PARSIPPANY, NJ. – Beneo plans to increase its chicory root production capacity by more than 40% through a multi-million-dollar investment program at sites in Pemuco, Chile, and Oreye, Belgium. The first step will feature an investment of more than $33 million. Work will start at both production sites in 2022.

The prebiotic fibers inulin and oligofructose are sourced from chicory root. The number of global new product launches containing chicory root fiber has grown by 50% over the past four years, according to Euromonitor International.

“As announced previously, in summer 2022 a second refinery line in Pemuco will already increase the production capacity significantly, but we won’t stop there,” said Christoph Boettger, a member of the executive board at Beneo. “The recent investment decision will ensure that Beneo’s production capacity is further growing. On top of this capacity increase, CO2 emissions are being reduced. This means that the production site in Pemuco will be carbon neutral in a few years. Additionally, the site in Oreye will have reduced the specific energy consumption per ton of product by more than 50% by 2030.”