deutschland Hilft e.v. ed Ideas to put into practice Lower Saxony beet day in Vinstedt The Lower Saxony beet day in Vinstedt, in the county of Uelzen, took place on 12 June 2013 on the farm of Friedrich- Karl Bodin under the motto Ideas to put into practice. The overriding objective of the joint event held by the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, the beet farmers and shareholders association (Rübenanbauer- und Aktionärsverbandes Nord e. V.) and Nordzucker AG was to present forward-looking, production measures that could help to optimise the commercial viability of sugar beet further. This beet day provided valuable ideas that can be put into practice in sugar beet production. It is a question of looking at all areas of production technology from the point of view of increasing yields and simultaneously cutting costs, said Dr Niels Pörksen in praise of the event, which saw the participation of the entire national and international beet management team. The group was then given an extensive tour of the facility, kicking off an intensive meeting (see report). ed 24

25 Axel Aumüller COO Nordzucker AG Personnel Axel Aumüller is the new Chairman of the Sugar Industry Association Axel Aumüller, member of the Executive Board of Nordzucker AG, was elected Chairman of the Sugar Industry Association (VdZ) on 11 June He succeeds Horst W. Mewis, who left office for age reasons after nine years. The Nordzucker COO is delighted to have been elected and describes the focus of his future work as follows, The challenges for the sugar industry are growing constantly; we can see this particularly in the fields of food legislation, environment and energy. This means we need a strong Sugar Industry Association, which speaks with one voice and is committed to representing the interests of its members externally. And that is something I am proud to do. The Sugar Industry Association, based in Bonn, is the consortium of sugar-producing companies in Germany. In addition to its function as an employers association, it campaigns for the interests of the industry in the areas of the economy, law and technology. ed Birthday Säkylä turns 60 In 1953, the Säkylä sugar factory in Finland ran its first campaign, which means that it celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The factory began its work at a time of rapid economic growth following the depression after the Second World War. Its success was also helped by the fact that rationing of sugar came to an end in the spring of The Finnish factory was able to process 750 tonnes of beet per day during its first campaign. Over the years, its performance has improved and today an average of 7,500 tonnes are processed per day during the campaign. The Säkylä sugar factory belongs to the Finnish part of the Nordzucker Group, together with the refinery in Porkala. ed Survey Farmers satisfied with Nordzucker Positive results in Group-wide farmer survey Nordzucker launched a Group-wide survey for all beet farmers last spring. The focus of the survey this year was questions concerning advisory services, the quality and use of informational offerings and satisfaction with Nordzucker as a business partner. Almost 5,100 farmers from seven countries ultimately participated in the survey. The advice given by beet offices and communication with Nordzucker received a much better rating than in the last survey, particularly in Germany and Poland. The last farmer survey took place in ed Finland Premiere in Kantvik A cargo ship with a shipment of raw sugar arrived in the Finnish town of Kantvik this spring. This shipment is the first raw sugar transport which Nordzucker closed, or carried out, itself. This means handling and coordinating everything from buying the raw sugar to chartering the ship and transporting it across the sea, as well as unloading the raw sugar in Finland, was organised entirely by us at Nordzucker, says Andreas Tausent, Senior Manager Sea Logistics & Operations, and adds: With this successful shipment, Nordzucker now has the chance to purchase raw sugar on a more widespread basis and load it directly as well as to optimise planning and costs. ed Akzente July

26 PEOPLE AT NORDZUCKER Kazimierz Kuśmierek Technical Manager Sugar House and Service Center, Chełmża, Nordzucker Polska Kazimierz Kuśmierek has been working at the Chełmża factory for 38 years. He started here right after finishing his studies to become a food chemist / sugar technologist. Our factory used to be part of a combine, which included an alcohol factory, a potash salt refinery and a dry ice factory, in addition to the sugar factory. At that time, I started in the dry ice factory and then moved on to grain and rapeseed drying, he remembers. In 1977, Kazimierz Kuśmierek moved to the sugar factory. First he was a shift supervisor before becoming the head technologist in 1980 and head of the sugar factory in In 2003 I became a production engineer for crushing and extraction systems. Today I am a production engineer in the sugar house and am responsible for the service centre. In recent years, I have led a number of large modernisation projects, such as the upgrading of the factory to be become a sugar factory and refinery in 2007/2008. You could say that I know just about every pipe in our factory, says Kazimierz Kuśmierek, smiling. nt 26

27 CLICKED ON Looking online for Nordzucker, SweetFamily. Nordzucker Annual Report is online Digital Annual Report invites readers Leaf through our 2012/2013 Annual Report, which is now available on our website. The new format enables you to gain quick and easy access to the extensive amount of information in our current publication. You can access our digital Annual Report using the icon on the home page of our website ( and in the Shareholders menu item. Sugar Forum inspires runners The Sugar Forum an initiative of the German sugar industry is currently using its website to inspire people to run. With tips from running therapist Joachum Janke and an interview with the European Ironman champion Timo Bracht. More information is available online at: 175jahre-nordzucker is online The microsite for the 175th anniversary is now online on Nordzucker s website. Under the anniversary motto Sustainable. Dedicated. Together., you can find information about the anniversary, a history of Nordzucker and information about local events during the year. You can also visit the microsite directly at Ideas from SweetFamily You can currently find recipe ideas for jams and jellies at Why not try the blueberry and strawberry fruit spread? Free Taste of the Year If you buy three sachets of SweetFamily Taste of the Year from the online shop, you will get one more sachet free. Check it out: ed Running season has started SweetFamily: New recipes online 175 years of Nordzucker Imprint Published by: Nordzucker AG, Küchenstraße 9, Braunschweig, tel +49 (0) , fax +49 (0) , akzente@nordzucker.de Editorial team (ed): Bianca Deppe-Leickel (bdl), Susanne Dismer-Puls (sdp), Oliver Ditsch, Frank Knälmann, Tomas Kocis, Mariann Mellström (mm), Thordis Möller (tm), Tanja Schneider-Diehl (tsd), Dr. Klaus Schumacher (kds), Marion Stumpe, Nina Tatter (nt), Layout: Sieler Kommunikation und Gestaltung GmbH, Frankfurt Printed by: Leinebergland Druck GmbH & Co. KG, Alfeld Image credits: Günter Nimptsch, Nordic Sugar (Apelöga), Nordzucker, Shutterstock Akzente July

28 Rote Grütze compote in mini sponge rolls Ingredients (for 10 pieces): 750 g mixed berries (fresh or frozen) 1 packet SweetFamily Rote Grütze 6 eggs (medium size) 150 g Unser Feinster SweetFamily sugar (extra fine sugar) 120 g flour 250 ml whipping cream 1 sachet vanilla sugar Preparation: Prepare Rote Grütze as indicated on the packet. Beat eggs until foamy, add 120 g of sugar, then beat for another 4 minutes until the foam is springy. Fold in the flour. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in a preheated oven (180 C, top and bottom heat) for approximately 12 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over a dishcloth. Place the hot tray with the sponge facing down on the cloth. Brush cold water over the baking paper quickly and then remove the paper. Spread half of the Rote Grütze over the sponge, roll it up lengthways and cut into ten pieces. Whip the cream with the vanilla sugar until it has thickened and serve with the mini sponge rolls and the remaining Rote Grütze. Preparation time: approx. 35 minutes Per piece approximately: 358 kcal 12 g fat 54,6 g carbohydrates 6,9 g protein For more tips and tasty recipes, visit: